40 Ways Things Are Getting Better
"What has gotten materially better in America in, say, the last twenty years?" So! Much!
"What has gotten materially better in America in, say, the last twenty years?" David Walsh, a University of Virginia postdoctoral fellow, casually asked on Twitter yesterday.
Hundreds of responses poured in, citing everything from consumer goods to medical treatments to cultural attitudes, laws, and Brussels sprouts.
The overwhelming number of responses and their variety provides a nice reminder that a lot of stuff really has been getting better over the past few decades and American society isn't really the perpetual motion fail machine many people make it out to be. In the interest of celebrating progress, here's a sampling (in no particular order) of those responses…
What's Gotten Better in the Past 20 Years?
1. Home entertainment
switch your TV to low resolution mode once and see what type of poverty we used to live in https://t.co/CyPHEnp5rw
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) August 30, 2021
In 2001 if you missed an episode of your favorite tv show you used to have to just, like, hope that a tv network would put it on tv again one day. https://t.co/TsB9LPg3HU
— Mike L. Goodman (@TheM_L_G) August 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/AryehCW/status/1432400754208350208
The Big Bang theory is no longer on the air for starters https://t.co/TyD38YM7bm
— david zaslav haters club (@dauntlessdalton) August 31, 2021
2. Crime rates
Violent crime has dropped like a rock. pic.twitter.com/weFrlVIIuG
— Bad Cop / Bad Cop (@jeirvine) August 30, 2021
3. Micromobility options
The quality and cost of electric micromobility have dramatically improved. For the price of a single 2001 Segway, you can now buy 16 commute-ready e-scooters. We're really just waiting on cities to wake up. https://t.co/TNABguydNo pic.twitter.com/kBsx7ZAnaU
— M. Nolan Gray (@mnolangray) August 31, 2021
4. Better cannabis quality
https://twitter.com/timmarchman/status/1432482849710542850
5. Information access:
Access to information https://t.co/INUjDlzGjS
— Flip (@ebrwn_7) August 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/MVLibertas/status/1432384593286606859
my internet speeds ???? the days of waiting half an hour to buffer a twenty minute video are long gone, may they rest in peace https://t.co/MOlZnxKfBr
— jaybiiird.bsky.social (@AOBaumbach) August 31, 2021
Better accessibility to international media (TV, movies, books, music, comics, everything-Thank you translators!) https://t.co/AXijvukdMg
— Frank Skornia (@FSkornia) August 30, 2021
It might be controversial, but communications technology. Social media has real negative effects, but the ability to instantly read and watch anything you want, or communicate with anyone, is a big deal.
— Peter Sterne (@petersterne) August 30, 2021
6. Acceptance of neurodiversity
https://twitter.com/wraphouse01/status/1432671846097358848
Our diagnostic criteria for, understanding of, and vocabulary around neurodiversity.
Cannabis laws (in some places, anyway).
The visibility and resulting relative safety of gender diverse people (but we've still got a long way to go to on this one). https://t.co/5aZyZ6vxqs— Manda Cherry @ Norwescon! (@MandaTheGinger) August 31, 2021
7. Restaurant food variety and quality
In the 80s, Chinese takeout and the Italian place were the "ethnic" food options, and considered a bit exotic in much of the country. Coffee was like, Folgers Crystals.
The availability of so much more in the food/bev category - though often unaffordable - is noticeable. https://t.co/nm4nsN7eLe
— edburmila.bsky.social (@edburmila) August 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/nu_handen/status/1432383533817937932
8. Attitudes toward LGBTQ people and their treatment under the law:
https://twitter.com/MizDanaClaire/status/1432424602135777280
Gay marriage https://t.co/ZYeyz4FXrS
— Ayana Haviv ayanahaviv.bsky.social (@ayanahaviv) August 30, 2021
Trans rights. https://t.co/Fd7ClCNJCE
— Kalany (@kalanyy) August 31, 2021
https://twitter.com/yonatanb/status/1432524274015764482
In the last 15 years the overall openness and tolerance of lgbtq students among their peers has demonstrably improved.
I see kids being openly who they are far more today than when I started.
— Eldritch Millennial (@BmoreBaker42) August 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/Too_Big_To_Fail/status/1432370043153752073
9. Convenience food options
Cold caffeine and on-the-go meal replacement products. You walk into most gas stations and convenience stores and in stock they have protein bars in a Willy Wonky-like variety of flavors & artificially sweetened mostly palatable drinks with enough caffeine to send you to the moon https://t.co/cKs6slhZw9
— Sam Raskin (@samraskinz) August 30, 2021
The only real answer here is "fast food chicken sandwiches" https://t.co/6LzRk4H0xG
— Chrispy (@HowMuchForGoat) August 30, 2021
10. Being an introvert and/or misanthrope:
there's a taco spot in my neighborhood that lets you order over text and pay on venmo so you don't have to talk to anyone when you want tacos https://t.co/IonKm7h0Qx
— julia reinstein ???? (@juliareinstein) August 31, 2021
11. The digital reading experience:
Ebook readers https://t.co/Q1k5ZTR94V
— Chris Scullion (@scully1888) August 30, 2021
12. HIV care:
https://twitter.com/misterscampers/status/1432395854833491973
13. Alcohol options:
Beer. In early 2000s, beer was just awful in New York. Heineken was considered good beer. https://t.co/LXPwk1wb8f
— Onur Özgöde @ummodern@sciences.social (@ummodern) August 31, 2021
Such a good one. When I arrived in DC in 2006, I was pleased if I went to a bar and was able to get…a Yuengling ????
— Central NJ Yimby ???????????????? (@YIMBY_Princeton) August 30, 2021
Wide availability of good craft beer. So much so that I've gotten sick of it and moved on. But every little gas station and convenience store now has decent beer whereas 20 years it would have been all and only Anheuser-Busch.
— Chris Sturr (@ChrisSturr) August 30, 2021
Cocktail bars, the power of modern medicine, dope pizza spots. https://t.co/xlFQFEEQoJ
— Leif Brostrom (@leiftheviking) August 30, 2021
14. Options if you don't want alcohol:
Non-alcoholic beer and VST amp sims for recording guitar. Two things I can no longer do the old fashioned way and almost don't even miss https://t.co/KVyEwh8EiC
— matthew ellis (@matthiasellis) August 30, 2021
15. Mental health treatment:
ALSO, the number of and social acceptability of medication to treat anxiety and depression. https://t.co/j38e3vxTOH
— Sarah (@sosomanysarahs) August 31, 2021
16. Automobile efficiency and safety:
https://twitter.com/DavidCMaybury/status/1432377932295512076
Access to sustainable, lightweight electric vehicles in cities. https://t.co/lt1Yj0poCj
— Russell Murphy ???????? (@RussMurphNY) August 30, 2021
Cars! https://t.co/NrWUdFRum1 pic.twitter.com/BgDmYi821c
— Ashwin Varma (@varma_ashwin97) August 31, 2021
Cars are so much better that it's ridiculous. Quieter, better handling, safer, faster, less polluting. They're rather more expensive, but even then, the average 2020 Hyundai beats the pants off the average 2000 Hyundai *and* the average 2000 Mercedes
— chatham harrison is heading to greener pastures (@chathamharrison) August 30, 2021
17. Transportation options for people without cars
The ability to transport people or things without owning a car for folks above the poverty line, through tech-enabled, on-demand car rental, grocery, and food delivery services. Huge improvement to quality of life. https://t.co/2tug49ZOs0
— Aarjav (@aarjav) August 30, 2021
18. The ability to get around without getting lost
Aside from the big obvious ones, for me it's getting directions. I am TERRIBLE at directions. Mapquest literally changed my life. https://t.co/HXKBboi6DH
— Kingfisher & Wombat (@UrsulaV) August 31, 2021
The ability to not get lost while driving in an unfamiliar area. No printing directions or asking a local or finding a gas station with a map https://t.co/1AOVIr1d6c
— Brad "Signore Pane" Fuerbringer (@BardLee4) August 30, 2021
19. Specialty diet/food options
Vegan products: availability, variety, and quality. Color printing. Cocktails. https://t.co/SPlgjyZYv9
— Cornflower Blue (Special Low Frequency Edition) (@epicharmus) August 30, 2021
Even in the last 5-10 years vegetarian food options have completely changed and are significantly more popular and accessible and also fake meat tastes way better https://t.co/z9tgPu9ls0
— Shannon Strucci (@plentyofalcoves) August 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/cjd11/status/1432369772323299330
https://twitter.com/gracie_chaos/status/1432413632986435584
20. Being a nerd
https://twitter.com/Ela_Hadrun/status/1432500652802863106
21. Phone calls (or lack of them)
Telephones/no long distance charges, no texting charges, ability to communicate nationally and globally by internet/social media with a portable phone. https://t.co/KlNMKy8OwQ
— Phoenix Rising ????️⚧️ they/them (@synphoenix72) August 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/Jesselansner/status/1432374241329045506
22. Getting dressed
there are so many things that have gotten so much better that we don't even notice.
Like, advances in materials sciences have made super soft fabrics dirt cheap and completely ubiquitous. A $9 sweat shirt at Walmart would be nicer than basically anything you can buy in 2001. https://t.co/S7JMhTogBv
— Allan (@AvianDentures) August 30, 2021
23. Cancer treatment
Cancer treatment pic.twitter.com/ETfmPhXKu3
— Bailey Steinworth (@baileys) August 30, 2021
24. Weather reports
Weather forecasting. pic.twitter.com/BTti2zrMW5
— Gwen C. Katz (@gwenckatz) August 30, 2021
25. Bicycling infrastructure
https://twitter.com/sdho/status/1432408651432607754
Cycling infrastructure, and the proliferation of bike sharing programs in particular is incredible. Safe, affordable, opens up cities in a new way.
— Seb (@Sebastianos15) August 30, 2021
26. Cameras
Camera technology
Cameras on phones
Damn I can't believe I went like 25+ years of my life without a camera phone let alone a good one— Mel (@Melethonomia) August 31, 2021
27. Avocado access
Access to avocados in places outside of California/Southwest.
— Josephine Robertson (@revjorobertson) August 31, 2021
28. Hygiene products
https://twitter.com/lowinchen/status/1432580251435954178
a weird one, but when I arrived in the US it was difficult to get shower gel: people had bar soap in these little plastic boxes. This was very annoying, esp at e.g. the gym. Anyway, shower gel is now triumphant. https://t.co/pi3Xz0HhJX
— Arthur Spirling (@arthur_spirling) August 30, 2021
29. Video games
video game graphics are pretty good now https://t.co/XDjviwxThA
— brandon.wad (@Thatoneguy64) August 30, 2021
30. Access to fruits and vegetables
https://twitter.com/CtownBnnaPantz/status/1432486801218932737
31. Gambling laws
Gambling on sports legally https://t.co/Bt3OBk44y6
— Rick, Host of Coin Flip Live (@TheRickRosen) August 30, 2021
32. Movie theaters
you guys got those movie theaters with the reclining seats, those are pretty good https://t.co/jasEJ83BGq
— dj mr showmanship (@voellig) August 30, 2021
33. Digital video
https://twitter.com/masamage/status/1432711754048589845
https://twitter.com/ArguingMeadows/status/1432497354939289603
34. Democratization of the public sphere
Ability for marginalized people to have their voices heard and form communities with others in their situationhttps://t.co/j6N7BiRW51
— Ian (@muddymudskipper) August 30, 2021
35. Clean energy
The price, availability, and efficiency of renewable energy.
— Gregory Brew (@gbrew24) August 30, 2021
36. Access to diverse music
internationalism in music. that k-pop and reggaeton are able to dominate the charts without being labeled fads is a good thing
— David Grossman (@davidgross_man) August 30, 2021
37. Body positivity
this is a cool thread. my earnest contribution: I think a lot about how many young girls are growing up with the existence of the body positivity movement, and how happy — and envious — I am of them for that https://t.co/DJ3xg7dSB2
— Rachel Holliday Smith is mostly posting elsewhere (@rachelholliday) August 30, 2021
38. Smoking rates
Smoking rates are down! https://t.co/1dpoWprpoF
— Kenan Anderson (@KenanAnderson1) August 30, 2021
39. Carbonated beverages
Seltzer https://t.co/cwbFlYM3Ei
— Ashley (@ashweck) August 30, 2021
Alcoholic fizzy water https://t.co/ol8DtdePC3
— Mark O'Neill (@failedvagabond) August 31, 2021
zero calorie coca cola https://t.co/rnUKPZh3HJ
— lifelong las vegas golden knights fan???????????? (@FooleryThomas) August 31, 2021
40. A lot of people's behinds, apparently
https://twitter.com/bergerdbeans/status/1432508023650467843
my ass https://t.co/Hk6BdgAOM3
— punished cailin (@capittalism) August 31, 2021
my ass https://t.co/w9n0WxyKsu
— sladeofyaupon.bsky.social (@sladeofyaupon) August 30, 2021
Answers relating to food, alcohol, marijuana, coffee, computing, and TV—areas no one can deny have improved since the turn of the century—seem to be the most prevalent. And, despite a diverse set of answers both quirky and serious, there's still a whole lot of progress that's gone unmentioned. As a number of people commented, it may be easier to list things that haven't gotten better over the past two decades.
https://twitter.com/jacob_nestle/status/1432375443655643145
???? A lot.
Read more in our progress megathread: https://t.co/rplQ2J8BKR https://t.co/hviEbgiwQ0 pic.twitter.com/akxbIMyhdO
— Human Progress (@HumanProgress) August 31, 2021