If you went back in time 30 years, to 1996, there would probably be a lot of things that you’d find repugnant, whether it’s the overuse of hunter green in home furnishings, people smoking in restaurants, casual homophobia, sun-dried tomatoes plopped on top of everything, and waiting for the person in front of you in line at the grocery store to fill out a check.
There were a lot of things to love about the ‘90s, but let’s be honest, it wasn’t exactly paradise. Now, if we look ahead to 2046, people will definitely find some things about today repugnant. However, some may be so ingrained in our culture or popular in the moment that we haven’t quite realized how cringe they are.
Then, of course, there’s the broccoli haircut, which looked absolutely suspect the first time Patrick Mahomes took the field for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Recently, a Reddit user asked the Answers community, “What is a popular trend right now that people are going to look back on in 10 years and say, ‘What were we thinking?’” and people shared a list of things in the world of fashion, technology, and pop culture that folks in the near future will find embarrassing.
Here are 9 things that people in 10 years will look back on and say, ‘What were we thinking?’
1. Buccal fat removal
“Soooo many people are going to be looking like ghouls when they get older.”
“The crazy part is, they all look so weirdly awful in the same way. Their original faces were lovely, but they all decided they want sharp faces and literally paid money to look like they’re all disfigured in the same way.”
Buccal fat removal is a popular cosmetic procedure in Hollywood these days, where surgeons remove the fat between the cheekbones and jawbones. This surgery is performed to highlight facial bone structure.
2. Broccoli cut
“I thought that there were just a ton of curly haired kids I had never noticed until the broccoli got popular.. then i found out tween & teen boys are getting fucking perms. To look like that. On purpose.”
“The other day I saw like 8-10 young teen boys. Even though they were all different races they somehow all had this stupid haircut. It was so jarring.”
3. Millennial decor
“Gray floors. Gray walls. Gray cabinets.”
“I liked it at first, but have grown so tired of it. Well, not the gray floors; I like a bit of contrast, but the whole white “farmhouse” look was what plagued my Pinterest feed. And whoever heard of a legit farmhouse with white anything.”
4. Kids and technology
“Giving children access to touchscreens.”
“My nephew has already lost the curve in his neck and has forward head posture from too much screen time. He’s 12.”
While the idea that technology is reshaping our bodies sounds grotesque, it is possible. The Cleveland Clinic reports that prolonged device use can create neck pain, muscle spasms, and musculoskeletal issues.
5. AI ‘art’
“I mean someday it will be good, but it just heavily indicates laziness and lack of care to me.”
“I can barely even go on FB anymore bc I’m so sick of all the AI ads and crap.”
6. Trad wives
“Specifically the very young women choosing not to go to college or pursue anything that could give them the financial freedom to leave if things go south. Some may still be happy in 10 years, but a lot of them will be met with a rude awakening when things go south.”
“There’s PROBABLY going to come a time in the not too distant future where a trad wife comes out and says, ‘This was a stupid idea. I can’t believe I fell for it. My partner promised me until death do us part”, and now he’s found another 25-year-old woman and she’s his new trad wife’.”
7. Overhydration
“People carrying around huge bottles of water and drinking significantly more water than they actually need to, flushing out electrolytes in the process. The 2 litre per day thing is also a myth backed up by nothing.”
Although there is no scientific consensus on how much water one should drink, the Mayo Clinic says the average adult should drink about 11.5 cups a day. That amount varies widely by size and activity level.
8. Consumer frenzies
“Buying Stanley cups in every color, camping outside of stores at 4 a.m. to get ‘exclusive’ merch, stuff like that.”
“I was planning on camping outside Starbucks at 4am today for the Snoopy cup and now I feel called out…”
“Some people I work with told me they waited in a drive-thru line for an hour and a half to get a squishy ball for free. I guess just letting their car idle the whole time. Insanity. Adults in their 20s.”
9. Having an AI friend
“Giving generative AI companies all of your personal information and having an AI ‘bestie.’”
“I think those will only get bigger and more commonplace, like Joi from Blade Runner 2049.”
The list the Redditors came up with is a fun way to take apart our current moment through the lens of the future. It’s also a great reminder that, for better or worse, times change, so appreciate the good in the world before it goes, and don’t get too hung up on annoying trends because, as soon as they come, they’re already gone.
