Sex. I didn’t start until after that.
CDs were not as cheap as tapes in 1992, and car CD players were almost unheard of unless you bought an expensive after-market unit. If you were into independent or underground music, it was still all on tape back then. CD burners weren’t common until the late 90s.
How can you even compare it? There were 9 different websites, 7 of them were monochrome and text-only, and they each took a week and a half to load. That’s without even mentioning the fact that personal computers were rare, prohibitively expensive, and largely useless.
My boobs.
I’d miss MP3 technology and the splendors of DVD extras most of all, I think, followed by being able to watch TV shows whenever I like on my computer. Back then I’d set up a BBS with my friends (I was such a baby geek) and I used the reference section in the library essentially like I use Google now, so I suppose I’d survive.
But I’d still miss my boobs.
1992 was pretty cool. I was happily computing and “BBSing” at the age of 13. I wouldn’t miss the community of the Internet but…
One thing that really stands out was how easy it is to get media right now. I used to be heavy in to tape trading. Like you know, actual audio tapes. Tape a show and trade a copy with others for shows you don’t have. Then use the stuff you got to get more stuff.
Boxes and boxes of tapes of live shows, hundreds of dollars in shipping costs. Going to tape trader conventions.
Videos were even more hard to come across, because they were hard to get in the first place and often hard to copy and then ship.
Now, if I want a live show I can get it in minutes. High-quality, no generational loss. And live video? EVERYTHING is on YouTube.
So I would miss the ease and cost of obtaining media now over what it took 15 years ago.
Well, I had the Internet at work, and Gopher worked pretty well for me. Who needs the Web when you have that and email?
I’m a librarian, and the library where I worked then had closed its csard catalogue, and never went through the microfiche catalogue stage. In 1992 we were on our second automated library system, and I was happily chatting with librarians around the world on email-based discussion lists.
I’d miss my kids.
Unless we started trying to have kids at the exact same moment in time and my wife became pregnant at the exact same time she did prior, the kids I knew & loved would be gone. I might have different kids, but to me it would still be like I ‘killed’ them. I’m not sure I could recover from that.
Of course, I’d know that my 1992 job was a nowhere bank job with the biggest set of in-bred, self important, outrageously entitled, nepotistic managers I’ve ever seen. I’d know to quit immediately and not waste any more years there.
I’d be addicted to alcohol again, so I’d have to go through detox. I’d go to a hospital this time.
And CaerieD’s boobs.
Saddam.
I think I answered if 1992 Trunk came to 2007.
(partial credit?)
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned drugs and medical technology. I’d definitely miss Allegra.
As far as I’m concerned losing cellular phones would be a big advantage. No more idiots standing in the way or weaving down the road because they forgot about their surroundings while talking. No more having every activity interrupted constantly by people who can’t wait 5 minutes to talk to somebody. No more expectation that everybody is available to everybody else instantly. IMO the cellular phone has done far more harm than good.
I very much agree, tbdi. I dislike the cultural changes that cellphone technology have brought about. Being expected to be in constant communication with the world, surrounded by one-sided conversations all day long, isn’t something I’d miss.
Having a decent job. I had a crap environmental consulting job and a crap headhunting job in '92. In terms of work, it was the worst year of my life.
I hope you won’t mind if I reply to Spoons for a moment.
Thanks for the kind words. The chances of my ever being in Calgary again are about nil, but if you ever find yourself in Tallahassee, I’ll definitely have a beer with you and play you a bunch of those records. I have songs that only you and I would know, out of all the people for thousands of miles. Florida is a nice place. You’d like it.
We’ve mentioned the internet, but how about how much it changed travel? In 1992, we had to dial 1 800 numbers to find the best prices on flights/cars/hotels. When we called back, those prices were often gone.
Now, we can comparison shop online quickly and easily. The job of a travel agent isn’t necessary for most common trips.