People name 10 things they believe will likely disappear in the next 10 years

The only thing constant in life is change.

The future always holds a surprise. Every day the world witnesses new inventions and discoveries that are life-changing. What was once considered impossible is now made possible by scientists and experts in various fields. But one should also remember that things that were once extremely popular and commonly existed have now gone obsolete. So, time works both ways. It brings new things to existence and also makes old trends disappear. The telephones and televisions that were used in every household a few decades back are now replaced by smartphones and smart TVs. The digital revolution is driving the world at a faster pace and people have adapted so well to it that their previous lifestyle becomes irrelevant. So, when u/_randomitalianboy_2 asked on Reddit, "What do you think is gonna disappear in 10 years?" people had hilarious yet thought-provoking responses. Here are 10 of the best replies. 

1. Individual streaming services

I predict in 10 years, all these TV streaming services will be available bundled together in one package. They will call it "cable television." -u/xtra-chrisp.  I said this to my husband when Netflix came out. One day other companies will jump on board, creating their own version. They'll all have different exclusive content and start charging more and more. Just like cable, you'd need to pay a fortune just to access the few programs/movies/sporting events you want to watch. So predictable. -u/the_artful_breeder.

2. Privacy

Maybe the illusion of privacy will be gone in 10 years, too. -u/OskeeWootWoot. I had an awkward interaction with friends a while back, where they were all happily discussing how they track their partners 24/7. There’s a pervasive fear that something vaguely unsafe is looming around the corner and the price is your privacy. I’m not a paranoid person, but I worry that citizens giving up their privacy so willingly makes us easier to control. -u/allthebacon_and_eggs.

3. Newspapers

At least half of the newspapers in the US. If you haven’t picked up a paper and noticed how much smaller it is and how much less content there is, then you’re not paying attention. -u/jwhyem. Not surprising. I live in a town of 13000 and the local paper covers the entire county. A few months ago, they laid off their advertising/billing guy. I think they have a staff of maybe three people at this point, and it only prints three times a week. -u/Calamity-Gin.

4. Ownership

Everything we need is quickly being transitioned into subscription models, where you technically own nothing other than a “guarantee” of a small bit of product next month. Auto manufacturers are rolling out subscriptions to unlock features on a vehicle you already own. It’s only a matter of time before we see a “mandatory lease” model where you technically rent the vehicle forever. -u/Inflamed_toe. It's getting harder and harder for starters to afford homes. Making a rent-based future (no ownership) is an increasingly realistic scenario in 10 years. -u/ImpressiveAmount4684.

5. Attention spans

The way some kids just scroll mindlessly, within seconds of each video, is scary. Social media without moderation destroys children's minds. -u/SomeK1ng. It’s a huge problem for young people and will continue to be, as long as TikTok and other short-form rapid-fire content exists. It feeds into the culture of instant gratification, so nobody learns to be patient or wait for anything. I strongly suspect that within a handful of generations, we’ll have people who simply can’t read books because their brains haven’t been conditioned to pay attention. -u/ReaverRogue.

6. Retirement

We are at a tipping point where things are becoming too expensive, mortgage rates are hell and people are living longer and getting less value for their money. I seriously do think we will one day end up in a situation where you do some kind of work to the bitter end, unless medically incapable. -u/EquivalentIsopod7717. This is scary to even consider, but absolutely true. The age of retirement now where I live has increased too. -u/Necessary-Refuse-196.

7. Stable jobs

I just have this feeling that stable jobs will just get less and less common and we will get more "flex" contracts in return. Sadly I see people struggling even harder in the future. -u/GSSymptom. As robotics and automation continue to get better this will absolutely be the result. Human labor has always been a necessity since we stood upright and started banging out tools and utensils. That is changing quickly to the point of being largely unnecessary within 50-100 years. -u/Odeeum.

8. World War II veterans

I work for the Veterans Benefits Administration and it is sad how few claims I get from WWII Veterans. They are all but gone already. -u/Chris_on_a_Crakker. It's weird to think that the youngest WWII vets are 95 right now. My grandfather would introduce me to the guys he served in the South Pacific with, while my great-uncles would have fun with all these other guys they met in Europe. But now that I'm thinking of it, the last of my family members to serve in that conflict died 15 years ago. The rest can't be that far behind. -u/spleenboggler.

9. The middle class

What middle class? The one they pretend exists or the one that exists as a higher level of poverty? They’ll say, "You have a smartphone you’re not poor." Meanwhile, that smartphone replaces your home phone which you’re required to have to be a functional member of society and is also the source of probably over 50% of people’s enjoyment as well as the only means of connecting to their friends and family. Just because someone isn’t living in a tent doesn’t mean they’re not in poverty. The middle class is already dead. -u/RS_Germaphobic.

10. Creative jobs

Graphic design jobs are gonna get obliterated by AI. -u/CaptainPrower. We (AI) came to replace the blue-collar jobs, but instead, we're replacing artists, musicians, journalists, lawyers and doctors. Looking forward to the dystopian future where AI does all the white-collar work and we're digging ditches. -u/DroidLord. Humans' artistic abilities will prevail over AI. However, the propensity for companies to use the cheap option is not a new concept. -u/INRNME.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on December 20, 2023. It has since been updated.