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Older People Are Recalling the “Middle-Class Luxuries” from Their Childhood That Are Basic Now

Mother and daughter eating popcorn watching tv in bed
Source: Djavan Rodriguez / Getty

Someone asked the internet, “What is a middle-class luxury from your childhood that is now considered a basic necessity (or is completely obsolete)?”  And here are some responses:

1.  “Having a computer in the house felt like rich kid stuff back then.  Now, it’s basically required to exist.”

2.  “I remember thinking I’d never live in a home with a dishwasher.”

3.  “Long-distance calling.  My parents used to set a timer to avoid huge bills. Now, I can video call someone in Tokyo for free.”

4.  “Physical encyclopedias.  Having a full set meant you were rich and smart.”

5.  “Dad works one job, five days a week, while Mom is home every day.”

6.  “A car with air conditioning.  Now, it’s inconceivable for a car not to have it.”

7.  Tech entertainment things like:  Color TVs, VCRs, and Blu-ray players, and HBO.  Not to mention the latest gaming consoles, like PlayStation and Xbox.

Also:  “Having a TV in your bedroom.  Now, every teenager has at least one ‘personal’ screen.”

8.  “Cordless phones at home.”  Or, “car phones.”

9.  “Water beds.”

10.  “High-speed internet.  ​In the ’90s and early 2000s, having a fast connection (like DSL or Cable) was an expensive perk for tech-savvy families.”

11.  “A microwave.  They used to be really expensive and pretty big.  Now, they are in nearly every kitchen.”

12.  “Flying.  I remember in the ’70s that flying was mostly for business people, and the wealthy.”

13.  “A fridge that makes its own ice AND dispenses filtered water.”

https://www.buzzfeed.com/ravenishak/middle-class-luxuries-from-your-childhood