Now: Hostess is filing for bankruptcy.
A few years ago: Small video stores were closing because they could not compete with the large chains during the VHS to DVD conversion.
Now: Blockbuster videos have "For Lease" instead of "New Release" in their window.
A few years ago: Mom and pop book stores were folding up when book mega stores like Barnes and Noble and Borders came to town.
Now: A tablet reading device like Kindle or Nook can hold thousands of books and the large stores are disappearing.
A few years ago: Families looked through the Sears or J.C. Penny catalogues so they could shop from home.
Now: We can use Ebay, Craigslist, or Half.com to find items from anyone, anywhere, at anytime.
A few years ago: The answering machine made it possible to find out who called when someone was not AT their house.
Now: The number of cell phones in the United States exceeds the number of people.
What has changed: Methods
What is the same: We are still; eating snacks, watching movies, reading, buying, and communicating
A few years from now: We will be doing the same things using new and improved methods. How will we get there? Well, that depends on some innovative people out there or maybe it depends on you.
What other changes can you think of in the past few years?
2 comments:
I think it's all cyclical. The themes cycle. Mom and Pop storefronts are replaced by giant superstores that are then replaced by mom and pop websites that will then be replaced by corporate one-stop shopping website that will then be replaced by ....
It will all comes around and around, just like fashion and dance moves (the reason the high school students in the band think I'm so trendy. I didn't make up new stuff, I just stuck to the running man and 80s fashion until it came around again!)
On a more related note --- GREAT POST!
Thanks, and I believe your right. I think that some of the cycles are new though. For instance, in the 80s we watched 80s cartoons not 60s cartoons. Today if you walk down a toy aisle you will see; Transformers, G.I. Joe, Star Wars, Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony, Smurfs and occasionally Ninja Turtles.
I think it helps bridge the gap with our children that we are willing to get down and play with them (and our imaginations can almost revert right back to a couple of decades ago).
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