Do you remember something that used to be an inseparable part of American culture but doesn’t seem so anymore?
An internet user asked, “What was something that was once very relevant in American culture but has been forgotten now?”.
Below are the top responses:
MAIL ORDER FROM CATALOGS
“Mail order from catalogs. Fill out an order form, write a check, and send it off in the mail. Hopefully, in two or three weeks, you’ll get your stuff back in the mail.”
THE MALL OBSESSION
“Hanging out at the mall with friends all day. Hit the arcade, screw around, go see a movie that wasn’t made for $400 million, etc.”
CIGARETTE VENDING MACHINES
“I graduated college in 2007, and they still had those in bars, despite no smoking inside since 2003. They were old school, though, and already sort of a kitsch relic even then. When I was a kid, though, they were everywhere.”
READER’S DIGEST
“Reader’s Digest. Used to be ubiquitous,” said one.
“I won $300 from Readers Digest in 2004 for a submitted story. I split it with my best friend, who the story was about,” another added.
LOCAL ENTERTAINERS IN THE TELEVISION MARKET
“Every television market has local entertainers who introduce movies, host local kids’ shows, etc. Krusty the Clown from The Simpsons is the last surviving pop culture reference to these people existing.”
CELEBRITY STATUS OF LOCAL RADIO DJS
“Local radio DJs (Disc Jockey) being minor celebrities,” said one.
“I grew up in a middle-class suburb, and we had a local radio station host a few doors down from us. It was extremely cool to see him on billboards. Minor celebrity sums it up,” another added.
AUTOMATS
“Automats! Fast food places put them out of commission, as did the decline of coins as everyday currency.”
SUPPER CLUBS
“Supper clubs! There are still some in the Midwest, and honestly, it’s time they come back! You eat dinner (usually slightly upscale and hardy), listen to some fun live music, and maybe even see a show after and enjoy a cocktail. Great atmosphere and cool buildings, too!”
DAYTIME SOAP OPERAS
“Daytime soap operas used to be huge, but only a few remain. Nothing would annoy my grandma more than having her ‘stories’ interrupted by a presidential news conference.”
THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT
“The American chestnut. Came here to say that. It always strikes me odd how it only survives in Christmas songs.”
FLAT STRAW HATS
“Those flat straw hats we associate with Barbershop quartets used to be a fashion every man wore while out and about until the 1920s. I have never seen someone wear one in earnest.”
POLKA MUSIC
“Polka music isn’t as popular as it used to be. Maybe it’s the homogenization of our collective culture. Sad. When I think of American polka, I think of the Great Lakes region. It is very jolly music. Hardworking eastern European folks who are having a good time.”
PAYMENT BOOKS
“Payment books. Every other Friday, I would drive to the bank with my payment book and make a car payment. They would take a ticket out for each payment.”
S&H GREEN STAMPS
“S&H Green Stamps that you got automatically at the grocery store, and the little booklets where you licked the stamps and stuck them in.
When you got enough, you went to the redemption centers to get free products for the stamp booklets. The products were awesome. I got my first guitar using those green stamps.”
CAR CULTURE
“Car culture is becoming less important for many. Lots of people value walkable neighborhoods and proximity to public transit.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.