Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Explain Which Things Are Normal Today That Weren't 50 Years Ago

People Explain Which Things Are Normal Today That Weren't 50 Years Ago
person typing on silver MacBook
Photo by Burst on Unsplash

The world is an ever changing place.

In addition to continuing advancements in technology, human behavior also continues to evolve.

As a result, what might have seemed "normal" 50 years ago might seem far-fetched today, while things which we today consider "normal" might never have even crossed the mind of anyone back then.

Making everything we consider "normal" among the many things in this world that continues to evolve at a rapid pace.

Redditor Primary_Berry_3560 was curious to hear what "normal" everyday things were anything but normal fifty years ago, leading them to ask:

"What is normal now but wasn’t normal 50 years ago (1972)?"


We could just leave whenever we wanted to!

"Knowing where your kids are 100% of the time."- bradland

We're all wired up today!

"No one had a computer in their house in 1972."- tcharp01

Buckle up!

"Car seats for children."

"And most of the time we sat in the back seat with no seat belts available."- Rosemoorstreet

"Wearing seatbelts."

"There were no sensors- seatbelt were just shoved out of the way."

"Carding for cigarettes."

"Machines were everywhere for anyone to use."- factchecker8515

buckle up crash test dummies GIF by ADWEEKGiphy

In the old days, we had one chance!

"Watching an entire TV series at a time that's convenient for you."

"VCR's weren't even a thing 50 years ago, so if your favorite show was on Wednesday at 8PM, you were either at home to watch it or you missed out on it forever."- DeathSpiral321

Music on demand!

"Listening to the song you want to where you want to, rather than whatever is playing wherever you are."- jfincher42

Giphy

Being beholden to a landline!

"I am amazed to think about how disconnected we were."

"I could wake up on a Saturday morning and start calling friends."

"It was possible that not a single one picked up the phone and that was that."

"I would be on my own unless I waited a few hours and tried again."

"Also, in my area, the adults in the house almost always answered the phone so you had to get through them to your friends."

“'Hello, is Johnny home?'”

"'Hi this is his mother, what do you want?'”

“'I was wooooondering if he could come out to play'.”

“'Well he’s doing homework right now but I’ll tell him you called'.”

"As a kid, our times were divided between when we were 100% under adult control, which was when we were physically in their presence, and when we were free which was all other time."- Mrmidhoratio

"Asking 'Where are you?' when someone answers their phone."- brontosproximo

Shocked Phone Call GIFGiphy

No wonder they were all so tan...

"Regularly wearing sunscreen."- dixius99

It's amazing to see how much the world has changed in such a relatively short amount of time.

Leaving us to wonder what things will be "normal" 50 years from now, which today the very thought of would make us burst out laughing.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Former coach Jim Zulio pulling player Hailey Monroe's hair
@CBS6 Albany/YouTube

High School Coach Fired After He's Caught On Camera Yanking Female Athlete's Ponytail

A Northville Central High School basketball coach was fired shortly after he yanked on a player's ponytail—and the whole incident was caught on camera.

The Falcons had just lost to Hudson Valley Community College, La Fargeville, and the Falcons were watching the winning team's players celebrating on the field.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Isaac Wasserman/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Musk's Dad Claims Elon Isn't Racist Due To Past Friendships With Family's 'Black Servants'

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's father, Errol Musk, argued there's no way his son could be racist due to his past relationships with the "black servants" who worked for the family in apartheid South Africa.

After the Tesla CEO faced scrutiny for criticizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Errol Musk was confronted by inquiries about his son's animosity toward the program.

Keep ReadingShow less
Teen getting haircut with a trimmer
Tatsiana Volkava/GettyImages

Arkansas GOP Ripped Over Bill Banning 'Gender-Nonconforming' Haircuts For Minors

Arkansas Republicans are being lambasted for introducing a bill that could punish people for supporting transgender youth's social transitions, such as the use of preferred names or pronouns, and giving gender-nonconforming haircuts.

House Bill 1668, the "Vulnerable Youth Protection Act," would allow minors and their parents to sue anyone who acknowledges another minor's gender identity.

Keep ReadingShow less
Fox News Host Suggests Tesla Vandals Could Face Death Penalty In Bonkers Interview
Fox News

Fox News Host Suggests Tesla Vandals Could Face Death Penalty In Bonkers Interview

Fox News host Harris Faulkner conjured up an outrageous hypothetical scenario in which vandals setting Tesla vehicles ablaze could receive the death penalty.

The series of attacks at Tesla dealerships and charging stations involving suspects lighting Teslas on fire are being viewed as a form of protest against Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sabrina Carpenter
Samir Hussein / Contributor/Getty Images

Video Of Paparazzi Shaming Sabrina Carpenter For Refusing To Take Photos Sparks Fan Outrage

While many people are openly envious of celebrities, they tend to forget that becoming a superstar does come with its fair share of challenges.

When your face is on billboards and screens all over the world, it is very easy to be recognized.

Keep ReadingShow less