Older Generations, It's Time To Share The Things You're Actually Jealous Of When It Comes To The Younger Generation
I've heard people from all generations say the exact same thing: "It was better back in my day." Baby boomers, Gen X, and millennials alike can be quick to defend elements of their own generation while dismissing those that came after. That's nostalgia, baby! I'm guilty of this as a millennial because I SWEAR that MySpace is, without a doubt, the superior social media. Facebook could never even dream of outshining the OG. Let me add a song to my Facebook profile and then maybe we'll talk.
While there are plenty things I'm nostalgically thankful for from the good ol' days that younger generations aren't exposed to now, but I'm curious to hear about the opposite side of the spectrum. What about the things or experiences that younger people have nowadays that older generations are jealous of? You know, the things that either hadn't been invented yet, or just weren't as common back in the day?
I'll go first: I'm SO jealous that Gen Z has unlimited access to the internet. Like I mentioned, I'm a millennial, so I didn't even have a cell phone until 2008, when I was 14. Yes — it was a flip phone. There was no internet to be seen on that brick. Do you know what I had to endure if I ever wanted to go online? I'd have to patiently wait for my turn for the family desktop computer. My 30 minutes of uninterrupted Neopets time would fly by. Before I knew it, it was my sibling's turn to have their 30 minutes. This is just the way it was...and it sucked.
Another thing I'm super jealous that the younger generation has (which goes hand in hand with unlimited internet access) is how accessible music is. If I wanted to hear a specific song, but I didn't physically own it on a CD or pay 99 cents to download it on my iPod, I would have to call the local radio station and request it.
"Umm...hello? Mr. Radio Man? C-Can I please hear 'Let it Burn' by Usher? Please? It's 2004 and Spotify doesn't exist yet. After this commercial break? Thanks!" If I could go back in time and tell my younger self that one day I'd be able to listen to any song at any time I wanted to, my brain would explode.
So I turn to you, BuzzFeed Community. When you look at how younger generations live, what about it do you wish you could have experienced? Maybe you're a Baby Boomer who's jealous of something Gen X or millennials take for granted? Are you a millennial who missed out on something Gen Z experiences easily?
Let me know in the comments or anonymously with this form. Your response may even be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post!