Now that the early 2010s is 10 years old, it's definitely safe to call it dated. But I'm wondering what are some of the differences you notice between now and the early 2010s? I don't notice a lot but I know there are some. List any differences you notice between now and the early 2010s.

Spore servers were online by more than mere life support.

Less smartphones, particularly touchscreen phones, in the early '10s.

A few video rental places still seemed to be in every town, even though there were far fewer of them compared to earlier in the millennium.

In my (biased) observation, there was more creativity in early '10s culture compared to today's.

People seemed nicer, clients acted less entitled. I don't remember so much rudeness back then. Now also HR people act more fake when I go to a job interview. There was less pushing in public transport. Might be a local thing but we were nicer to each other back then.

Pop music was more enjoyable and happier sounding.

2010: at work
2020: happily in retirement

In the early 2010's Kesha's Tik Tok was just a bop that we all love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP6XpLQM2Cs

Now, Tik Tok is an app for making viral videos while dancing or lip syncing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2mAB9ywAOA

Pop music was more upbeat and ‘colourful’

Smartphones were much less common

Social media was Facebook + Twitter and not much else

People still preferred watching TV to streaming services like Netflix

Politics was considerably less divisive and populism wasn’t a word most people had heard of

Cable TV was still popular

Electropop peaked and declined

Less hostile political atmosphere (besides the Arab Spring and the Occupy protests)

iTunes was still a thing

Diverse, popular music on the charts from indie rock to electro-R&B to pop-rap

People still took Taxis as ride sharing wasn’t yet a thing (or at least not popular)

Many people still didn’t have HDTV

Early 2010s: Heisenberg, Angry Birds, and end of the Harry Potter series

Early 2020s: Riverdale, Fortnite, and Black Widow or Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey

Early 2010s: Samsung Galaxy S

https://www.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/deviceimages/samsung-galaxy-s.png

Early 2020s: Samsung Galaxy S20

https://media.tracfone.com/wps/contenthandler/!ut/p/digest!jM8Itz94CEwRrY9-6aJe6Q/dav/content/libraries/wcm.library.phones/components/STSAG981U1CP/wcm.comps.image/Hubble_X1_Large.png

Several things! But over all, I truly believe the world was a much better place back then. Now people, in general, love to treat each other like dirt. 😢

Early 2010s: Samsung Galaxy S

https://www.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/deviceimages/samsung-galaxy-s.png

Early 2020s: Samsung Galaxy S20

https://media.tracfone.com/wps/contenthandler/!ut/p/digest!jM8Itz94CEwRrY9-6aJe6Q/dav/content/libraries/wcm.library.phones/components/STSAG981U1CP/wcm.comps.image/Hubble_X1_Large.png


Samsung Galaxy S is ugly. It reminds me of all of those late 2000s cell phones.

Samsung Galaxy S is ugly. It reminds me of all of those late 2000s cell phones.


Yeah, I'm also not really a fan of early 2010s smartphones/smartphone designs (besides the refined yet static iPhone ones). They were clunky and confusing to use (like, do some of these smartphones want to be full-on touch screens or sliders with physical QWERTY keyboards?).

Samsung Galaxy S is ugly. It reminds me of all of those late 2000s cell phones.


That was my first smartphone haha. It had a "HUGE" "beautiful" 4-inch screen :D ;D

Tbh not much. Life has been pretty digitally in tune since about 2008 or so. By that I just mean we have depended mostly on digital tech since around 2008. In the mid 2000’s analog and digital tech were used interchangeably. Maybe that’s why 2008 onwards still do not strike me as being that long ago or extremely dated? Life hasn’t progressed much in the digital world the way we were opting for 10-15 years ago. I feel like we saw more of a technological evolution from 1998-2008 rather than 2008-2018. One thing I do notice is that phones in 2010 were offered in a variety from different brands, models and colors as every one didn’t depend on a smartphone back then where as now it’s mostly either iphone or android. Computers were used a lot more in 2010 than they are now. Social media like Instagram, snapchat and what not we’re practically non existent. Facebook was “the” social media site back then now it is not.

Really mainly just older versions of iPhones and Androids. Also HTC was dominant in the Android market, about equal to if not more than Samsung. Music wise it was a lot more electro pop and EDM. Politically and culturally people seemed happier overall, wasn't nearly as much hostility. You just had the Tea Party that was the conservative, anti-Obama group.

Tbh not much. Life has been pretty digitally in tune since about 2008 or so. By that I just mean we have depended mostly on digital tech since around 2008. In the mid 2000’s analog and digital tech were used interchangeably. Maybe that’s why 2008 onwards still do not strike me as being that long ago or extremely dated? Life hasn’t progressed much in the digital world the way we were opting for 10-15 years ago. I feel like we saw more of a technological evolution from 1998-2008 rather than 2008-2018. One thing I do notice is that phones in 2010 were offered in a variety from different brands, models and colors as every one didn’t depend on a smartphone back then where as now it’s mostly either iphone or android. Computers were used a lot more in 2010 than they are now. Social media like Instagram, snapchat and what not we’re practically non existent. Facebook was “the” social media site back then now it is not.

Facebook is still the most popular social media site with over 2 billion people using it, but I see most of my teenage peers using Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok more. I usually see older people on Facebook.

Facebook is still the most popular social media site with over 2 billion people using it, but I see most of my teenage peers using Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok more. I usually see older people on Facebook more.
Facebook is for convenience, but people are losing interest in it.

Facebook is for convenience, but people are losing interest in it.


Exactly. I use FB for important personal/family contacts.

Facebook is for convenience, but people are losing interest in it.


Like all things, Facebook will ultimately decline and cease to exist. 

Like all things, Facebook will ultimately decline and cease to exist.


Small comfort however that it's being replaced by Facebook-owned platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp.  :-[

Like all things, Facebook will ultimately decline and cease to exist.

I don't think it will. I thought the same thing many years back but it never happened.

I don't think it will. I thought the same thing many years back but it never happened.


It's becoming less and less relevant for the younger generations so I belive it will, eventually.

I think we may head to a social media backlash eventually, also. I don't think this will be for some time, however!

It's becoming less and less relevant for the younger generations so I belive it will, eventually.

I think we may head to a social media backlash eventually, also. I don't think this will be for some time, however!


Social media as it is people are getting fed up with, the ones that dominate. There are niche alternatives out there. The only problem is when something really blows up and everyone migrates to that, you have the same problem over again.

Sorry by the way, I meant to QUOTE your post not edit it. Woops.

Social media as it is people are getting fed up with, the ones that dominate. There are niche alternatives out there. The only problem is when something really blows up and everyone migrates to that, you have the same problem over again.

Sorry by the way, I meant to QUOTE your post not edit it. Woops.


No problem :)

True - people will migrate to the 'new' thing if they prefer it. I'm just waiting for a Tik Tok backlash now!

No problem :)

True - people will migrate to the 'new' thing if they prefer it. I'm just waiting for a Tik Tok backlash now!


There already is a backlash against TikTok on sites like YouTube, because most people (from what I've seen) hate the cringy content that's on the app.

Early 2010s: Gen Zer era (UFC, Angry Birds, and Despicable Me stuff everywhere)

Early 2020s: Gen Alpha era (Frozen 2, Trolls World Tour, L.O.L. Surprise, and Fortnite stuff everywhere)

Early 2010s: Gen Zer era (UFC, Angry Birds, and Despicable Me stuff everywhere)

Early 2020s: Gen Alpha era (Frozen 2, Trolls World Tour, L.O.L. Surprise, and Fortnite stuff everywhere)


Early 2010’s was strictly a millennial era. Unless you are talking about childhood culture ? Pop culturally speak the early to mid 10’s was millennial time

Early 2010’s was strictly a millennial era. Unless you are talking about childhood culture ? Pop culturally speak the early to mid 10’s was millennial time


Late Millennials maybe…. Most of the Millennials born in the 80s and 90s were in college or graduating from college and working in the early to mid 2010s.

Gen Zers were pre-teens in the early to mid 2010s, so their childhood culture from the 2000s was still around.

Late Millennials maybe…. Most of the Millennials born in the 80s and 90s were in college or graduating from college and working in the early to mid 2010s.

Gen Zers were pre-teens in the early to mid 2010s, so their childhood culture from the 2000s was still around.


Yeah, millenials in the early to mid 2010s still ruled pop culture, with things like hipster and scene aesthetics (in the very early 2010s).

Yeah, millenials in the early to mid 2010s still ruled pop culture, with things like hipster and scene aesthetics (in the very early 2010s).


That was Millennials and Gen Z doing that in the 2000s and 2010s.

Late Millennials maybe…. Most of the Millennials born in the 80s and 90s were in college or graduating from college and working in the early to mid 2010s.

Gen Zers were pre-teens in the early to mid 2010s, so their childhood culture from the 2000s was still around.


That proves my point... Most of Gen Z were either  kids- toddlers in the early 10’s depending on the definition of gen z. Only a small portion of early gen z were preteens in the early 10’s. They were not the influencing demographic of Lady gaga in 2010. That was my generation/ cohort. That was gen z’s childhood sure, but they were not on Facebook, oovoo, aim and participating in teenage trends of the late 2000’s early 10’s.

Many Millennials were in HS in the early 10’s. Anyone born from late 1991 to at least 1998 (which is an interchangeable birth year between y and z) would have been in HS at some point during 2010-2012.. They were more than likely the youth of 2007-2016.

That was Millennials and Gen Z doing that in the 2000s and 2010s.


No they were not ? Most of gen z were at most little kids and toddlers throughout the 2000’s. They weren’t even in junior high in the 2000’s. What were they influencing exactly besides cartoons ?

That proves my point... Most of Gen Z were either  kids- toddlers in the early 10’s depending on the definition of gen z. Only a small portion of early gen z were preteens in the early 10’s. They were not the influencing demographic of Lady gaga in 2010. That was my generation/ cohort. That was gen z’s childhood sure, but they were not on Facebook, oovoo, aim and participating in teenage trends of the late 2000’s early 10’s.

Many Millennials were in HS in the early 10’s. Anyone born from late 1991 to at least 1998 (which is an interchangeable birth year between y and z) would have been in HS at some point during 2010-2012.. They were more than likely the youth of 2007-2016.


1998 was not an interchangeable birth year between Y and Z. Early Gen Zers were born in the late 90s.

Millennials born in the early 1990s were in college and the workplace from 2011 to 2013. Late Millennials were graduating from high school in the early 2010s.

Where are you getting your information from?  ???


No they were not ? Most of gen z were at most little kids and toddlers throughout the 2000’s. They weren’t even in junior high in the 2000’s. What were they influencing exactly besides cartoons ?


Their childhood days were behind them in the early 2010s. Some early Gen Zers quickly adopted the hipster and scene aesthetics from late Millennials in the late 2000s.

1998 was not an interchangeable birth year between Y and Z. Early Gen Zers were born in the late 90s.

Millennials born in the early 1990s were in college and the workplace from 2011 to 2013. Late Millennials were graduating from high school in the early 2010s.

Where are you getting your information from?  ???

Their childhood days were behind them in the early 2010s. Some early Gen Zers quickly adopted the hipster and scene aesthetics from late Millennials in the late 2000s.


Um Pew research center describes millennials as 1981-1996, US census bureau states millennials from 1982-2000 and before pews highly favored definition they had the ending point at 1998. Where are you getting your information ? 1998 is definitely interchangeable as they are born on the cusp and many research tanks list them as either or. Millennials where in hs and college in the early 10’s where as most of gen z was in elementary school. Late millennials where in HS for most of the early 10’s and started college in the mid 10’s we were definitely the youth of that era and in the targeted demographic for pop culture. A gen z baby born in 2003 does not remember when Madonna kissed Britney at the VMA’s where as we do lol.

That was Millennials and Gen Z doing that in the 2000s and 2010s.


As a Zoomer, I disagree. Most of us in 2010-2012 were either early teens, preteens or older kids if we want to take the earliest Gen Z date to at least 1996 (since they would have little memory of a  pre-9/11 society).

As a Zoomer, I disagree. Most of us in 2010-2012 were either early teens, preteens or older kids if we want to take the earliest Gen Z date to at least 1996 (since they would have little memory of a  pre-9/11 society).


You didn’t wear on skinny jeans, shop at American Apparel, or drink Starbucks in the early 2010s? You missed out as an older Zoomer.

You didn’t wear on skinny jeans, shop at American Apparel, or drink Starbucks in the early 2010s? You missed out as a Zoomer.


I was 10-12. I didn't really do nor cared about those things. All I cared about was video games, cartoons, Silly Bandz, and listening to electropop.

I was 10-12. I didn't really do nor cared about those things. All I cared about was video games, cartoons, Silly Bandz, and listening to electropop.


Thank you for this post. I corrected my previous post.

2010s:
- People still kept what they paid for.
2020s:
- People are happy to put up with companies losing what they paid for.

You didn’t wear on skinny jeans, shop at American Apparel, or drink Starbucks in the early 2010s? You missed out as an older Zoomer.


Hipsters were in their 20s and 30s, not teenagers. Ain't no 15 year old gentrifying neighbourhoods, growing beards, covered head to toe in tattoos, signing up for yoga or eating kale. It's a Millennial thing.