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"Progress"

I'm of an age where youngsters tell me that change is necessary because it is "progress" a recent example being hotmail to outlook.

That set me thinking as to what changes people consider to be genuine progress and what are in fact unnecessary or even "regress" in reality.

I'll start with a a genuine one. Yesterday my wife and I were able to go out and eat a Sunday dinner type meal in a pub at around 5:30 - 6pm.

Years ago the pub wouldn't even have been open at that time on a Sunday afternoon / early evening let alone supplying food.

Comments

  • Similar to Len; I bought a newspaper from a newsagents at 4pm yesterday. When I was a kid the newsagents (or sweet shop as we used to call it) would close at midday on a Sunday.
  • Working on bank holidays !
    Bank holidays used to be family days , but now everyone is stuck at work
  • edited April 2013
    Regress is Online clothes shopping.

    Nothing ever looks or fits like it does on the website, so after a few purchases I'm back to trying stuff on in a changing room and buying at the till.
  • Oyster cards are handy. And certainly speed up bus journeys.
  • Similar to Len; I bought a newspaper from a newsagents at 4pm yesterday.

    When I was a kid the newsagents (or sweet shop as we used to call it) would close at midday on a Sunday.

    In our village, it still does!

  • The internet was dull when I was a boy 40 years ago. Nothing to look at,at all.
    Sainsburys opening on a Sunday means the shop is empty during weekday evenings when we food shop.
  • When I was a boy you could stand behind the goal we were attacking and then move to the other end at half time.
  • E Bay.

    Never has so much useless tat been so inviting and purchasable all at the push of a button or two when you're a bit pissed and think things like a cardigan for a tortoise are a great idea.
  • Progress: Spotify; Mobile internet; HD tele and digital recorder; Sat Navigation; Pendolino trains.

    No progress: network south east.

    Regress: people looking at mobile phones in pub/restaurant instead of talking to each other; sports mix sweets.
  • edited April 2013
    Sky+, multicultural foods (curry, sushi, thai etc) and drinks (I'm mainly considering German lager here, though I'm a big fan of Kopparberg too), mobile phones, cash points, fruit gums no longer breaking your teeth, online banking, Forensic advancements, atheism.
  • Sponsored links:


  • Addicks finishing mid table this season after 3 years in League 1.
  • edited April 2013
    Regress: people looking at mobile phones in pub/restaurant instead of talking to each other; sports mix sweets.

    Have to disagree on the sports mix, a fine confection. Regress is the absence of purple wine gums
  • regress...not being able to build electronic projects because of the growing rarity of discreet conponents.
  • Progress: Being able to contact anyone, anywhere at anytime. Regress: Anyone contacting me anywhere at any time.
    Progress: Being able to cook a meal in two minutes. Regress: Eating microwave meals.
    Progress: Being a multi-car family. Regress: Roads snarled up because every family is a multi-car family.
    Progress: Motorways are usually a fast way of transport. Regress: Motorways are all the same.
    Progress: Having hundreds of tv channels to choose from. Regress: The hundreds of tv channels that I have to choose from.
    Progress: The Premiership is one of the most exciting leagues in the world. Regress: Football is all about money.
    Progress: Everyone gets a seat at football. Regress: Everyone has to have a seat at football.
    Progress: The pub doesn't have to shut at 11. Regress: You can't move for pavement pizzas.
    Progress: We can enjoy products from anywhere around the world. Regress: 2nd class Italian 'beer' for a fiver.
    Progress: Being able to pay for anything on my credit card. Regress: Having to pay for everything on my credit card.
    Progress: Everyone's living longer. Regress: The world is full of arthritic old coffin dodgers.
    Progress: I'm probably going to live longer. Regress: I'll be working longer to pay for it.
    Progress: IVF treatment means that infertile couples can have kids. Regress: The world is getting full of kids from previously infertile people.
    Progress: Developments from agribusiness mean that almost no-one (in this country) goes hungry. Regress: Developments from agribusiness mean we are dependent on agribusiness.
    Progress: We got rid of the useless labour government. Regress: We got a useless tory government.
    Progress: Our supermarket sells petrol. Regress: The petrol station in our village has closed.
    Progress: The most popular shops can be found on every high street. Regress: Charity shops.
    Progress: We can choose our energy supplier. Regress: They are all ripping us off.
    Progress: With global warming we'll be less reliant on the energy companies. Regress: We have well and truly ****ed this planet.
  • Progress is my car starting trouble free every day now through colder winters. The downside being I no longer have a ready made excuse to phone in with a 'duvet day'.
  • @Stig - nothing on the telly tonight mate?
  • @Stig - nothing on the telly tonight mate?

    100s of channels ;-)
  • Ouch, ya burned me Stig ;o)
  • Progress: When a boy having a small tv (9 inches I think) with 1 tv channel.
    Now a huge tv (52 inches I think) and hundreds of tv channels, in colour and being able to 'record' them and watch when I want.
    But not many times of discussing last nights television with people because they watched something else!

    Thanks for listening (or watching).
  • As Stig points out progress is a double-edged sword. The Internet, mobile phones, cheap goods and smoke free pubs are all progress and should be welcomed.
    Unforunately, it's costing us jobs, high streets, pubs, conversation and community.
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