Top 10 2000's Trends That Actually Changed the World

#10: Wikipedia & Crowdsourced Knowledge

The internet opened up the possibilities for sharing and archiving information, and Wikipedia became the poster child for both. The online encyclopedia and other sites like it gained traction in the 2000s, with people all over the world contributing to articles on an endless number of topics. This has changed not only how information is accessed, but also what constitutes trusted knowledge, for better and for worse. On the one hand, looking something up has never been easier or more convenient. But on the other hand, it can be a double-edged sword if the wiki article isn’t properly researched, incomplete, or biased.

#9: Online Dating Goes Mainstream

As the internet became more and more integrated into daily life in the 21st century’s first decade, it also became more common to meet romantic partners online. Despite a certain stigma around the practice at first, early trailblazers like Match.com and eHarmony proved successful enough that it soon became ordinary. These days, meeting someone outside of dating apps has become the exception rather than the rule. Dating and relationships have become subject to the almighty algorithm, and while certainly easier in some ways, it can also be quite a minefield. Either way, the entire dating scene as it exists today has its origins in the 2000s.

#8: The Rise of Fast Fashion

Everything sped up in the 2000s, including fashion trends. Clothing manufacturers went all in on “fast fashion” - a business model of producing the latest fashion fads as quickly and cheaply as possible. These brands have transformed not only retail cycles and consumer habits, but also ignited a massive backlash. While they may be raking in the money, the labor used to produce these clothes is often exploitative, with workers underpaid or essentially performing slave labor. The materials used are usually non-biodegradable too, leading to increased pollution and the phenomenon of “clothes waste.” Fast fashion has also ignited opposing trends, like an increase in the popularity of thrift shopping.

#7: Streaming Revolution Begins

Video streaming has existed online for a long time. However, it was only after Netflix began offering its streaming services that a true renaissance with the technology began. Instead of having to navigate various shady websites, people were now able to legally view thousands of shows on their TVs with no commercials and relatively easy menus. Netflix and the various streamers that followed have since disrupted multiple industries. DVDs sales are on life support. The movie industry in general looks completely different thanks to streaming, while TV shows have opted for bigger budgets and dropping entire seasons at once. Streaming has completely changed the entertainment industry and the way we consume media.

#6: Renewable Energy

While it wasn’t totally mainstream in the 2000s quite yet, the strides made in the field during this decade paved the way for renewable energy to become a major global force today. Many countries passed new laws incentivizing emerging energy technologies, with solar and wind power especially seeing greater adoption. Meanwhile, the gradual acceptance of climate change lit a fire under some nations to commit fully to more sustainable energy. Today, renewables account for around a third of global energy production, with some estimates suggesting it will increase to nearly half by the end of the 2020s.

#5: Cell Phones/Smartphones Take Over

Mobile phones have been around for decades. However, it wasn’t until the 2000s that they became cheap enough, and small enough, to be a mainstream hit. And as the internet went wireless, its ability to be accessed on phones became not only popular, but essential. All of this dovetailed into the phenomenon that was the iPhone and other early smartphones. Suddenly the internet could be accessed from anywhere. These days, smartphones are usually the de facto way people browse online and communicate with one another. So much about modern life has its origins in the explosive popularity of new phone tech during the 2000s.

#4: E-commerce

Online transactions were happening in the mid to late 1990s, but the 2000s is where online shopping and other e-commerce truly took hold. Online retailers like Amazon became mega giants. Sites like eBay and PayPal allowed for private transactions. Even traditional banks took their business to the internet. The way we buy things changed forever after the 2000s. Brick-and-mortar stores closed by the thousands as buying online became too convenient to pass up. Businesses the world over had to adapt or die to the new reality. Fortunes are made or lost today with all the business conducted digitally, which was virtually unthinkable when the millennium began.

#3: The Digital Music Revolution

Physical media dominated not only the 20th century, but also most of human history. But the 2000s saw the advent of digital media becoming the norm. Music led the charge, due to its smaller file size, with MP3 players becoming more affordable and fashionable. Additionally, file sharing became more commonplace through sites like Napster, disrupting traditional outlets. In the years since the decade, physical music players are a retro luxury, with CD and record stores being as rare as unicorns. The music industry, or at least the way it’s distributed, has transformed completely.

#2: User-Generated Content

The internet’s proliferation also led to the rise of user-generated content. Millions of website users began not only posting on websites, but also creating their own original material and putting it up online. And while the 2000s saw only the beginnings of legitimizing user-created content, the decade plus since has turned pebble-sized hobbies into industry-disrupting boulders. Blogs and vlogs have taken over traditional journalistic spaces. User reviews of products and businesses are far more convenient, and numerous, than those found in traditional mediums. YouTube in general was a massive gamechanger, as anyone with a camera or video editing know-how can now earn a living creating videos - or providing the voiceover for them...

#1: Social Networking

Posting updates and photos of your life online with your friends, family, and strangers was a foreign concept before the 2000s. And after the decade was over, it was basically the norm. Social networking services like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have changed the way the world connects…for better and for worse. Despite being more able to connect than ever, social media has led to many people feeling more isolated, along with creating a whole host of psychological issues for minds developing and developed alike. Imposter syndrome is everywhere, and a lot of us are less willing to reach out when a big corporation has access to everything we say.

Is there a worldshaking 2000s trend you’re shook we forgot? Post your picks in the comments below!