Things you'll have to explain to your kids.

I think libraries are likely to stick around. Whether they'll be known as "the place you rent books" or "the place with free computer access" is up to you.

I already have massive problems trying to explain things to people who are older than me. The kids in general might be a hopeless case about 10 years from now.

Ther future is gonna be weird man.

From my volunteer job as a sorter at the summer-long collection for my public library's used book sale, I have already taken home a bible, a train identification guide, a late 90's Internet for Dummies (for the historical/novelty value...kinda relevant to this thread, eh?), and John McPhee's Uncommon Carriers. But today I took home, and will probably keep, a large softcover called Going Going Gone: Vanishing Americana.

The copyright is "1994,1998", though I think this edition is certainly from '98. The authors are two women who the "About the Author" blurb makes out to be some kinda Heterosexual Life-Partners (college classmates, live near each other in Manhattan). And what it is is essentially this thread in book form, but mostly skewed further backward and therefore obviously aimed mostly at people older than even the majority of older regulars of this forum section. (Though not necessarily all...I dunno who the oldest people here are.)

In a way it's a lot different from this thread, which is very heavy on 80's and 90's stuff that probably seemed pretty recent or even cutting-edge to the authors of the book. Technology has advanced so much, so fast since the book was written that you could write a whole 'nother book on how things have changed since 1998 that would probably feel equally dated in 5-10 years. For example, I haven't gotten to the entry on "Security-Free Airports" yet, but all I can say in light of 9/11 is "You had no idea".

I will probably keep this book, and tuck it away until I have kids. Then I will bring it out and after explaining the kind of stuff that's in this thread, I'll say, "This is a book about the things grandma and grandpa [or whatever they will call my parents] remember. These are the things that were gone or almost gone when I was your age." I hope they'll get something out of it.

edited 2nd Aug '11 5:28:30 PM by frog753

The first time I flew home from college, security at the airport consisted of showing them my ticket and my id at the check-in counter, and my boarding pass at the door of the plane, my mom went all the way to the gate with me and we said goodbye as I got in line to board, all my luggage was checked except for my purse, and I carried a sandwich, a bag of home-mixed granola and a large (roughly Big-gulp-sized, so about 32 oz) soda in a paper cup on board.

It was like that, more or less, in my childhood in the 90's too. Wow, that sure will be something to explain.

I don't know if they'll be any remotely effective way for me to explain the whole pre-9/11 mindset, really...not in any way that they'd actually understand, anyway...

Video games where you needed to insert the game into the console to play it.

And relatedly, blowing into cartridges when everything on your screen stopped working.

That a pencil and cassette are joined at the hip.

And what a cassette is.

I'll have to explain what made games like Duke Nukem 3 D, Half Life, Quake and Doom so awesome back then.

I mean, when they're old enough, I guess.

Recording stuff on video tapes, and how it was both funny and annoying when they'd get old and "skip", sounding briefly like chipmunks.

"What's Pluto?"

Well Pluto will probably still exist. We're just not going to call it a planet anymore.

Of course Pluto will still exist, it's that the next generation will never hear about it because it's not one of the planets.

Don't do this, kid. Really.

Sagging your jeans, hopefully.

Jello jigglers. What coins are for. Seriously, some of Mom's preschool students didn't know either of those.

What it was like living through the Harry Potter era. Still can't believe that's over. Headphones, as opposed to earbuds. Long trips without a tv in the car. Cars that ran on gas, back when oil was still readily available.

Homophobia. I doubt that it'll be gone by then, but maybe it'll be like racism today: still present in society, but not supported by law or the majority of intelligent people. Sheltered kids will be shocked the first time they are exposed to it and not understand why it exists until they get older.

Actually, headphones are making a big comeback around here. They don't carry the same risk of deafness or infection as earbuds.

Also they generally have better sound isolation/comfort, so they're great for people who sit in front of computers not talking to people (read: everyone nowadays and into the near future)

The point is, don't worry about headphones. They have found their niche with the audiophiles, desk workers, and maybe students.

Actually, that's something: I might have to explain why, for a brief period Just Before the End, people took to sitting in front of computers and not talking to each other.

What it was like to have original stories that weren't based on existing properties.

What it was like to not have Youtube, Wikipedia or Google.

Copyright that was somewhat sane.

Web startups.

Cleaning out and lighting the range for hot water.

Cutting peat.

How to grow spuds.

Going to university because "you'll get a job".

Image macros.

Cancer.

No surveillance.

What a rainforest is.

Dial-up, writing in a journal with a pencil or pen, or playing solitaire with an actual deck of cards instead of on the computer (but to be fair, I barely even do this).

I already have to explain to my niece, nephew, and, oddly, my 50-yr-old sister, that once upon a time going on vacation meant doing more than just leaving your house. It meant leaving your people too.

I swear, they're in freakin' Cabo and are they enjoying the beach? No. Nose right in their cell phones texting and updating Facebook. /sigh

edited 13th Dec '11 2:03:06 PM by Bur

"How to grow spuds."

1. Put in ground.

2. Leave for 12 weeks.

3. Dig up.

4. Eat.

What a floppy disk is. She knows what a CD is, but floppy disks are this strange play-thing to her.

...yes, I have some 3.5" disks laying around.

I even have some 5.25's. Remember when they held ALL your stuff? They can hold, what like a minute's worth of music now?