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What “golden age” or “heyday” were you lucky enough to experience that you know won’t ever come back?

· 2 min read

Ever since the era of dial‑up and floppy disks, people have been bragging about how “back in the day” everything was simpler, purer, and totally un‑filmed. This Reddit thread is a love‑letter to that nostalgia‑filled period, and the comments are proof that we were all once proud of our non‑social‑media‑obsessed lives.

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What “golden age” or “heyday” were you lucky enough to experience that you know won’t ever come back?

TL;DR​

  • We used to live without a camera on every corner.
  • We still have the best cereal box prizes.
  • MTV actually played music—no binge‑watching.

The Commentary​

Live (sometimes a little recklessly back in the day) without the concern of being filmed and plastered online.

  • Back in the day we were a walking, talking “surprise‑me‑if‑you‑want” life. Now every move is a potential viral clip. If you’re still out there, consider yourself a rebel.

I’m so glad none of the stupid shit I did as a teenager was recorded

  • Cue the “I’m 30 and I’m still the same kid” moment. The only “memories” you have are the ones you can’t scroll back to. No embarrassing dance videos, just a few questionable haircut choices.

Prizes in cereal boxes.

  • We chased the “free toy” like we chased Pokémon cards. If you’re reading this, you probably still own the plastic dinosaur you bought for $1.00. That’s a gold‑level relic.

Early MTV Music Television — they actually played music on television. Shit was crazy.

  • Remember when you had to wait for your favorite song to actually appear on the screen? No, we didn’t binge‑watch music videos. We watched them, and the only way we could catch a clip was by rewinding the VCR. Now you can stream the entire playlist in 1.8 seconds.

Bottom Line​

The “golden age” isn’t about technology—it’s about the freedom to be a kid in a world that didn’t know you existed. If you’re lucky enough to remember that, you’re basically living in a time capsule. And if you’re not, you’re probably still waiting for the next “free toy” in the cereal box.