The glory days of cassette players and phone boxes
Ireally think my brain needs a rest. What about yours? I understand all about progress but sometimes I’d like to go back to 1985. Just four television channels, two local and four national radio stations, a local newspaper, a choice of national newspapers and that was it.
When the telly or radio was off, you were off. No scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok to get your information fix.
Today, we can read news, true or fake, 24 hours a day and on top of all that, we are bombarded with people’s opinions.
Back in 1985, the only time this happened was on BBC1’s Points of View.
Remember watching that when it seemed that all those people writing in were moaning, grumpy old killjoys? We only had to endure it for 30 minutes or so a week. Now we get it all the time. No wonder anxiety levels are through the roof. Constant images of ‘perfect’ bodies in their underwear on a ‘working trip’ to Dubai.
In 2021, I wonder how many minutes in a day you are free from all connectivity with the outside world. Compare that to 1985.
Who reaches for their phone to check for emails, messages or social media postings before having breakfast?
We kill time at work or waiting in a queue by checking our phones and scrolling through Facebook.
Back in 1985 some mornings the TV was on, but generally it was the radio. Mum liked to hear the local news on
Radio Victory.
That was it until 6pm when we’d watch the evening news. The newspaper would be lying about which I’d flick through.
As the news came to and end and the paper scanned, that was it for another day.
If I was desperate to talk to my best mate, I’d have to walk to the nearest phone box with a collection of 10p coins.
There are many benefits to our mega-connected world today, streaming whatever music you want to hear instead of having record/pause selected on your cassette player in case your favourite song comes on the radio, is one positive!
But our fast-paced throwaway culture of 2021 sometimes makes me long for good old 1985 again.