How we can make your old-fashioned media just like new
By Hûw Steer, Family History Films
From playing cassette tapes to smoking indoors - things we did every day in the 80s and 90s are now nothing but awkward memories. We might think that the things we do and use today are here to stay, who knows what’ll change in the next two or three decades? Here are 5 things we do regularly now - but that we might not be doing at all by 2050, or even sooner.
Cows
Almond and oat milks are becoming more and more popular - leaving cow’s milk behind. There are significant environmental advantages to switching, and plant-based milks are also suitable for vegans and the lactose-intolerant. But it’s not just milk - as the ranks of vegetarians and vegans swell, beef consumption will likely begin to fall too. And with recent advances in lab-grown meat, it might soon be possible to be ethically vegetarian - and still tuck into a steak. Cows are a ubiquitous sight in today’s countryside - but will they be in 30 years?
Photo by Andy Kelly on Unsplash
Watching TV
When was the last time you actually sat down and tuned in to the TV? With online streaming and VOD content exploding in popularity in recent years - and especially during the pandemic - linear TV channels are rapidly becoming things of the past. Many, like the BBC, have already started posting most of their content online for streaming. VOD is eclipsing DVDs and even high-quality Blu-Rays as well - renting physical movies has long been a thing of the past - except perhaps for the Last Blockbuster in Oregon.
What’s on tonight? A US TV schedule from 1977. Photo from WJBQ.
Physical photos, in contrast, seem to be coming back - printed albums and Polaroid cameras have seen a resurgence for special occasions. But with a digital camera in every pocket, most of our thousands of selfies and holiday snaps will be staying virtual. It raises an interesting question for us at FHF - we’re used to sorting through boxes and boxes of negatives and printed photos, but what will our bespoke archives look like in 30 years’ time? Will we be sifting through tens of thousands of digital images by hand - or will clever software be able to identify faces and events for us?
Phoning for a Takeaway
Every household used to have a printed menu for the local Indian hiding in the back of a cupboard - probably from 2002. But as lockdown has proven in the UK, apps like Deliveroo and JustEat - or direct orders from a restaurant’s own site - have conquered the takeaway market. It’s quicker, easier, and - most importantly for younger people - means you don’t actually have to pick up the phone.
Leaving a Voicemail
Smartphones are used for everything these days - except… well, as phones. With email and text messaging at everyone’s fingertips, if someone doesn’t pick up the phone it’s much easier to send a message than leave one on voicemail. It’s often easier to send a message than pick up the phone at all - 81% of millennials in the US experience anxiety at the thought of making a phone call. Texts are faster, less stressful and allow you to edit your words before you say them - and these days, if you want to talk to someone properly, why not use a video-call service and see their face as well?
Formal clothes
While collared shirts and formal shoes might have been standard dress in the past, modern everyday fashion has veered towards the casual. Functional, practical clothes like jumpsuits and t-shirts - and comfortable shoes like trainers - are what most people choose these days. Wearing a suit to the office every day is still common in many workplaces - but our own office is much more relaxed, and more and more workplaces are going the same way.
Photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash
Even long-established formalwear brands are branching out - Lock & Co, the world’s oldest hat shop and originators of the bowler, have recently branched out into baseball caps and beanies (in cashmere, of course). And with several services now offering formal clothes for rent - a more affordable option for occasional wear - the days of owning formalwear may be numbered.
What else might be going out of fashion? Let us know on Twitter - or if you want to preserve your daily routine for future generations, get in touch via email at jonb@myfamilyhistoryfilm.com.