9 things that may disappear in the (near) future

[Steven_Draker]

... Whether these changes are good or bad depends in part on how we adapt to them. But, ready or not, here they come.

 

1. The Post Office

Get ready to imagine a world without the post office. They are so deeply in financial trouble that there is probably no way to sustain it long term. Email, Fed Ex, and UPS have just about wiped out the minimum revenue needed to keep the post office alive. Most of your mail every day is junk mail and bills.

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/04/25/article-1173535-040A0DAB000005DC-528_468x286.jpg

 

2. The Cheque

Britain is already laying the groundwork to do away with cheque by 2018. It costs the financial system billions of pounds a year to process cheques. Plastic cards and online transactions will lead to the eventual demise of the cheque. This plays right into the death of the post office. If you never paid your bills by mail and never received them by mail, the post office would absolutely go out of business.

 

http://i52.tinypic.com/fbi62c.jpg

 

3. The Newspaper

The younger generation simply doesn't read the newspaper. They certainly don't subscribe to a daily delivered print edition. That may go the way of the milkman and the laundry man. As for reading the paper online, get ready to pay for it. The rise in mobile Internet devices and e-readers has caused all the newspaper and magazine publishers to form an alliance. They have met with Apple, Amazon, and the major cell phone companies to develop a model for paid subscription services.

 

http://i52.tinypic.com/2190tgl.jpg

 

4. The Book

You say you will never give up the physical book that you hold in your hand and turn the literal pages. I said the same thing about downloading music from iTunes. I wanted my hard copy CD. But I quickly changed my mind when I discovered that I could get albums for half the price without ever leaving home to get the latest music. The same thing will happen with books. You can browse a bookstore online and even read a preview chapter before you buy. And the price is less than half that of a real book. And think of the convenience! Once you start flicking your fingers on the screen instead of the book, you find that you are lost in the story, can't wait to see what happens next, and you forget that you're holding a gadget instead of a book.

 

http://www.phd2published.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/book-review.jpg

[Steven_Draker]

5. The Land Line Telephone

Unless you have a large family and make a lot of local calls, you don't need it anymore. Most people keep it simply because they've always had it. But you are paying double charges for that extra service. All the cell phone companies will let you call customers using the same cell provider for no charge against your minutes

 

http://www.ukclearancecentre.co.uk/335-531-large/bt-relate-sms-corded-landline-handset-with-sms-function.jpg

 

6. Music

This is one of the saddest parts of the change story. The music industry is dying a slow death. Not just because of illegal downloading. It's the lack of innovative new music being given a chance to get to the people who would like to hear it. Greed and corruption is the problem. The record labels and the radio conglomerates are simply self-destructing. Over 40% of the music purchased today is "catalogue items," meaning traditional music that the public is familiar with. Older established artists. This is also true on the live concert circuit. To explore this fascinating and disturbing topic further, check out the book, "Appetite for Self-Destruction" by Steve Knopper, and the video documentary, "Before the Music Dies."

 

http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4745145454168694&pid=15.1

 

7. Television

Revenues to the networks are down dramatically. Not just because of the economy. People are watching TV and movies streamed from their computers. And they're playing games and doing lots of other things that take up the time that used to be spent watching TV. Prime time shows have degenerated down to lower than the lowest common denominator. Cable rates are skyrocketing and commercials run about every 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I say good riddance to most of it. It's time for the cable companies to be put out of our misery. Let the people choose what they want to watch online and through Netflix.

 

http://thebsreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/sony-flat-screen-tv1.jpg

 

8. The "Things" That You Own

Many of the very possessions that we used to own are still in our lives, but we may not actually own them in the future. They may simply reside in "the cloud." Today your computer has a hard drive and you store your pictures, music, movies, and documents. Your software is on a CD or DVD, and you can always re-install it if need be. But all of that is changing. Apple, Microsoft, and Google are all finishing up their latest "cloud services." That means that when you turn on a computer, the Internet will be built into the operating system. So, Windows, Google, and the Mac OS will be tied straight into the Internet. If you click an icon, it will open something in the Internet cloud. If you save something, it will be saved to the cloud. And you may pay a monthly subscription fee to the cloud provider. In this virtual world, you can access your music or your books, or your whatever from any laptop or handheld device. That's the good news. But, will you actually own any of this "stuff" or will it all be able to disappear at any moment in a big "Poof?" Will most of the things in our lives be disposable and whimsical? It makes you want to run to the closet and pull out that photo album, grab a book from the shelf, or open up a CD case and pull out the insert.

 

http://i54.tinypic.com/157nqkj.jpg

[Steven_Draker]

9. Privacy

If there ever was a concept that we can look back on nostalgically, it would be privacy. That's gone. It's been gone for a long time anyway. There are cameras on the street, in most of the buildings, and even built into your computer and cell phone. But you can be sure that 24/7, "They" know who you are and where you are, right down to the GPS coordinates, and the Google Street View. If you buy something, your habit is put into a zillion profiles, and your ads will change to reflect those habits. "They" will try to get you to buy something else. Again and again.

 

http://i55.tinypic.com/kbddl1.jpg

 

And all we will have left that can't be changed are "Memories"

[Michael Wayne]

disturbing.........

[marylander1940]

Marriage?

 

http://images.askmen.com/dating/keywords/marriage_965827.jpg

 

Blonde and red hair people because of mixing with Jews, Mediterranean, Celtic and other ethnic groups blonde and red hair babies will be less likely to exist within just a few generations.

 

http://www.vh1.com/celebrity/bwe/images/2008/01/Royal%20Family.jpg

 

http://bretaylorphotography.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/img_3173.jpg

 

Btw, I'm an Irish Catholic born in 1940 I was called the "N" word in my school a few times because of that don't call me racist. I read an article about blonde people vanishing in 200 years and that's why I wrote this 2 last disappearing "things".

[Steven_Draker]

Blonde and red hair people because of mixing with Jews, Mediterranean, Celtic and other ethnic groups blonde and red hair babies will be less likely to exist within just a few generations.

 

The disappearing blonde gene was a hoax.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearing_blonde_gene

 

Rest assured: blondeness won't disappear soon.

[ragazzolupo]

Dear Steven,

 

Nice post. I had not see this list before (although it has been around at lest since early 2011:

 

http://xenohistorian.wordpress.com/2011/03/11/9-things-that-will-disappear-in-our-lifetime/

 

Even then on March 11, 11 xenohistorian wrote "Unfortunately I couldn’t find out who wrote it;"

 

I take issue with only a few of them "land line": for those of us that spend time in 'remote/rural" locations where the cell phone does not work and the land line is very expensive, and cable is not available I hope they don't go away or I will have to go to the Post Office 7 miles away to replace the phone call.

[Steven_Draker]

Coins and Banknotes ...

 

http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/01648/Pics/Banknotes.jpg

[Juan Vancouver]

Really interesting post, Steven.

 

The only thing that I find it hard to believe will disappear is physical books. While listening music in low resolution from your phone is the norm and it's really convenient, I can't imagine having to read anything on an electronic reader. Cheaper, more convenient, excellent for travelling and going to school and having all your reference books available in the same gadget... but I simply can't imagine sitting at home on a rainy afternoon with a cup of hot chocolate reading from a Kobo. I love the weight of it, the smell of paper, the fact that it has been read before on similar rainy afternoons. A book has a history, a life of its own.

 

Maybe I am just getting old and going into denial. =(

[adriano46]

Interesting list Steven - many of the items are already on their way to the pile of historic relics such as most post office services, checques (who uses them anymore??), newspapers (but what can I wrap garbage in now??), national currencies (damn Euro!!!!!), public phones, and of course PRIVACY which is pretty much gone in the age of Big Brother, NSA, GPS etc...

 

I just know, however, that BLONDS and REDHEADS will survive - we always do!!!

[Guest Starbuck]

The only thing that I find it hard to believe will disappear is physical books... I simply can't imagine sitting at home on a rainy afternoon with a cup of hot chocolate reading from a Kobo. I love the weight of it, the smell of paper, the fact that it has been read before on similar rainy afternoons. A book has a history, a life of its own.

 

COULDN'T AGREE MORE. Looking around at all the books on the shelves beside me, and stacked on a corner of my desk, I am glad I will at least have THESE to hold on to. Most of them were actually bought IN BOOKSTORES ... after BROWSING ... an opportunity harder and harder to come by. (I was in Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago and ran across more English language bookstores there than probably exist in a 30-mile radius of me.)

[bigvalboy]

COULDN'T AGREE MORE. Looking around at all the books on the shelves beside me, and stacked on a corner of my desk, I am glad I will at least have THESE to hold on to. Most of them were actually bought IN BOOKSTORES ... after BROWSING ... an opportunity harder and harder to come by. (I was in Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago and ran across more English language bookstores there than probably exist in a 30-mile radius of me.

 

+1...absolutely spot on Starbuck and Juan. I have noticed among friends and family a push back against viewing books electronically. As Juan mentions, the smell of the paper, the weight of the book, the feeling you get just by holding the book, and turning of the pages. Sitting quietly and as Starbuck mentions, seeing the books around you, is something that just can't be duplicated.

[Steven_Draker]

Glaciers

 

http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/Most-Glaciers-In-The-World-Melting-2.jpg

 

Petrol engined vehicles and oil

 

http://www.brecorder.com/images/2013/02/zzzz-23.jpg

 

Keys

 

http://www.class-c-motorhome-info-made-simple.com/images/Car_Keys.jpg

 

Paying for phone and internet services

 

http://www.imcca.org/sites/default/files/unified-communications_0.jpg

[+ Funguy]

I take issue with Marylander about red heads - mixing with Jews - come on! My mother was Jewish and a beautiful, natural red head! I got that gene, tho only in my beard - brown hair, eyes, and a red beard in my younger days. Turned white in my 40's! The gene is also alive and well in my cousins, too. My mother was also of Eastern European background. Blondes and redheads abound in my family! tho few blue or green eyes. Celtics are also known for their red hair!

[Guest Starbuck]

I take issue with Marylander about red heads - mixing with Jews - come on! ... Blondes and redheads abound in my family! tho few blue or green eyes.

 

I take issue with them becoming extinct.

 

This is probably EXACTLY THE WRONG FORUM in which to mention what happened when you had sex with a woman but here goes -- in my case, it led to two redheads. And, funguy, one of them -- the blue-eyed one -- is currently "mixing with a Jew" (LOL!) -- update due in early March of next year as to what the mixing will produce.

[+ Chris Eisenhower]

What about books about blondes, redheads and Jews?

[+ Charlie]

I still go to the post office, pay my bills with checks, have real newspapers delivered to my home daily, read only real books, use my landline phone much more than my cellphone, watch tv on a tv set, listen to music only on my Bose radio/CD player, and I just paid the handyman in cash (for which he was grateful). At my age, I am not really worried about these things disappearing before I do.

[JoeyBryant]

There is no way in hell TV is going to disappear. This sounds more like people who are extreme digital freaks. Cable prices are high, but who the hell wants to sit and watch a laptop of an entire season? Plus football? That's got to be on 39" or larger lol.

 

And for the person who locks their cellphone key in the Mercedes, well won't they be fucked lol.

[Steven_Draker]

I still go to the post office, pay my bills with checks, have real newspapers delivered to my home daily, read only real books, use my landline phone much more than my cellphone, watch tv on a tv set, listen to music only on my Bose radio/CD player, and I just paid the handyman in cash (for which he was grateful). At my age, I am not really worried about these things disappearing before I do.

 

Yowza! We've got a dinosaur in da house! Congratulations, Charlie! Keep it up.

 

http://www.flushnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Thomas-Jefferson-cheque.jpg

 

For the record the check is definitely a thing of the past here in Belgium. The check doesn't exist anymore.

 

While people will continue to buy newspapers and books ... the general tendency is here to stay: paper vs. electronic

 

As the author of the article says: "Whether these changes are good or bad depends in part on how we adapt to them".

[+ Funguy]

Chris asks, "What about books about blondes, redheads and Jews?"

 

Try "The Rise and Fall of The Third Reich" by William Shirer! Facetiousness (is that a word?) aside, the book is absolutely FASCINATING, at about 1200 pages! How some people become monsters or are born monsters and the degree of evil that lurks in the hearts of men to me is truly epic. Forget vampires, werewolves, and the like. Give me pure evil every time...I just can't seem to get my mind around how some let it exist and grow, including even today.

[Tommygunzz]

Escorts for $150 or even $100. Dating myself now, but enjoying the memory.

[JoeyBryant]

Escorts for $150 or even $100. Dating myself now, but enjoying the memory.

 

Meh, a change of location will take care of that. Go closer to the border...

[devonhunter]

Meh, a change of location will take care of that. Go closer to the border...

 

Oop! You ain't right! LOL