" cyberspace booking for outside hotels : not that long ago , you had to spell airpost letters and include pay international stamp and look for them to compose back to you ! "

It’s common for older people to wax nostalgic about the good ol' days. However, redditor@EnvironmentalZone189recentlyasked, “What’s one part of modern life you actually prefer over how it used to be?” The responses were thoughtful, illuminating, and a true reminder that everyday aspects of life are constantly evolving. Here are 17 responses that really stood out:

response have been edited for length and clarity .

1.“Not waiting 6-8 weeks for delivery.”

2.“Automatic bill pay: I can remember taking my stack of bills on the subway as I went to work and writing checks.”

3.“Internet booking for international hotels: not that long ago, you had to write airmail letters and include paid international postage and wait for them to write back to you!”

4.“Free long-distance calling: In college, everyone called home on Sunday because it was cheaper. Even a call to a neighboring town was a toll call, and you’d get in trouble with Dad if you called a friend in a different town.”

5.“I love EZ PASS and cordless tools.”

6.“Cell phones: I think about cell phones all the time when I’m at a big event, like a concert or convention. Or even just when I’m shopping with someone, and we wander off to separate parts of the store. It’s so easy to text and ask, ‘Where are you?'”

7.“Being able to set your home heater to multiple settings.”

8.“Online bookings: The ability to book appointments and reservations online. I like being able to take my time looking at all the available options, scheduling what works for me, and paying online, which usually makes things run more smoothly and quickly at check-ins and check-outs.”

9.“Microwaves: The microwave for cooking, and defrosting, and reheating. In the ’60s and ’70s, if you didn’t get home from playing on time, your supper was cold.”

11.“The internet: I prefer nearly everything about modern life over how it used to be, but on-demand, easy, instant access to information and entertainment from around the world through the internet is far and away the best.”

12.“Word processing: Because typing a perfect paper sucked. You’d always make a mistake, and sometimes you’d want to change enough that you’d have to do the whole thing over again. And again. And again. Because the more times you re-did it, the more likely you were to screw up.”

13.“GPS: My son is at the age where he is starting to take long car trips with friends. I was just thinking about how back in the day we would go to AAA to get all the maps needed. It’s really a big deal how easy it is to get directions now.”

14.“Video calls: Being able to video call loved ones anytime, anywhere. It doesn’t replace being there, but it makes the distance feel a little less heavy.”

15.“The Lord of the Ringsfandom: Don’t get me wrong, there are aspects of my childhood that I miss (I was born in ‘76, so primary school in the ’80s, high school early ’90s, going out to nightclubs late ’90s). However, if I got to choose to start it all over again, I would choose to be in high school now rather than 30 years ago. Let me put it this way: I was really intoThe Lord of the Ringsin high school, back before I had heard there were going to be big blockbuster movies about it. I was bullied horrifically for it, to the point I was so embarrassed. I was kind of forced to stop liking it for the shame. Now, it’s a regular thing for people to admit they enjoy it and haveLotRmarathons and be considered ‘normal people’ rather than hardcore nerds/geeks.”

16.“Cable and streaming TV: Home entertainment was limited to four or five channels. Miss your favorite show? You had to buy a TV Guide magazine or the Sunday newspaper to figure out what night and time the re-run would air. Sometimes you had to sit up to 2 a.m. on a work or school night to catch last week’s episode ofCheersorThe Cosby Show. Want to watch a movie for a little cost? It took two to three years before movies you missed in the theater showed up on a ABC, CBS, Fox, or NBC broadcast.”

17.Finally, “I’m literally alive because of medical advances.”

A cardboard box sits on a welcome mat in front of a blue door on a porch

Person smiling while using a laptop, holding a credit card, likely shopping online in a kitchen setting

People walking by Fouquet's restaurant on a rainy day in Paris, with a streetlamp and historic building in view

Person with long hair sits cross-legged on a couch, smiling at a phone in a cozy living room with large windows

Highway scene with cars approaching a toll booth, overhead signs showing toll options and EZ Pass lanes

Pregnant person in a grocery store aisle, wearing casual jeans and a long cardigan, looks at their phone while holding a shopping cart

Person adjusting a smart thermostat on a wall, focused on the display

Person sitting in a waiting area, looking at their phone, with others and a doctor in the background

Woman in glasses microwaves a dish with vegetables, pressing buttons on the appliance

Air fryer with skewers of seasoned chicken and sliced vegetables inside, ready for cooking on a wooden countertop

Person typing on a laptop at a desk with a tablet displaying a smiley face, symbolizing AI, next to them. A smartphone and plant are also on the desk

Person typing on a laptop at a desk. Nearby are crumpled papers, a cup of coffee, and a folder. Text on the screen ends with "THE END."

Person driving a car, looking at a navigation system displaying a map with route guidance on a dashboard screen

Man in headphones waves at laptop during video call, sitting indoors at a wooden table

Four characters from a fantasy film series stand in mountain terrain, dressed in medieval-style cloaks and clothing, looking into the distance

Family cheering while watching a soccer game on TV in a cozy living room

A doctor consults with a woman sitting on an exam table and a man standing beside her in a medical office