In the 1990s, people made bold fashion choices, enjoyed catchy pop music, and watched iconic TV shows. However, some things that were considered normal then may seem cringe-worthy today. From butterfly clips to cargo pants, we’ll take a closer look at some of the trends that were popular in the 1990s but are no longer acceptable today.
Lack of Diversity in the Mainstream Media
The idea of diversity in the nineties was merely a thing of representation or just the formality of having people of different races on the screen. Based on these perspectives, the lack of diversity in the mainstream media was not a big deal. In recent years, there has been a growing awareness from different movements that call for diverse media that gives everyone a voice. This speaks of how people now frown at the lack of diversity in mainstream media compared to people of the nineties.
Zero Environmental Awareness
The issue of ozone depletion, climate change, and pollution was not a significant concern for people in the nineties, shown by how they didn’t place that at the center of their public consciousness. Nowadays, the rise of environmental activism, scientific publications, and increased coverage in the media have shaped public opinion about the importance of environmental protection, which is apparent in how they frown at any idea of indifference to that. This is a significant shift from the nineties when lack of ecological awareness was a norm and not frowned upon.
Y2K Panic
As the year 2000 approached, many people feared that the Y2K bug would cause computer systems to crash and cause chaos. While some preparations were necessary, the overall panic and exaggerated concerns were later seen as overblown.
Not Using Seatbelts
It was not uncommon to see people drive without wearing seatbelts in the nineties, even in the front seat of their car. In today’s world, we have seen the growing advancement in safety research that unearths how seatbelts significantly reduce the risk of severe injury or death in a car crash. As a result, driving without using a seatbelt is now considered a great offense that is frowned upon by many people and can lead to hefty fines or arrest if caught.
Slow Internet Connection
The yearning for a fast internet connection was not at the loudest in the nineties due to factors like its newness, lean usage, and the fact that dial-up internet was the most popular choice. But in today’s era of widespread usage, we rely on the internet for most of our daily lives, including connecting to family and friends, using banking services, staying up to date with news and entertainment, and even getting on with our daily routine. The thought of a slow internet connection is a sin and falls into the pool of things people frown upon.
Phoning your Friend’s Home
In the nineties, calling someone’s home phone number was expected if you needed to contact them. This was because not everyone had a cell phone. However, this practice is now seen as intrusive. As most people have access to mobile phones, it’s considered more appropriate to text the person directly or call them on their personal line. Calling someone’s family line can be interruptive. It may cause inconvenience to other family members who may not appreciate such calls.
Smoking in the Public Places
In the nineties, smoking was seen as a sign of sophistication and wealth, placing it among socially acceptable habits that people see no need to frown at. In recent years, there has been an increasing awareness about the effect of secondhand smoke, highlighting the devastating impact of smoking on people’s lives, which has brought about stringent laws being passed by the government to address those issues. All this has spiked how much people frown at smoking in public places. For instance, the United States government banned public smoking in airplanes in 1998, while the United Kingdom did the same for enclosed places in 2007.
Showing Up at Someone’s Door Unannounced
In the nineties, this was a harmless gesture that anyone could do without ruffling feathers or being frowned at. However, it has now become gatecrashing and an unwelcome theme in today’s world. The widespread rudimentary medium of communication during those times made it acceptable to drop by someone’s door without prior notice with the thought of meeting them at home. In today’s busyness and heightened awareness about personal space, people count unannounced visits as rude and lacking etiquette and frown at people who do so.
Widespread Use of Disposable Plastic
The many use cases of disposable plastic in varieties of products such as straws, bags, utensils, and others was such a beauty to behold for people in the nineties that was shown in how they paid lip service to its unsustainability and hazard it can cause to the environment. The growing awareness against the use of disposable plastic in recent years due to its many dangers, including environmental pollution, the possibility of ending up as a landfill or in the ocean, and the nonrenewable resources being used for its production, has resulted in several backlash against the use of disposable plastic.
Beanie Babies Craze
These stuffed animals became a massive fad in the 90s, with collectors and investors hoping they would become valuable collectibles. Ultimately, most Beanie Babies lost their value, leaving many disappointed.
Overconsumption of Fast Fashion
The realization by most people that fast fashion is a significant polluter responsible for more than 10% of carbon emissions has caused a shift in the global view of fast fashion. This was not the case in the nineties when many people were comfortable using cheap, synthetic, nonbiodegradable clothing, which later polluted the environment. In recent years, people have become much more conscious of these fashion brands’ ethical and environmental implications, which has made them more critical and frown at people who buy cheap disposable clothes.
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