These Once Highly Respected Things Are Now A Total Joke

By: Lydia Iseh | Last updated: Nov 05, 2023

We all have something we once liked and used to look forward to. But as we know, it is natural for interest to wane. However, not everything stands the test of time and ages well. What was once trendy and exciting has become lackluster, only wallowing in the shadows of its former glory. 

Recently, a Reddit user, JBAnswers26, brought up a conversation about what was once highly respected and is now tacky or, to quote Gen X, “canceled.” It wasn’t long before responses echoing the same started rolling in. While most comments were easy to agree on, some were wildly unexpected. We’ve collected the most interesting ones from the bunch, and you’ll be surprised to know what they are.

The History Channel

There was a time when the History Channel was fun and intriguing; you could discover a wide variety of information in an hour just by sitting in front of the telly. However, that’s no longer the case, as this channel has now morphed into something unimaginable. It has become more of a platform to discuss conspiracy theories than facts, and no one wants to sit around and watch it anymore. 

Advertisement

Source: Pinterest

Those who have chosen to give it one more try say that it’s become rather unpleasant to watch. They would rather be doing anything else during that hour. So one can only imagine how the people who have been on this channel would have felt.

The Graveyard of Forgotten Files

There was a time, not long ago, when Facebook was the “it” thing. Its raging popularity touched everyone, from adolescents to the elderly. It was the best way for most college students to interact. You got to know who was at your school by their Facebook profile. Cool, right? Well, not anymore.

Advertisement

Source: Thought Catalog/Unsplash

Thanks to tacky content and numerous fake profiles, Facebook has now been dethroned by much more popular social media platforms. Although it once used exclusivity as a marketing tool during its initial launch, it is now crowded and filled with annoying ads at every turn.

Scrooge McDuck

There was a time when being a bank manager meant something to the community. They had serious power in their local communities and were revered everywhere they went.

Advertisement

Source: Pinterest

However, that’s no longer the norm because most view bank managers as glorified customer service reps. With little to no prestige left, they now try to focus on retaining their few customers and pleasing them with their remaining shreds of power.

Let's Get Crafty

There was a time when authentic Craftsman tools were revered. They were superior quality, and a set of good original Craftsman tools could last a lifetime. People used to pass them down from generation to generation, almost like an heirloom. However, that’s a thing of the past now. 

Advertisement

Source: Pinterest

Today, Craftsman is no longer the renowned brand it was once known to be. Most of these tools get returned because they tend to malfunction or break. Also, many people believe they lost their quality when they stopped being a Sears brand.

Telly, What’s For Dinner Today?

There was a time when you could simply switch to the Food Network channel and learn a thing or two about a meal or an exciting new recipe. Just watching chefs whip up magic in the kitchen was therapeutic, and many of us used to spend hours on the channel alone. However, it has now become famous for churning out the same kind of senseless cooking competitions.

Source: Pinterest

What’s worse is that these programs or the sob story the competitors develop follow the same format, giving it the air of being scripted. There is little instructional content about food today and more about the competition. If the rebranding was to make it more appealing to the public, most people would argue it was the beginning of the end for the channel.

Advertisement

The Walking Dead

When this show first aired, it kept most people on their toes and glued to their seats, waiting to see what happened next. Although many fans stuck with the series till it officially ended, it was mostly to see how it all went down.

Source: Pinterest

The success Walking Dead enjoyed in the beginning quickly diminished, and by the time it reached the fifth season, it was barely holding on for dear life. Not stopping at its uninspired and disappointing ending, the creators decided to kick off a spin-off show for multiple characters no one cared for.

Advertisement

Hold Please!

There was a time when every home had a landline phone or vied to have one. The landline telephone was a vital link to the outside world before mobile phones were invented. It was the only way to talk to friends and families far away or call for help in an emergency.

Source: Pinterest

However, things started to spiral out of control for this device once junk calls became a thing. Most Gen Zs today have no idea what a landline telephone looks like and prefer their mobile phones over everything else as they have a myriad of features besides little to no spam calls. Today, wired phones have almost entirely become useless.

Advertisement

In Sickness And In Health

Sick days are essential, even more, so these days when you don’t know how the world is changing. Although, in retrospect, it’s unimaginable to think that people once disregarded their sick days and worked through the sniffles. This was viewed as an act of great dedication and rewarded with a promotion for being “married” to work.

Source: Pinterest

Today, not taking sick days when you’re sick is pretty annoying to most and disrespectful at best. It is often seen as an irresponsible act because you could make everyone around you sick, especially after Covid-19. Even worse, you become a burden as everyone has to look out for you.

Advertisement

Rolling Stone

Like Vogue and many more popular magazines today, Rolling Stone used to be popular in the ’90s and early ’00s. Every superstar wanted to feature on the cover and those who did have bragging rights forever.

Source: Pinterest

However, in the past few decades, Rolling Stone has faded into non-relevance. Today, they’re mostly known for rage bait posts like a list of “200 Greatest Singers of All Time, excluding Celine Dion.” Most people argued that content like this had nothing to do with singing prowess, which further tanked their popularity.

Advertisement

The Guinness Book of World Records

It feels surreal to think that once upon a time, people used to wait excitedly for The Guinness Book of World Records. It was an established organization that provided a professional collection of every impressive human feat. Appearing in the Book of World Records meant you were special, with unique talents and abilities.

Source: Pinterest

That’s no longer the case, as it now serves as an ego boost for people with little to no talent. It takes little to nothing to get on the list now, which has led to its rather meteoric downfall, and no one looks forward to it anymore.

Advertisement

Netflix And Chill

Of course, Netflix was and continues to be a behemoth in the entertainment industry. It brought in a new era of content and provided a platform for all your favorite shows and movies in one place. Most original shows on Netflix were able to challenge other streaming services for their level of quality.

Source: Nicholas Derio Palacios/ Pexels

That is sadly no longer the case. While it is still an option for many, it has left a lot of unhappy customers in its wake. Netflix is also known for buying good scripts and pulling the plug on the show right before it becomes expensive. It is notorious for canceling good shows while churning out more mediocre content. 

Advertisement

Critics

People have always respected and feared critics since time immemorial. They had the potential to make or break your ventures, from art to restaurants to music. People took critics seriously, and you needed significant accomplishments in the field you were reviewing. This showed that you had authority over the subject you were commenting on.

Source: Markus Winkler/ Unsplash

But somewhere down the line, that power got diluted, and now their opinion is taken with a pinch of salt. Moreover, anyone can be a critic these days. People with small Internet followings today share their ‘hot takes’ and call themselves critics so that they can trend for a minute.

Advertisement

Job Hopping

We sometimes hear the older generation talk about working a job for 40-50 years, practically their entire life. It was mostly out of loyalty, even when there were better options. However, that’s hardly the case anymore. People jump from one job to another for better pay and benefits.

Source: Pinterest

It would be reciprocated if companies were more loyal to their employees. However, you could stay at a job for years and still make zero progress in your career, as loyalty is a virtue that is hardly appreciated these days. Terrible wages and little to no benefits can’t buy loyalty anyway. 

Advertisement

To Teach Or Not To Teach?

Working in the educational system used to be something to boast about. Some kids even wanted to be like their favorite teacher when they grew up. Today, being a teacher brings little or no respect, and they’re considered easily replaceable.

Source: Pexels

Due to the recent breakdowns in the educational system, teachers are no longer treated well. They get paid peanuts and are expected to work for hours with no respite. To make matters worse, everyone from the administration to parents blames the teachers when things go wrong. School politics make it hard to change anything, and what once was a thriving atmosphere for learning and development lies in ruins, with teachers bearing the brunt. 

Advertisement

Doc Martens

If you don’t know Dr. Martens, then it shows just how far the brand has fallen. Dr. Martens was once famous for their boots which lasted for years even in the most challenging terrains. Everyone had a pair of Dr. Martens boots for work purposes or fashion. 

Source: Pinterest

Alas, private equity got involved, and they took manufacturing offshore. The quality soon took a deep dive, becoming a shadow of what it used to be. A genuine pair of Dr. Martens boots today are more fashionable than practical. 

Advertisement

You’ve Got Mail

Even before Amazon and FedEx were in the picture, the U.S. Postal Service was the “it” thing. The service had loads of prestige, handling millions of packages all across America, and you were always excited to see their truck. However, there was a decades-long campaign to smear their reputation. Add that to the legislation created to cripple the service, and the U.S. Postal Service is now akin to a ghost town. 

Source: Pinterest

What’s worse is how terrible the service has become. They’re understaffed, and the staff left behind is slow. The atmosphere in the post office is lifeless, and there’s no effort to keep the institution going.

Advertisement

Them 501’s

Levi’s blue jeans once had a lifetime guarantee. If you had Levi’s jeans, they were guaranteed to last forever. They still look good, but you’d be lucky to get your money’s worth out of them. The quality has deteriorated to such a level that most people agree they tend to fall apart in the same spot.

Source: Pinterest

Although a pair of Levi’s jeans are still appealing, you shouldn’t expect them to last more than a year. However, they still come with a two-year warranty; you could return them and get a coupon for their value.

Advertisement

Hobbies

Shocking, right? How are hobbies now canceled? A Reddit user claims most people have ruined hobbies, and many agree. The hustle culture has made it seem like a waste of time if you’re not monetizing your hobbies. 

Source: Pinterest

It’s challenging to find people who simply want to enjoy their hobby without trying to make money off it. This takes the fun out of hobbies, which is the whole point of having one. They are meant to destress you, not add to it. Additionally, there’s all the pressure to be successful in everything, making it more unsavory.

Advertisement

The Empire Where The Sun Doesn’t Set

People once revered and considered the U.K. government among the top world leaders, but lately, most think it’s become disappointing. Although there’s little to be happy about when it comes to the state of the world, the U.K. government ranks high amongst the things that went wrong.

Source: Pexels

The office of the Prime Minister once had prestige and stood as a representation of the people’s choice. However, a Reddit user referred to it as a clown show over the past few years, and with the number of votes he got, many people agree.

Advertisement

Bill Cosby

He used to be America’s most beloved dad, but a Reddit user got almost fourteen thousand upvotes for mentioning him as one of the things that have lost their integrity over the years. The reason for this choice is quite apparent. 

Source: Pinterest

Bill Cosby used to be well known for his hilarious shows and prided himself on only using clean comedy. However, since he was found guilty of sexual assault, he has been condemned and become the subject of one too many speculations about his character.

Advertisement

Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen is the only woman with the most upvotes as one who has lost all respect over the years. We can all agree that Ellen’s fall from grace was quite shocking. It seemed the entire industry was against her when people began to tell stories of how awful she was. The Ellen Show was now rife with stories about toxicity in the workplace, along with allegations of bullying and harassment.

Source: Pinterest

Her popularity may have tanked, but The Ellen Show remains her legacy and still enjoys a cult status among certain fans. 

Advertisement

Journalists

Journalism was once a top career associated with prestige. They were subject matter experts covering crucial issues in society. However, most conspiracy theorists claim to be journalists today with little or no evidence to back up their facts.

Source: cottonbro studio/ Pexels

Although there are still good journalists out there, they rarely make money and are not well known. Everyone with a bit of following without a degree or relevant experience thinks they’re experts in journalism. These unqualified journalists today have made the career path a farce.

Advertisement

An Apple A Day Keeps The Men In Suits Away

If there is one thing healthcare workers can agree on today, it is that this sector has become a business. The system is broken, with the staff working to the bone while trying to manage an overwhelming patient load. The lack of infrastructure and rocket-high prices of medicines and resources adds insult to injury. 

Source: Pinterest

Decades ago, doctors ran the show in the healthcare industry and directed what went down. But today, the men in suits have all the control and determine the changes in the healthcare industry in board meetings while the workers are left to pick up the pieces. 

Advertisement

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

A comment about Will Smith received many intriguing commands and thousands of upvotes on Reddit. Will Smith was one of the most popular Black actors of his time in Hollywood. However, one scandal after another has now left him as the butt of many jokes.

Source: Pinterest

Will Smith once had power, but his reputation and career began to go downhill, from his wife’s infidelity scandal to his actions at the Oscars. After all these hits, it is safe to say that this Fresh Prince has lost his crown.

Advertisement

Yellow Pages

Yellow Pages was a popular addition to this Reddit conversation, and it’s pretty clear why that is. The Yellow Pages book was a source for the contact information of local plumbers, attorneys, mechanics, dentists, and many more businesses in the past.

Source: Pinterest

However, with the internet age, you can simply check out businesses near you on Google and connect with them much faster. It was no surprise when Yellow Pages began to fade into the background. The situation now is so sorry that very few people know what Yellow Pages are.

Advertisement