Trending NowKids Reacting to a Walkman Might Make You Feel Old
The evolution of portable music players dates back to 1979, when Sony created the first Walkman. The name of the device alone might elicit memories of your first cassette purchase or a former workout routine. After all, according to Time, the number of people who said they walked for exercise increased by 30 percent between 1987 and 1997.
Walkman players now seem ancient by almost any standard; the last cassette version we could find was made in 2003. Sony carried the franchise into portable CD and MP3 players, but eventually Apple and other phone manufacturers took over the market. Fast-forward to 2014, and there is now a whole generation of kids who have no recollection of or association with the term.
That leads us to a video uploaded on Sunday by the Fine Brothers. Benny and Rafi Fine are known on YouTube for their "Kids React" series. They film children reacting to pop culture and news items both past and present. Some of the most popular clips include kids offering opinions on "Gangnam Style," gay marriage, and Rebecca Black's song "Friday."
The Fine Brothers' latest video features kids reacting to a Sony Walkman, of the cassette player variety. Children are simply dumbfounded by the device. Most begin by asking, "What is this?" when it is handed to them. With a little assistance, they figure out the Walkman's purpose and how to operate it. Ultimately, they remain unimpressed.
"I could not imagine living in your guys' days with this," 9-year-old Shannon concluded. Earlier in the video he wondered, "What do I do, press play?"
"I feel bad for the people that lived in the '90s," another 9-year-old, named Krischelle, said. She initially thought the Walkman was a phone until she held it and asked, "What is this thing?"
"Kids React to Walkmans (Portable Cassette Players)" already has more than a million views. It also probably has a few millennials feeling old, and thankful that they do not have to skip to the next track by holding down the fast-forward button.
