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As much as we’ve all evolved with the times, there are some things from the past that justttt keep holding on. A little while ago, we shared some of the things that will phase out as the years pass, and Baby Boomers and other generations alike had a lot of opinions.
Here’s what they think will face extinction in the next few years:
Some responses were pulled from this Reddit thread.
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"Accounting as a profession is circling the toilet. Now that everyone has digital records, AI can balance the books. There's no need for a person with a calculator anymore."
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"Bank tellers."
— Anonymous, Boomer
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"Fax machines. Documents can be scanned, emailed, and encrypted if necessary."
— Anonymous, 60, Male, Nebraska
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"The production of phone books."
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"Physical photos. When our relative passed, we were stuck with boxes of photo albums filled with photos of people we've never met. No one wanted them. They're in the trash now."
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"Pretty much paper documents of any sort."
— Anonymous, 62, Female, Arizona
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"You may think that audio CDs are already dead, but I assure you their demise has been delayed by the continuing presence of the Boomers and will actually occur over the next 10 to 20 years."
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"Finding a place to develop film. I found some of my old rolls of used 35mm film and want to see what’s on them! Digital pictures are great in HD, but nothing has the warmth of real film."
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"Movie theaters. My TV and sound system are more than sufficient for most movies, and movies come out on streaming services much sooner than videotapes and DVDs did in the past. Plus, I have a wider variety of affordable snacks and drinks."
— Anonymous, 53, Female
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"Television. The box was always on at my house growing up (still is), but most younger folks watch stuff on their computers or phones. Many don’t even own a TV. As my generation dies, I can see much less relevance for TVs, and no need for any new shows to be created."
— Anonymous, 65, Male, Ohio
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"Regular taxi cabs. Younger folks have never called a cab."
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"Auto body shops."
— Anonymous, 79, Male, Houston
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"Mechanical clocks. Digital clocks work fine and are faster to read. It will probably stay a little longer for the 'classy' look, but probably not for actually telling the time."
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"Macy’s, Dillard’s, JCPenney, and Kohl’s."
— Anonymous, 55, Male, Atlanta
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"Embroidery and stores like Hobby Lobby."
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"Furniture upholsterers."
— Anonymous, 56, Female, Ontario
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"Homeowners associations... Seriously, what is their function?"
— Anonymous
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"Realtors."
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"Timeshares. An entire generation watched their parents spend 20 years trying to escape one. I don’t think that sales pitch is surviving much longer."
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"Dry cleaners."
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"Dressing up. In the past, my parents would see a Broadway show and dress as if they were attending a wedding. Everyone did. Same for fancy restaurants and airline travel. I personally think that it makes a special night out extra special. I am OK with casual dress on an airline, since flying is a nightmare these days, and careening down an emergency chute in high heels is ridiculous. But for really nice restaurants and the theatre, sweats and baseball caps cheapen the experience. Just my two cents."
— Anonymous, 56, Los Angeles
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"Casinos. Really, any 'brick-and-mortar' industry that requires extremely gullible people with tons of extra money is in trouble from now on. Any generation after Gen X is digital-native, suspicious by default, and poverty-stricken."
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"Casual dining chains like Applebee's and TGI Fridays are quietly in this category; they were built around a suburban sit-down habit, anchored by boomers, and younger folks have mostly shifted to fast-casual or delivery."
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"Antique stores."
— Anonymous, 68, Female, US
u/angelbalaguer
"Precious Moments figurines."
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"Bingo... Went with a friend's Nanna when I was 15. Even back then, it struck me that it was God's waiting room..."
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"Cemeteries. They’ll all just be cremated."
— Anonymous, 68, Female, Texas
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"Honor. Ethics. Integrity."
— Anonymous
Note: Comments have been edited for clarity.
