It wasn't as corrupt. Anti trust laws and laws separating banks from investment firms were active and enforced. Our legislature sure hasn't dwindled in productivity.
It wasn’t as perfectly tuned by machines of infinite knowledge and calibrated individually for every person over and over until they can no longer do anything other than generate a profit for the advertisers.
Some exaggeration above, but less than would be fair.
It wasn't technologically possible to have such a tight feedback loop 30 years ago. We realized the Human Instrumentality Project around 2013 and now every-goddamn-thing spies on us at all times so markets can react in real-time like the ultimate jealous controlling spouse — “Where are you going? Who else will be there? What are you talking about?”
It wasn’t optimized for profit 30 years ago..?