this post was submitted on 06 Mar 2026
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Gaybashing and misogyny in mainstream comedy is much reduced from the levels of the 80s thru 00s. Aside from it being reprehensible, it was also a deeply unfunny crutch.
Smoking is vastly less common, and indoor smoking is almost non-existent. Everything just smells better now. Even a lot of smokers like this change.
There is way less petty and violent crime these days. The gas station that I would avoid filling up at after dark in the 90s is now a place I casually walk to for a midnight snack run.
There's less trash laying around. I think it was even way worse in the era before my time.
Also true of cities generally because of improved vehicle emissions standards. Sometimes a single 90s-model car drives by and stinks up the entire street for a whole minute to the point where it's unpleasant to breathe. And every car used to be like that! I can't believe I actually used to like the smell of exhaust as a kid. Ridiculous.
It is so great we are seeing so much less smoking. And to touch up on the crime thing, last month I visited my cousin in NYC and I felt totally safe. Even when I was out and about I saw a few stickers even saying “cars ruin cities”.
One hopium is in some municipalities. We will see an undoing of Robert Moses’ legacy. We got to a point where smoking is seen as something fogey. We can do it with car culture.
I quit smoking like 2 years ago now I think? I switched to vaping and I haven't looked back. Then I quite vaping and switched to nic pouches. The thought of taking a drag off a cig just makes my lungs hurt. Dunno how I ever put up with it, but I drank heavily during most of my years of smoking anyway.
On safety though, I feel like the world was more exciting back in my parents time. Yes, a lot of bad things were happening seemingly all the time, but they seemed to have the best time.
There should be more petty crime against rich people
be the change you want to see in the world
I've heard this a lot and I wonder what is responsible for the change.
Atmospheric lead reduction
probably a combination of:
no one carrys cash on them anymore for a quick 'stick up and run', other steal-able possessions require more effort to turn into cash
majority of stores now have policies for a maximum amount of cash allowed inside a register and a time lock safe in the back
security cameras have become cheaper, higher resolution, and can keep multple months of recorded buffer on a hard disk array. they've become prevalent EVERYWHERE now to the point its damn impossible to exist anywhere in public without being under observation by someone's private CCTV system