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Many cultures have proverbs about respecting your elders. In theory, they've lived for longer, so they automatically have more experience, and with experience comes knowledge, right? Maybe some people would like to argue that wisdom doesn't come from how old you are. Yet you can't deny that people who have more years under their belt might have a different perspective on current trends and events.

Well, one netizen had the idea to ask older adults which current social norms and things they find strange. The user u/-----Diana----- wrote: "What's socially normal now that you disagree with?" The people on r/AskOldPeople shared some things they're not entirely on board with. And their answers are actually insightful, not the old-man-yells-at-cloud kind.

To know more about the 'Grumpy Old People' myth and why older people tend to disagree with modern social norms, Bored Panda reached out to Dr. Julie Erickson, a clinical psychologist and author of The Aging Well Workbook for Anxiety and Depression.

We also managed to have a conversation with the Redditor who started the discussion, u/-----Diana-----. The user from Romania was kind enough to tell us why she was curious about what older adults think of today's social norms. Read both interviews below!

#1

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Our society being ok with total ignorance of science and some are even praised for it.

Sufficient-Grand3746 , Pixabay / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

It's natural for people to have differing opinions. Sometimes, these opinions can differ because of age. And that's completely normal, too. Clinical psychologist and author of The Aging Well Workbook for Anxiety and Depression, Dr. Julie Erickson, says that different generations commonly have conflicting views over norms, values, and beliefs.

"Each generation has 'cohort beliefs,' which are beliefs held by people born at a similar time period," Dr. Erickson tells Bored Panda. "These beliefs are shaped by a variety of different social, political, cultural, environmental, technological, and economic factors of the time."

But to say that "all elderly people hate technology" would be too simplistic and untrue. And, honestly, pretty ageist. There's much more nuance to it than that. "It's important to recognize that there is tremendous individual variability in the extent to which older adults accept new social norms," Dr. Erickson observes. "Some older adults are quite capable of evolving their worldview. It's an ageist assumption that older adults are stuck in their ways or more resistant to change."

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#2

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays The widespread inability to spell words correctly or use them properly ( e.g. Their , There , They're ) and don't get me started on grammar.

Highway-Organic , Ivan Samkov/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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Ace
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Was always the case, we just get exposed to it more because everyone has easy access to post all over the place. It's more the lazy ones like U and Ur that annoy me.

Mabelbabel
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not knowing the difference between loose and lose, spelling paid as payed, and should of/would of instead of should have/would have are my bug-bears. I also detest that ridiculous usage of Capitalizing All The Words in your sentence, Even If They Aren't Proper Nouns. Why Do People Do This? It Looks Messy And It's Hard To Read And Takes A Lot Longer To Type.

Pablo Espin
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Effect" and "affect". It's unbelievable how often I come across this confusion. One is a noun, the other a verb. Totally different !!!!!!

Dragons Exist
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's a difference between bad grammar (to versus too) and slang (u, lol, ur)

V Martinez
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The last few years I've seen more and more wrong uses of "then" and "than". Not sure how much could be voice to text, autocorrect, or whatever. It's so annoying! I wish people would learn and understand the difference between them.

David
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This post is funny because in the example "their", "there" and "they're" ARE spelled correctly and you already "started on grammar" because the their/there thing is a grammatical mistake not a spelling mistake. But yes - if English is your primary language it would be nice if folks had a grasp of it.

Fuzzy-Me
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The post stated "spell words correctly OR use them properly" before the example.

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Freya the Wanderer
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If we can't use words correctly, we can't communicate with each other. If we can't communicate, we can't carry out any sort of social interaction, including commerce. Society breaks down and we're all b*gg*red.

Casey Payne
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't forget punctuation. Please, don't forget punctuation. Your sentences must come to an end at some point. Do the right thing and put that crippled thought vomit out of its misery with proper punctuation.

shankShaw deReemer
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes it's laziness; sometimes it's that people just don't know the difference between your/you're or there/their/they're. With so much social promotion in schools today--along with parents who fight their kids' failing a course/courses--too many students are being socially promoted to the next grade level when so many clearly have not passed. I've taught college and high school, and yes, it's true some kids are simply lazy. But much of the reality is students have a much harder time learning the necessary skills for success because of short attention spans--due in large part to the advancement in technology.

DB
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yet no one seems to care about people using a plural verb with a collective noun which is singular. It started on Wikipedia and spread into mainstream media.

Nicole Weymann
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Serious question (not a native speaker): why is it that people say "he moved in with my wife and I" instead of "my wife and *me*"? I keep reading these sentences and can't wrap my head around it. Is it about sounding fancy, or is there actually sense behind it?

Fuzzy-Me
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The easy way I learned to tell which is correct is to remove the other person and see which sounds correct. E.g. (for example), say the above phrase without "my wife": "he moved in with I" versus "he moved in with me". In this case "me" would be correct. Applying the same principle to "my wife and (I/me) moved in with him shows that "I" would be correct. (You would not say "me moved in with him.)

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Fuzzy-Me
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There should not be a space after "(", before commas, or before ")".

Dark Pearl
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

English grammar isn't even that difficult, honestly. show anybody with no grasp of English grammar a bit of Estonian grammar and they'll bloody see

ADZ
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Charlatan, not writing this in ancient Summerian. Language doesn't evolve at all *eye roll*.

Faith Jacobs
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate when people start sentences with "me." NEVER do that. "Me and my friend are going to a party," IS THE SAME AS, "Me is going to a party." If you wouldn't say the 2nd sentence, then you shouldn't say the first one either. I absolutely HATE this!

Zaach
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The word 'fewer' is disappearing - blame it on that grocery store sign '9 items or less'

Octavia Hansen
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to use short words . . . and when I throw in a large word that is actually my point, that no one asks what it means or remarks they haven't heard it. Makes me want to baffle them with larger words since they aren't paying attention . . .

Idgafwyt AllDat'N'ABagOfChips
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lately, I've been seeing more mistakes with using lose/loose and to/too. I'm horrible when it comes to proper grammar, but I'm slightly above average when it comes to spelling.

Adrian
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This really bothers me and I correct people here on BP. Most of the time I think it goes right over their heads...

Manana Man
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The one that's bugging me lately is the difference between a number of something and an amount of something. I hear lots of people saying things like 'there was a large amount of people there.' Really? Last I checked people came in numbers.

ScootyPuffJr
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a professor friend who has a student who keeps using texting abbreviations in college essays. When she pointed it out, the student replied with, "LOL." My friend responded with, "FLMAO, you FAIL."

Sheila who?
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And speaking of this...nouns like table, chair, bed,etc; being used VERBALLY in the first person. As in "I just moved table there, put chair in place, went to rug, and straightened. Room was tidy."

Fuzzy-Me
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bad example. Your nouns are being used as NOUNS. There are verbs (moved, put, and straightened are verbs). You are missing articles (the).

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Megan Curl
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most notably on FB. I never realized how undereducated so many people in the U.S. were until I joined some FB budget shopping and couponing groups. They do, however, generally have hearts of gold, and are so kind in sharing knowledge and information.

Anna Chandler
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I figure they aren't teaching spelling, grammar or punctuation anymore. Filling in little bubbles on standardized tests seems to be the only writing skill required of students these days.

Donteatme666
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Freaking grammar police I don't mind if someone sentences are truly horribly structured I know mine sometimes are but people come on have some basic empathy

Nicole Weymann
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's easier to be sympathetic to a cause if you understand it. Writing sentences without punctuation and riddled with misspelled words is like opening the pantry and saying "now make me dinner". Some people can do it easily (choose what to take, which amounts, how to operate appliances, cut what needs cutting,...), and some won't.

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Marnie
Community Member
8 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, you put a space after opening parentheses and before the closing, which is incorrect. You also failed to put double quotes around the examples, which is what you do when talking ABOUT a word. As for me, when I see people misuse "their", etc., I assume it was a typo, not that they didn't know the difference. Unless I see them repeatedly make the same mistake, I give them the benefit of the doubt. I have sent emails out with "too" where it should have been "to". It was a typo. I do know when to use which. I hope people also give me the benefit of the doubt.

Bree Piper
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I constantly remind myself that language is always evolving, what we think is standard, was outrageous one or two centuries ago, and what we think is outrageous now will be ludicrously stodgy and outdated in a century. It doesn’t always help, but I do remind myself.

Faith Jacobs
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Language may evolve informally, but the rules I'm seeing listed are still standard in school. Students have a hard time learning the rules because they are so used to saying/writing things the wrong way.

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Jenn Olges
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thus is the age of digital communications and the curse of auto-correct.

Gavin Johnson
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The langwidge iz a living langwitch n az sutch wee shud axcept tha it kan b uzed in a varietee ov wayz. This first sentence is clearly a joke! Correct punctuation and spelling is important obviously but equally some people haven’t grown up with supportive parents or with access to quality schooling, their opinions and viewpoints are no less valid. PS spellchecker made the first sentence a nucking fightmare!

Sunny Day
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Friend has 4 kids - 3 step kids in high school, and a 3rd grader. None of them can spell the name of the city they've lived in all their lives.

censorshipsucks
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

nah, their, they're and there are easy to distinguish. Their (that which belongs to them): ðe'ər (two syllables). There (location): ðer (one syllable). They're (they are): ðæj'ər (two syllables, different first vowel).

Beuska
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think non native speakers do not confuse them, because it was beaten into our heads and I am kind of surprised when native speakers use them wrongly

El Dee
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is, literally, how language evolves. Hence 'orange' Check the etymology for more..

Mark Bayliss
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to hate that but I now just accept that language is fluid. Look at Shakespeare and the middle ages. It is just at an accelerated rate now - like everything else.

Kraneia The Dancing Dryad
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people honestly get those things confused, especially when English isn't their first language. I cut them some slack until I learn where they're from. Of course, if it's some smart @rsed teenager I make sure to straighten them out then and there.

María Hermida
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nope. Most foreigners learn those differences by the time we reach an upper intermediate level. Stationary/stationery, affect/effect, their/there/they're, your/you're, should of/should have, etc... How can native English people finish high school without knowing the difference?

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Bobert Robertson
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

your going to tell me that your the authority on what you're post is referring to? Their is no way there going to listen to you.

Jiska Veldhuizen
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I understand it annoys you but not everyone has English as their first language!

Jrog
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Paradoxically, native English speakers and Americans especially are the worst offenders. People who learnt English as second language learnt it in writing first, then in speaking, so they can recognize homophones more easily. Mixing "Your" with "You're" is a typically American thing.

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Dave M
Community Member
8 months ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Don't forget bad English is now called AAVE and to correct people is now racist. I say flip the script and call proper English, CE, Caucasian English, and say people of color using it are racist.

Corvus
Community Member
8 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a pretty dumb comment. Proper English has nothing to do with skin color.

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#3

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Everything. I'm old. Get off my lawn.

spyder_rico , RepentAnd SeekChristJesus / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

The clinical psychologist says that some studies suggest the personality trait we call 'agreeableness' increases as people age. "That being said, as we get older, we tend to prefer what is familiar and personally meaningful," she also notes. "This can make some people less open to new experiences or worldviews."

When the world's changing so fast and in so many ways, it can become harder and harder to keep up with current trends. And that includes not only knowing who the most popular celebrities are or what the latest fashion trend is. It's more about things like what words or phrases might be inappropriate to use.

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#4

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Kids (and some adults, but I mostly see kids) with tablets or phones at full volume out in public. I have no interest in hearing other people's games, videos, music or phone conversations.

Amesaskew , Julia M Cameron / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#5

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Me: Hey, how have you been?

Them: Haven't you seen my posts on [social media platform]?

Me: I'm trying to have a conversation with you, not subscribe to your newsletter.

Myrindyl , Christina Morillo / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#6

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Being mad at me because I don't automatically know your pronouns... Just tell me if I'm wrong in a nice way and I'll adapt.

BloopityBlue , Alexander Grey / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

Some people grow more anxious as they age because they feel like the world might be leaving them behind. Dr. Erickson says that this is a concern for people who subscribe to the narrative that it's all downhill from a certain age.

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"We forget about everything we gain as we get older: wisdom, maturity, emotional stability, a clearly defined sense of self, not sweating the small stuff as much, and plenty of experience solving problems. It's about finding a way to use these strengths in a changing world," she explains.

#7

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Its now socially normal to not use caps or punctuation so that your thoughts are all one single stream of consciousness and really hard to read like reading ulysses but the kids dont even know or care what that is because they just want to get their thoughts all out at once without any regard for the reader and the annoyance it is to try to figure out what they are saying Signed: A pained English major.

ktappe , Charlotte May/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#8

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Being around others while obviously sick. It’s been normalized because we have a garbage safety net that doesn’t allow people financially to take care of themselves and not make others sick. Or allow them to be off work to care for sick children. 40 years ago when unions were strong there were lots of sick days in lots of jobs and people mostly were able to stay home when really sick, in professional or union jobs anyway. There’s always been a segment of the working population that got screwed. But now more than ever we need generous sick leave policies in place for EVERYONE.

Reneeisme , Andrea Piacquadio / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#9

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Since this is the Ask Old People category, I disagree with people being dismissive because I am old. I have at least one more sucker punch left in me for the next ‘ok boomer’ comment I get in person.

MissHibernia , Nashua Volquez-Young/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

Bored Panda also had a short chat with u/-----Diana-----, the author of this thread. "I got the idea for the question one morning when lying in bed," the young Redditor tells us. The user shared how she lives in a Romanian village where a big portion of the population is over 50. "They have lots to complain about," the Redditor chuckled.

#10

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays I'm really not comfortable will all the ads for betting and sports book platforms.

Flaxscript42 , Jose Francisco Fernandez Saura/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#11

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Not being willing or able to just be superficially nice in social settings. Sometimes it's *okay* to just be pleasant instead of making your unique and specific viewpoint heard.

stealth_bohemian , Yan Krukau/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#12

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Tipping on everything. Especially with those iPads that spin around and awkwardly ask you for 10% because someone got you a muffin from behind the counter. Make it end.

larryhood35 , Dan Smedley / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

The inspiration for the question came from a lady in her mid-70s, u/-----Diana----- tells us. She overheard the woman complaining about how her grandchildren were always on their phones. The Redditor then went to r/AskOldPeople to ask the older adults what things the younger generation does nowadays that bother them. "The answers there tend to be intriguing generally," the user adds.

#13

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays The assumption that if you say one thing you automatically believe something else. For example if you say that we should look at tightening up our gun control laws, that automatically means you're anti-gun and want to take away everybody's guns.

Th3TruthIs0utTh3r3 , Jessica Da Rosa / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

#14

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Playing with your phone while in the presence of live conversation.

aprehensivebad42 , Eliott Reyna / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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#15

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Politics being your entire identity. They did this to us on purpose to divide us.

CatCiaoSki , Marco Oriolesi / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

u/-----Diana----- also told us that she's heard her fair share of complaints about young people from her grandparents. "They're both about to turn 70 years old this year," she says. According to the Redditor, they like to talk about how the young generation is self-absorbed and how people became worse and worse after the demise of Nicolae Ceaușescu and the fall of the communist regime in Romania.

#16

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Peak Cpitalism; the wealthy amassing even more wealth and not caring about a decent life for everybody.

theora55 , Daniel Thiele / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

#17

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Declarations of "body count" to dating partners. I don't like the violent implication of the term, and I don't like intimate history being tallied like a score.

meddit_rod , René Ranisch / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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#18

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Never saying NO not your child.

It sounds very «boomer» - I know.

But I have two kids born early 2000s and one child born 2015, and just wow how many more kids are brats now.

Don’t get me wrong, kids have always been kids and act out, but now they are more rude.

We have always had the whole class in kids birthday and it has always been insane and loud, but with my youngest class I just can’t do it.

HereWeGoAgain-1979 , Monstera Production / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

However, u/-----Diana----- agrees with some things the older people shared in this thread. She feels sad about how many young people of her generation seem to spend too much time on their phones and are not living in the moment. And while she thinks that the rise of loneliness might be imminent, she remains optimistic. All we need is some meaningful human contact, she says.

#19

My grandfather used to tell me that who you vote for is private. He and his wife never even shared with one another which candidate won their vote. I wish that was the case in modern times.

Learn_as_ya_go_ Report

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#20

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays A couple of things but the biggest one by far is the ear bud culture which just bleeds into a level of rudeness and isolation that’s unsettling. You might find small talk tedious but I promise you, the connection to the outside world that small talk creates is a gift to you. Humans aren’t meant to be so isolated.

As a parent I give a lot of rides. I can’t tell you how many teens have gotten into my car without even a simple hi or hello and sat there silently with their head in their phone and their ear pods in.

Say hi. Talk about the weather for a minute. It might be dumb but we are human and civility and connection matter. Otherwise all you’ve got is that phone and your ear buds. It’s kind of a bleak existence.

WildIris2021 , Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 / unsplash(not the actual photo) Report

#21

The way that men are starting to call women "females" but when referring to men they say "men".

We are not lab specimens dude.

My_fair_ladies1872 Report

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#22

That every white woman who complains is a Karen. Sometime it’s a legitimate complaint.
Calling someone a Karen on Social Media has become such a lazy comeback for when you don’t agree with someone who appears to be female online.

Gloomy_Researcher769 Report

#23

I don't get why it's wrong to use punctuation when texting.

whineybubbles Report

#24

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Recording everything.

Recording fights. Recording car crashes. Recording traffic stops (your own or others) when cops have body cams and dash cams already. Recording people in the gym (yourself or others), recording in public and getting mad at pedestrians for ‘ruining the shot’.

Heck, people were even standing there like insane people recording the Super Bowl parade shooting. Like dude…LEAVE THE AREA OR HIDE. Don’t stand there drooling with a phone in your hand for internet clout or to sell it to the news.

anon , Sebastian Enrique / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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#25

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Children having access to social media.

I think nothing good comes of it.

I got other parent friends who have no issue with their kids scrolling tiktok, or being on whatsapp groups (I was an older mum, my kid is still primary school age).

(She says, acknowledging the irony of posting this on reddit).

nettie_r , Tim Gouw / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

#26

I went for a walk at a park recently. There was a guy entering the trail while holding his phone out and talking into it. Everyone got to hear his c**p instead of the relaxing nature sounds. Isn’t he special?

writer978 Report

#27

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays People posting their entire lives online. I'm probably excessively private but it's really crazy how people are so willing and even eager to broadcast their personal lives to the world.

I don't think people fully appreciate how possible it is to string together little details from multiple sources and form a detailed picture of someone's life. That should scare people.

PicoRascar , Plann/ pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#28

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Wearing pajamas and slippers to go shopping. People, if you can't be bothered to put on fresh clothes, don't go out in public. Also, do they then wear those pajamas to bed? Ew!

catdoctor , PNW Production / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#29

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Emotional support dogs/pets pretending to be service dogs Dragging your dog every f-ing where. I love dogs,I foster dogs,I train dogs,I have 4 huge dogs....that don't go shopping/to festivals/everywhere with me. Also letting your dog with c**p recall off leash and thinking that screaming he's friendly makes it better. And not picking up your dogs s**t on hiking trails,that's just rude and ignorant. And petting strangers dogs,um no keep your hands to yourself please Those disgusting long nails some women sport like little wearable petri dishes. Talking about politics,money or religion in every social setting. It was so much nicer when people realized that not every gathering needed to be bombarded with contentious subjects.

WoodsColt , Frames For Your Heart / unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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#30

The thought of if you can't accept me at my worst you don't deserve me at my best.

Th3TruthIs0utTh3r3 Report

#31

That the following are OK with a large swath of the population:

Shoplifting

Fighting

Shooting each other

Yelling

Using outdoor voices indoors and drawing everyone's attention to you

Lack of customer service.

ladeedah1988 Report

#32

Vaping in public really bothers me. I hated it when restaurants and bars were filled with cigarette smoke before 1990 (or whenever that changed). Now, I hate seeing people vaping everywhere I go. I see it at concerts, in bars, restaurants, grocery stores, the gas station -- everywhere.

ta12022017 Report

#33

Basic manners. My gran must be affecting about 500 rpm in her grave, right about now.

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#34

Interrupting someone while they’re talking.

Maybe it’s just me bc it’s a huge pet peeve but I feel like I’m constantly being interrupted or people are always talking over one another. When I politely say, “excuse me, I was in the middle of talking” or “hold on a sec please so I can finish what I was saying” I get looked at like I have 3 heads or like I’m totally out of line when I say something about it.

Again maybe it’s just me, but imo interrupting people mid sentence and talking over others is now for some reason socially acceptable - by both adults and kids no matter the setting - and I don’t get it. Now I feel like the abnormal one for thinking that’s it’s rude or for feeling slightly offended when someone does it to me. Tbh I literally physically cringe when I’m there and witness it happening to someone else while they’re talking lol. It’s wild to me.

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#35

Sharing every aspect of yours and also your children's lives on social media.

Telepathic_Meow Report

#36

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Yaknow...... I wish people still dressed up *a little* more. I dine at some seriously nice restaurants and it's while overall I guess it's OK if someone decides to dine there in a t-shirt, cargo shorts and flip flops but I gotta say it sorta reduces my own experience, especially if we're celebrating a special occasion.

OK, I'll stop being grumpy now.

MrsChickenPam , Helena Lopes / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#37

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Texting instead of sitting down and having an actual conversation especially about difficult topics.

Th3TruthIs0utTh3r3 , fauxels / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#38

Constantly doing stuff on your phone. The gym had to put up little signs on all the weight machines asking people to give others a turn instead of just sitting there on their phones – and the place is still full of people sitting on the machines glued to their phones. The effect when you walk into a room like that is eerie.

I’m much more of a phone addict than I’d like to be, but I’m trying to be more mindful and not just automatically reach for it every time there’s a lull, whether between sets or waiting for an elevator or whatever. Practicing my lost art of just looking around and thinking my thoughts and tolerating boredom.

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#39

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Mine is that nobody is taught cursive anymore, and they surely can't read it! My fdil's little brother (19) couldn't sign his name for his driver's license and had to ask her to do it for him.

Dangerous_Pattern_92 , Anna Tarazevich / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

#40

Refusing to go one teenie tiny step outside your job description. If we all want to have a smooth work process sometimes you need to reach out to the other people involved in the process and work together to make things efficent.


Also, its no ones JOB to order more vacuum bags or sponges at work. If you see something that needs addressed for the good of the office, just f*****g do it.


This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine.. lol.

Jessawoodland55 Report

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#41

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays Ghosting people, both professionally and personally. This is only appropriate if you’re in a dangerous situation where your safety is at risk, otherwise it’s a cowardly and inconsiderate way to handle a situation. If you need to break away from any kind of relationship or commitment for any reason other than imminent danger, you need to tell the person(s) so they don’t waste time waiting on you or wondering what happened to you. It’s common courtesy, and ghosting shows a huge lack of consideration for everyone involved.

Atheist_Alex_C , mikoto.raw Photographer / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#42

Intentionally lying, then doubling down on it.

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#43

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays That elders deserve zero respect unless earned.

For some reason it is demanded that elders respect the every wish and desire of younger generations (pronoun choices for example), but I read constantly that elders deserve zero respect unless they earn it, and often distain unless they can prove their innocence. It’s a complete double standard. Even in many “ask” subreddits I will get aggressive and any responses like, “we’ve heard enough from your generation” usually calling be a ‘boomer’ even though I’m not. But there’s such hatred for older people that ‘boomer’ has become a standard put down for anyone over 40.

Old-Man-of-the-Sea , Philippe Leone / unsplash Report

#44

Going no contact with anyone who moderately does anything you don't like.

Th3TruthIs0utTh3r3 Report

#45

“Total Ignorance Of Science”: 40 Older Adults Point Out Weird Things That Are “Normal” Nowadays I you work in customer service I expect you to acknowledge my existence and be polite. I don't care how oppressed you feel because you're "only" making $15/hour. I did the same job for $3.35/hour and managed to be professional. (And before you go off on my about the cost of living, my rent was $350/month at that time, meaning I had to work 105 hours to cover it. Sorry, Zoomers, but your generation isnt the first to experience poverty.).

Rich-Air-5287 , Ketut Subiyanto / pexels (not the actual photo) Report

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#46

Erectile dysfunction ads everywhere.

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#47

Posting yourself naked online.

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#48

Wearing headphones everywhere you go.

Th3TruthIs0utTh3r3 Report

#49

I read a book last week about climate change migration, one section of which dealt with seasonal flooding in a Virginia neighborhood.

people would buy a house in the neighborhood not knowing it was flood-prone. then they'd get flooded and either rebuild and sell or rebuild and stay.

those who wanted to sell were apparently not required to tell prospective buyers that the house was in a flood area (but not officially on a flood map). so the seller has a dilemma: keep quiet and sell the house for as much as possible, or tell and watch the offers and price dry up. the author described the situation as the seller holding a lit stick of dynamite: seller has to time it just right so that he/she hands off the dynamite to a buyer before kaboom (another flood), or get kaboomied him/herself.

as i'm reading, i'm thinking: is this who we are now as Americans? we'll just hand off the dynamite to the next guy and feel glad we escaped? we won't even warn others that this is, ya know, dynamite? do we bear no responsibility to others?

i get that it's a terribly difficult decision for those who got, all unknowingly, handed the dynamite themselves. the consequences of fessing up are pretty appalling and financially ruinous. i'm certainly glad i'm not one of those homeowners.

so that's what is apparently socially normal now that i disagree with. you can hand a stick of dynamite to someone else knowing that it's dynamite, but convincing them its a bunch of roses.

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#50

Going up to veterans to thank them for their service. It's not wrong, but my dad got very tired of it. He had to quit wearing his cap with his destroyer number on it.

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#51

Not being able to work your way up at a company.

Corporations going right to layoffs as a form of saving money, instead of a last ditch effort to stay in business.

Companies being bought out and half the staff being let go, while those who remain take on more responsibility without a chance to negotiate higher pay.

Oaken_beard Report

#52

The idea that people aren't grown-ups until their mid 20s, because their brains aren't fully developed until then. Adulthood used to start at 18, then 21, then 22 after college, and now who knows when. You can enlist in the military at 17-18.


I apprenticed at 17, married at 21, had two kids by 25. My career, marriage, and kids all turned out fine.

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#53

I notice there’s some younger people who just don’t say hi at work. You should say hello to everyone you work with.

Norwegian27 Report

#54

I don’t disagree with it exactly but using the word “f**k” and some other choice words has gotten to be used in every other sentence. It’s coarse and boring.

WastingMyLifeOnSocMd Report

#55

Mainstreaming/inclusivity. Kindness and humanity have to be taken to illogical extremes so that there is no chance of offending anyone different.

uncre8tv Report