You hear a lot of references to “the golden age of” this or that.
Of Hollywood, television, literature, whatever.
But I think we can all agree that we’re definitely not in the golden age of a whole lot of things at the moment.
People on AskReddit shared what they think we’re NOT in the golden age of.
Here’s what they had to say.
1. Sad, but true.
“Empathy and Understanding.
Too many people interact behind screens for people to really consider one another as human beings. It’s easy to disconnect and dismiss the person reading your words has a life, a family, and their own whole history.
It’s even easier to not care how your words might make someone feel.”
2. News of the world.
“Unbiased journalism.
It all went wrong with 24/7 news.”
3. It was so promising.
“The internet.
The mid to late 90’s, when we weren’t all connected all the time, when people made personal websites from scratch, not templates, and animated gifs were the coolest things.
It was so magical and promising.”
4. Sci-Fi.
“Science fiction. Look at the Nebula awards best novel nominees and winners in the late 60s.
1966 Winner Babel-17 by Samuel R Delany
1967 Winner The Einstein Intersection by Delany again
1968 Winner Rite Of Passage by Alexei Panshin
1969 The Left Hand Of Darkness by Ursula LeGuin
Rites of passage is only OK – it would be marketed as YA in today’s market – but the other three are classics.
Novels nominated but not winning in those years include Flowers For Algernon, Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep, Stand On Zanzibar, Lord Of Light, Thorns, Bug Jack Barron and Slaughterhouse-five. Oh, and the winner before this period, in 1965, was Dune.
Look at the winners in the last five years – they’re not actually bad but they’re safe and tame and unambitious compared to their counterparts from 50 years earlier.”
5. Yikes.
“Friendliness. Happiness. Information. Community. Compassion.
Patience. Honesty. Humbleness. Selflessness. Consideration.”
6. On the road.
“In the US, personal travel via the car.
We have our transportation system built around the automobile, but they are dirty, noisy, expensive and dangerous. As roads become more and more crowded, they are becoming less efficient.
But since there’s really no other way to get around, they are necessary evils.”
7. Controversial.
“Amazon. Look how Bezos is ruining the company.
‘Mental health’ booths, surveillance cameras in vans, bad working environment like employees aren’t allowed to take break and go to toilet, fake 5 star reviews on counterfeit products and ruining small businesses.”
8. Not cool.
“Consumerism.
Lots of anti-consumer policies going about. Can’t fix a phone by taking it to a local shop because Apple/Samsung don’t make the parts readily available like the automotive industry used to. Even the auto industry is creeping to where you can’t just take it to small business, and instead have to bring your car to the company/dealer.
With phones, it’s essentially if you replace the battery, the camera could stop working because it’s not “a genuine Apple/Samsung part”. They do this so small business doesn’t get the money, only the manufacturer does.”
9. What happened?
“Hip-Hop and Rap.
There’s a few good artists many of whom are underrated af but nobody compares to the legends from the 80s and 90s.”
10. Mind your own.
“Minding our own businesses.
Why is everybody so interested in everything about everybody?”
11. Scary to think about.
“Democracy.
It’s being a**aulted nearly everywhere and electorates are apathetic and under-educated/ill-informed, which further weakens democracy.
We’ll see things swing back eventually, but there are going to be plenty of interesting times ahead before they do.”
12. Where’d it go?
“Personal Responsibility
Sorry but, like 90% of people will blame everything on someone else and look for help even when they don’t need it. People want everything handed to them without any effort needed or put it to earn it.
People expect that by demanding things they deserve to get them. We as a society support this constantly thus this entitled generation, became a thing.
Nothing is anyone’s fault now, if they fail, its the systems fault, or the judges fault, or the bosses fault, or the companies fault, or the governments fault or societies fault. To the point people wont even bother trying, its easier to just cry victim and demand compensation for it.
College cost to much, don’t go to a community college, or learn a trade, just wrack up debt then stay at home and make their parents pay for it and them. Then call it societies problem.”
How about you?
What would you say we’re NOT in the golden age of?
Let us know what you think in the comments. Thanks!
