21 Things That Were Once Great — Until They Were Spoiled by People

"Everything should be subscription-based, particularly software. I prefer to purchase Office or AutoCAD once and have access to it for ten years, rather than having to renew my subscription annually."

2. "Craft fairs. They’ve become packed with countless MLMs lately. All I’m looking for are some hand-knitted slippers from a sweet elderly woman — not another Norwex booth."

3. "In the past, you were among a select few who participated in bidding on storage lockers. It was an enjoyable pastime for me, but I eventually walked away from it as it gained popularity. Now, people are significantly overbidding for these lockers, which often means they’re just paying to clear out someone else's junk."

4. "Exploring prominent historical landmarks. Many have become poorly kept, exorbitantly priced tourist attractions — and when you factor in the litter and wear caused by visitors, it’s quite alarming."

5. "Airbnb. I used to really enjoy using Airbnb a few years back. Nowadays, it tends to be more expensive than many good hotels, and some of the house rules are quite absurd."

"My friend handed me a discount coupon for a hotel stay. After comparing it with a local option, I found that the local hotel offered a better price and had fewer restrictions. At my hotel, they don’t require me to leave the room spotless. I can simply toss the towels in the tub, gather any trash, and I’m not obligated to vacuum or dust."

6. "Cooking programs. Once upon a time, there were a handful of skilled chefs hosting shows to share their culinary expertise. Now, it seems like every celebrity, regardless of their cooking skills, is jumping on the bandwagon and churning out the same recipes as everyone else."

7. "Thrift shopping has changed a lot over the past fifteen years. Back then, prices were incredibly low, and treasures were easy to come by. Nowadays, the stores are often packed with people, and prices have skyrocketed; you might stumble upon a great find only once every couple of visits, if fortune smiles upon you."

8. "We had an amazing Halloween house in our small town that was walking distance from my place. Every year, the family who owned it would bring in Hollywood-level props and lighting, and 10 or so actors in full regalia to replicate a Pirates of the Caribbean scene all around the property. Every kid would get a bag full of real candy, not the mini Halloween stuff. Unfortunately, people started coming from other towns, and it turned into a mob scene to the point that cops had to direct traffic, and they shut it down."

9. "The Appalachian Trail. The excessive littering has become a major issue, and the trail is now more crowded than ever."

"The summit of Mt. Everest is like a trash heap now."

10. "Havasu Falls in Arizona holds a special place in my heart. When I visited in the early 2000s, the area was pristine and free of litter. Unfortunately, it seems that in recent years, the park has been overrun with visitors seeking the perfect Instagram shot, resulting in an alarming amount of trash and excessively long wait times. I feel a deep frustration towards those who carelessly litter in urban areas, but it infuriates me even more to see it happening in nature! For those who genuinely care about our environment, let’s make a difference—bring a waste bag along, and together we can help clean up after those who don’t respect our beautiful parks."

11. "Heading to work early. I used to enjoy it, but now it feels just like the hectic morning commute."

12. "Festivals. I used to love attending local festivals, but now they feel too crowded and pricey."

13. "Drones in the sky. With so many people making foolish choices with them, the hobby just isn't appealing anymore. You can hardly find a decent place to fly, you have to deal with a mountain of permits, and the threat of steep fines is always looming. I'll pass."

14. "Streaming platforms have become overwhelming. I long for the simplicity of just Netflix. Nowadays, every production company has launched its own platform, keeping their content exclusive and away from Netflix and Hulu. The result? An avalanche of subscriptions! Honestly, it’s more cost-effective to just purchase the shows and movies you enjoy."

15. "YouTube. In the past, creators made content purely for enjoyment; nowadays, everything is fine-tuned for profit, meticulously planned, and overproduced."

"I long for the times of amateur videos on YouTube. The classic Smosh era with its low-quality yet enjoyable music clips and gaming content. Those genuine, spontaneous reactions that felt authentic, rather than scripted performances. Nowadays, it seems everything revolves around algorithms, likes, and subscriber counts. YouTube feels so polished, corporate, and sterile. While I acknowledge there is some fantastic content available, it often gets buried beneath a mountain of mediocrity."

16. "Adblock. Nowadays, every site displays a notification. It was once a rare occurrence."

17. "Creating children's literature was once a cherished craft, but then it seemed like every celebrity jumped on the bandwagon."

18. "There are so many things and places most people didn’t know about prior to Instagram and 'influencers' visiting and taking photos there. For example, 'Manhattanhenge' in NYC used to be a cool phenomenon only cared about or noticed by some, but now, everyone and their mother comes out lining and blocking the streets for something that was once a 'hey, look at that; that’s interesting' kind of thing. Now, it’s just kind of goofy."

19. "The entire realm of true crime. A few years back, it wasn't widely recognized or 'in vogue,' and finding a documentary or website required some serious digging. Nowadays, there are numerous TV channels, podcasts, magazines, and it seems like everyone considers themselves an 'expert.'"

20. "Overall, social media. I fondly remember the days of Facebook when you needed a college email to sign up."

21. "The trend of flipping houses has definitely worsened the issue of home affordability. While revitalizing a run-down property is commendable, it's problematic when a $220K home is transformed into a $350K property."

"Additionally, many home renovations are just superficial makeovers. Sure, those shiny granite countertops look appealing, but the plumbing is still outdated and requires replacement, meaning I’ll have to remove those countertops just to access it! Often, they opt for low-quality materials that don’t endure over time. I really wish buyers would invest in homes to improve them for their own living space, rather than focusing solely on flipping properties for profit to purchase another renovated home."

Do you share the same opinion? What are some other activities or experiences that have been spoiled due to excessive participation? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!