Ah, the good ol' days of the 80s and 90s—when life was as uncomplicated as a game of Duck Hunt, where you could actually have the satisfaction of shooting an animated duck on your screen without facing any ethical dilemmas. Back when video games were pixelated nuggets of joy and "retro" meant more than just adding a filter to your Instagram photo. Kids now are trying to "rewind" their playlists, but have they ever actually had to rewind a physical cassette tape? That's right, kids, we had to put in the elbow grease to hear our favorite jams.
And let’s not forget fashion—oh, the glorious fashion! We rocked acid-wash jeans that looked like they survived a nuclear explosion and oversized flannel shirts that could double as a parachute. If you weren’t sporting a scrunchie the size of your head, were you even trying to make a statement? Meanwhile, kids today are trying to unravel the mystery of TikTok trends while simultaneously yelling at their parents about their "cringe" style choices, blissfully unaware that we've put them through all kinds of sartorial horrors. Remember when we thought mullets were an acceptable hairstyle? You don't have to thank us for your trauma; we already know.
Of course, no trip down memory lane would be complete without mentioning the absolute thrill of Saturday morning cartoons. The era when your biggest dilemma was choosing whether to watch “TailSpin” or “Mighty Mouse” while sitting in your PJs, eating cereal that was basically sugar with a side of more sugar. Now kids have streaming services, binging entire seasons in one go, and I can’t help but think, did they miss out on the beauty of a weekly cliffhanger? No need for remote control! We had to physically get up to switch the channel, and we liked it! *Cue the "In My Day" voice.*
So as we cling to our VHS collections and reminisce about dial-up internet that required a prayer to the deities of patience, let’s take a moment to appreciate how far we’ve come. Probably far away from that glorious simplicity, now frazzled by notifications and the emotional burden of “will they or won’t they” love triangles on our screens. Keep living your life, kids, but just remember, we had it a little more “totally tubular” without the pressure of viral fame. And hey, we made it through; maybe you can too—unless you need to charge your phone first.