Before The Blink
How fast the world changed — before you noticed.

Before The Blink

How fast the world changed — before you noticed.

Articles — Page 5

Remember Being Bored? The Forgotten Art of Having Nothing to Do
Culture

Remember Being Bored? The Forgotten Art of Having Nothing to Do

Before the smartphone turned every spare moment into a scroll session, Americans had a whole different relationship with doing nothing. Kids stared at ceilings. Adults memorized cereal boxes. Waiting was just waiting. What happened to all that empty time — and did we lose something when we filled it?

Mar 13, 2026

31 Cents a Gallon and No GPS: The Golden Age of the American Road Trip Is Gone
Travel

31 Cents a Gallon and No GPS: The Golden Age of the American Road Trip Is Gone

In the 1960s, a full tank of gas cost less than a diner lunch, the interstate was brand new, and getting a little lost was part of the plan. Today, road trips still happen — but almost everything about them has changed. Here's what we quietly traded away.

Mar 13, 2026