I’m going to hold your hand when I say this: 2014 was ten years ago. Shocking, I know—it feels like it was just yesterday. But in the decade since, so much has changed, both in the world around us and in our own lives.
Recently, Redditor u/Ok-Squash8044 sparked an interesting conversation, asking others to share things that would have been unimaginable back then but are completely normal now. Many users chimed in, and the thread quickly filled with thought-provoking insights.
Read on for some of the best answers—and don’t forget to upvote your favorites!
#2
That in 2024 we would be fighting about the abortion issue.
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125points
#3
Reading headlines about more women dying bc they were denied lifesaving healthcare when their pregnancies went wrong, because that procedure they needed is also a type of abortion.
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98points
#4
A politician with free reign to say or do anything they want, with absolute impunity, and still have a legitimate number of votes to make it close or f*****g *win*.
In Clintons presidency, even ONE of these transgressions would endanger everything. The man fought tooth and nail to hide a blowie, and the nation reeled in the controversy.
Today, every day, an indictment worthy statement is shot across the news, and no harm no foul. Just keep rolling towards consignment to oblivion. All conditions normal at two minutes to midnight.
In Clintons presidency, even ONE of these transgressions would endanger everything. The man fought tooth and nail to hide a blowie, and the nation reeled in the controversy.
Today, every day, an indictment worthy statement is shot across the news, and no harm no foul. Just keep rolling towards consignment to oblivion. All conditions normal at two minutes to midnight.
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96points
#5
People being able to live a long life while being HIV positive.
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95points
#8
Diseases that have been dormant for decades coming back.
78points
#9
Computers making art, and people still doing mindless repetitive tasks. .
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68points
#10
I think almost everything about current US politics was unimaginable 10 years ago. 10 years ago we thought our country and our constitution was strong. Now we know better.
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66points
#12
How much spying our electronics do on us and we're totally cool with it.
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57points
#15
A president who discusses the size of Arnold Palmer’s d**k.
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53points
#16
Two very uk based ones:
1. Brexit - I was a final year politics student in 2014 and no one thought we would vote for Brexit, let alone a hard Brexit as that would be economic madness.
2. The normalisation of the far right - UKIP were on the rise but very much a fringe minority. The Conservatives were dogmatic in austerity but socially they had legalised gay marriage, promoted the big society, and were at least performatively tolerant. Worlds away from the culture war nonsense now. .
1. Brexit - I was a final year politics student in 2014 and no one thought we would vote for Brexit, let alone a hard Brexit as that would be economic madness.
2. The normalisation of the far right - UKIP were on the rise but very much a fringe minority. The Conservatives were dogmatic in austerity but socially they had legalised gay marriage, promoted the big society, and were at least performatively tolerant. Worlds away from the culture war nonsense now. .
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46points
#17
Leave a pizza order on someone's front porch without even knocking.
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44points
#18
The cost of living. 10 years ago it was possible to have disposable income, and save up for nice things. Now the entire pay cheque goes towards bills and other living costs, then the credit line has to cover the rest.
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40points
#19
Kids having constant access to an AI that will effortlessly do all their homework for them.
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37points
#20
There’s been massive student-led protests in Thailand against the military junta throughout 2021 with the leaders being jailed yet barely a peep from western newspapers.
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37points