I was around then, so i wasnt borned too late.

but i do miss it a lot.

Heres how I cope with it;
I like to remind myself of the benefits of the modern internet, faster speeds, its easier than ever to watch movies for free, theres plenty of ways beyond forums and irc to talk to people, its arguably easier to stay informed now than ever. Open source software is bigger than its ever been. AI, and advanced search tools make it easier than ever to do your own research on any subject you want.
Streamers provide a lot of fun entertainment, alternative news is more interesting than almost anything on the news in the late 90s early 00s
Game emulation is the best its ever been as well.

When i was a kid, if you told me i could fit every ps1, dreamcast, n64, NES, SNES, GB, GBA, DS ,PSP game on a solid state drive the size of a credit card i wouldnt believe you