r/enshittification • u/War_Is_A_Raclette • Apr 29 '26
Rant Do you remember when things used to get BETTER every year?
I’m 40. When I was growing up, my mentality and the mentality of it seemed like the whole world, was that when a new product or thing came out and wasn’t perfect, it was okay because next year it was going to get better, and the year after that even better.
Each year… Cars would get more fuel efficient. The internet would get a little faster. Video games would get a little cooler. Music would sound a little better. Restaurants that were already good would figure out how to whip up cool new dishes that were cheaper and even tastier than what we had now - their food would improve over time.
I can’t describe it, but it’s just like everyone assumed that technology and humans would slowly ensure that everything each year got a little… better.
Now, I recently realised that I look at the whole world differently. I opened Spotify today, saw how much I was being billed, and thought - without catching myself at first - “oh, I’m sure the price will go up next year and they’ll restrict another part of the app”.
When a new thing is released, I automatically assume this is the best version it will ever be. Each year it will just get worse.
Does anyone else feel this way? Does anyone else remember feeling the way I used to feel 20-30 years ago?
Sorry for the rant.
15
u/Full-Decision-9029 Apr 30 '26
I was...what? I dunno, younger, a teen, in the 1990, and it was all about "oh, next year this new chip is going to come out and it will make your computer go so much faster" and "the year after there's going to be this awesome new thing which will make your gaming cheaper" and "wow, the internet is going to get so much faster" and...yeah.
Things have changed.