A Century of Rise and Retreat
1880s-2020s. Once in every home, now mostly elderly holdouts. The smartphone tsunami washed it away.
1980s-2010s. Peak "500 channels" era gave way to cord-cutting. Streaming fragmented the ocean.
1970s-2000s. The suburban temple of commerce. Amazon and experiences pulled the tide back to shore.
1850s-2000s. Once the morning ritual of millions. The internet didn't kill them—it drowned them.
2007-??? Constant checking, doom scrolling, phantom vibrations. Are we at maximum tide, or still surging?
2008-??? The dopamine slot machine in your pocket. Gen Z is already showing signs of retreat.
2010s-??? Netflix, then Disney+, then... subscription fatigue. How many services before the tide turns?
1990s-??? Shein hauls and disposable wardrobes. Sustainability awareness may be the turning tide.
2022-??? ChatGPT opened the floodgates. We're watching a tide surge out to sea in real-time.
2020-??? Pandemic pushed it far out. Return-to-office is fighting the current—who wins?
Every phenomenon has its tide. The question is: where are we standing on the shore?