The 1970s and 1980s were distinctive eras that shaped an entire generation with unique cultural and technological milestones. Today’s youth might never appreciate the simplicity and charm of writing a check or finding a payphone on a street corner. Let’s remember the iconic experiences of the ‘70s and ‘80s that are completely foreign to Gen Z.
Rotary Phones
To make a call on a rotary phone, one would insert a finger into the appropriate hole and turn the dial all the way around, a tedious process for today’s instant standards. Gen Z might find the lack of a contacts list or a redial button unimaginably inconvenient.
VHS Tapes
Bulky VHS tapes required a VCR for playback and often degraded in quality over time. Gen Z, accustomed to streaming high-definition videos instantly, would struggle with the concept of rewinding a film before returning it to the rental store.
Cassette Mixtapes
Creating a mixtape on a cassette was a labor of love that involved recording songs in real-time from the radio or another cassette. Each mixtape was a curated expression of personal taste, often gifted to friends or crushes.
Walkman
Unlike today’s smartphones, the Walkman required physical media and had no shuffle function or playlists. Its use of AA batteries for power is a concept foreign to Gen Z, which is used to recharge lithium-ion cells.
Dial-Up Internet
The screeching tone of a dial-up modem connecting to the Internet is a sound unfamiliar to Gen Z. This process could take several minutes and tie up the phone line, preventing incoming or outgoing calls. The slow speeds and lack of mobility with dial-up are unimaginable today.
Floppy Disks
Floppy disks could hold a mere 1.44 MB of data – not even enough for a single mp3 song today. They were used to transfer files between computers and for backup. The concept of such limited storage is alien to Gen Z, who are accustomed to multi-terabyte cloud services.
Typewriters
Typewriters used to be the standard for writing documents. Corrections were a hassle that often involved messy correction fluid or sticky tape. The tactile feel of typing on a mechanical keyboard, however, is something that some members of Gen Z might appreciate as retro chic.
Phone Books
Phone books contained the contact information of every residence and business in the area. Looking up a number meant flipping through hundreds of pages. In contrast, Gen Z is more likely to ask a digital assistant or perform a quick web search to find phone numbers.
Encyclopedias
Purchasing a full set of encyclopedias was expensive, and the information could quickly become outdated. Gen Z’s access to real-time, continuously updated information online makes the idea of static printed volumes seem inefficient.
Recording TV Shows on VCR
Recording a TV show required programming a VCR with the correct time and channel and hoping there was enough tape left. Missed recordings due to power outages or mistakes in setting the timer were common frustrations. This cumbersome process is far removed from today’s DVR and streaming services.
Manual Car Windows
Manual car windows, operated by a hand crank, were standard before electric windows became common. Rolling down a window involved physical effort, especially inconvenient in a drive-thru. Today’s Gen Z drivers might view this as an amusingly archaic inconvenience.
TV Guide Magazine
The TV Guide magazine listed all the shows airing on each channel, which required viewers to plan their schedule around their favorite programs. The concept of not being able to choose what and when to watch something is quite foreign to Gen Z.
Physical Maps
Before GPS, drivers had to navigate with a large, fold-out road map. Reading these maps required understanding complex layouts and often pulling over to read them safely. The ease of digital maps today makes the paper version seem quaint and cumbersome.
Payphones
Payphones were found on many street corners and in buildings. Making a call required a pocketful of coins or a calling card. The ubiquity of smartphones has made the once-common payphone a relic of the past.
Rabbit Ears Antenna
Rabbit ears antennas were adjusted manually to catch the best T.V. signal. Tweaking the antenna during a show to keep the picture clear was a common task. Such manual intervention is a concept lost in the age of digital broadcasting.
Developing Film
Taking photographs meant dealing with a film that you couldn’t see until it was developed, a process that could take days. Each shot was precious, as film rolls had a limited number of exposures. The immediacy and endless capacity of digital photography are things Gen Z take for granted.
Pagers
Pagers alerted the owner with a beep that they needed to find a phone to make a call. They were popular among professionals who needed to be reachable at all times. The limited functionality of pagers is a stark contrast to today’s smartphones.
Card Catalogs
Card catalogs were used in libraries to locate books and other materials before digital databases were available. Searching through drawers filled with index cards was time-consuming and required knowledge of the Dewey Decimal system. This method seems incredibly antiquated today.
Black and White Television
Black and white televisions were still in use during the early ‘70s. Watching shows in black and white required more imagination and focus. For Gen Z, raised on vivid high-definition and 4K screens, a black and white display might as well be from another planet.
Answering Machines
Back in the day, answering machines recorded messages on physical tapes. Checking for messages meant playing back a cassette, often leading to amusing miscommunications. The analog nature of these devices is far removed from the seamless digital voicemail services now.
Arcade Video Games
In the ‘70s and ‘80s, video gaming meant going to an arcade and standing at a cabinet to play. This social experience is vastly different from today’s online gaming, where players interact from behind personal screens.
