“Felt Like An Idiot”: 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way

Nobody is born wise, so we shouldn't beat ourselves up too much whenever we're reminded of our shortcomings. However, sometimes your ignorance takes center stage and it becomes quite hard to ignore it.

Recently, Reddit user Slart_n made a post on the platform, asking others what everyday things they did wrong for years until they finally realized, and people immediately started sending in their answers.

Eventually, the thread turned into somewhat of a life hack archive and we at Bored Panda thought there's at least one useful lesson for everyone, so continue scrolling and happy learning!

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Not making a joke when someone gives you a compliment. I have learned to say “thank you. That’s nice to hear”. Game changer for me.

IGotRoks , RossHelen Report

Final score:

315points

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Tammilee Truitt 1 year ago

I will definitely put this into play. Thanks.

52points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way If you're trying to hang a picture by catching the crosswire on a nail in the wall, slide a fork down over the nail so the prongs are behind the nail head and the fork is angled away from the wall. Slide the wire down behind the fork, and it will be guided right onto the nail. Then just pull up the fork. Saves a dozen attempts to "catch" the nail on the wire.

GSnow , valeriygoncharukphoto Report

Final score:

280points

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Stephanie Did It 1 year ago

Thank you, thank you, A million times thank you from this short frustrated person!

74points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Opening a beverage can.

I keep my fingernails very short and sometimes it would be a bit finicky to open the tab on a can.

I was damn near 40 years old when my buddy showed me you’re supposed to push down on the hinge portion of the tab with your thumb to raise the other edge of the tab so you can get your finger under it. I felt like an idiot.

funklab , recstockfootage Report

Final score:

265points

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waddles 1 year ago

WHAT NOW

285points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way If you're a man, you don't need to pee standing up. This will save you a lot of cleaning.

ClaymorePlanted , AtlasComposer Report

Final score:

252points

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Rizzo 1 year ago

I started sitting down long before mobiles and tablets. In my first flat the toilet was right beneath a sloping roof and it was absolutely impossible to stand in front of it. ;)

52points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Not an everyday activity, but someone showed me I'd been wasting celery for years. When it goes limp and loses its crunch, you can just soak it in water overnight, and it makes it crisp again.

joec_95123 , Masson-Simon Report

Final score:

215points

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Eb 1 year ago

Many people stand it in a jug of water for this reason. It may also keep growing that way.

70points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Using a gift card to sign up for free trials.

dadddieslittlefox , Prostock-studio Report

Final score:

210points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

clever

58points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way My aunt is a physical therapist, she said that if people did simply one teeny tiny change in the way they walk, older people would be in better health.

That oh so simple thing is just walking up steps by placing your whole foot on the step, and keeping your heel on the ground with each step. As opposed to having your heel hang off the step.

That’s it. Requires zero additional effort, just changes the way you walk up stairs. What it does is increase hamstring strength. You already have enough thigh strength from general walking. The amount of older people she sees every day with weak hamstrings is wild.

iStillPlayPS3 , Lightitup_now Report

Final score:

193points

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Eric G 1 year ago

Easy for people with smaller feet. Can't do that with my size 14s

124points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way If you’re mounting something to the wall that has pre-designed holes on the back, rather than measure between the holes and try to space the nails/screws accordingly, stretch a single piece of painters tape (blue tape) across the back of the piece from just before the beginning of the first hole to just after the last one. Mark each hole with a pencil/pen on the painters tape, then place the tape on the wall and voila, you have a perfect mounting template. I suggest you do a quick check with a laser level on the wall just to make sure your marks are level before drilling.

darthva , megostudio Report

Final score:

164points

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Ches Yamada 1 year ago

Or put a bit of toothpaste on the sections that need screws/nails, then press against the wall. Hammer/screw where the toothpaste shows up.

59points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Putting the bedding away. Fold the covers and the sheets and put them inside the matching pillowcase. Then they all neatly fit in the cupboard and you can easily find a complete set.

Theywillfindyou3645 , fxquadro Report

Final score:

146points

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Robert T 1 year ago

I only have two sets of bedding and one is always on the bed!

71points

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#10

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way I would always add oil or butter to my pan right away and wait for it to heat up. You're actually supposed to wait until the pan gets really hot and then add the oil. Doing that makes any pan non-stick.

WasItG00d4U , Pressmaster Report

Final score:

145points

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Nadine Debard 1 year ago

Be careful with enamelled cast iron pans, it can damage them to be heaten without anything inside (Le Creuset instructions for use)

85points

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#11

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way I used to open a banana by pulling the top, then I saw some documentary with a monkey opening them from the bottom and it's 10 times easier.

I also learn that I'm more stupid than a monkey that day.

PreZEviL , trimarchi_photo Report

Final score:

143points

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ColorEd 1 year ago

I don't find that easier and many times smush the top of a banana.

156points

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#12

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Taking the safety cap off of deodorant.

I used to try to get my finger nails under it and pop it off. They were quite a pain in the a*s to get off. In my late 20s my roommate was talking to me while unpacking her groceries and she opened her deodorant and just twisted up the stick so that the cap came off. I was shocked

dinosarahsaurus , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:

142points

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Ches Yamada 1 year ago (edited)

I have seen this before and am still baffled people did not know this.

77points

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#13

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Emotional processing.

If I was sad, I'd let myself be sad for a tiny bit, and then brush it off... Saying "I don't have time for this", or " I'm stronger than this", or "crying does no good"

Then anger and frustration would build up until arguments over nothing would happen.

I was shown how to "make space" for those "negative" emotions, and just *feel* them until they quieted on their own.

Been doing that every time they show up, and the anger and frustration is gone. Most of the anxiety is gone too.

Did it with fears too, which is making a *huge* difference in relationships.

It's a good thing too; old me wouldn't be able to handle half the s**t that current me is shouldering.

Icy-Article-8635 , Rawpixel Report

Final score:

137points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

Yoda is the best here. "fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering".

55points

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#14

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way you cut tomatoes with a serrated edged knife. It's just... so much easier. there is no squishing of the tomato.

pianoispercussion , sashamurashka Report

Final score:

137points

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TK 421 1 year ago

Or use a properly sharpened knife like you’re supposed to.

125points

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#15

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Putting onions in the refrigerator for a half hour/ hour before cutting makes it so you don’t cry from the fumes. Learned this working in a restaurant kitchen having to prep 100 lbs of onions every shift. Refrigerating them first was a necessity.

Eyfordsucks , jirkaejc Report

Final score:

127points

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Ches Yamada 1 year ago

I always keep my onions in the fridge..?

62points

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#16

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Those tiny, obnoxious cans of tomato paste. You can take both ends off with the can opener, and use a wooden spoon to push on the top. It comes out clean like a push pop!

knittybitty123 , Sarah Report

Final score:

125points

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Kel_how 1 year ago

Ooh, that's fancy

34points

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#17

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Sliding your thumb on the spacebar of your phone will move the cursor.

UnfairMicrowave , NataliaRuedisueli Report

Final score:

124points

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fs 1 year ago

Actually very manufacturer or OS dependent. On Samsung devices swiping the space bar is often used for switching between input languages and their corresponding keyboard layouts.

66points

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#18

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Cleaning the stupid microwave. I used to scrub it and hurt my back before I stumbled on a video about microwaving vinegar beforehand and it really works. I am disabled so all that time I could have cleaned it without hurting myself all those years.

Dull-Geologist-8204 , gpointstudio Report

Final score:

124points

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Ches Yamada 1 year ago

Or you can also wipe it down after any use if you notice it's dirty. I hardly ever have to "scrub" mine, it's kept clean because I keep an eye on it.

63points

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#19

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way I just remember that one dude being told you could wait for the shower to warm up instead of having to stand in it cold as it warms up lmao.

Mythril_Bullets , RossHelen Report

Final score:

123points

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waddles 1 year ago

i remember my mom telling me not to do this because it wastes water

63points

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#20

Boots first, then corset.

EllesAway Report

Final score:

120points

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Genericist 1 year ago

Rejoinder: pee first, then corset. Else it's a pain in the a*s trying to get your skirt/underwear back in place underneath!

50points

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#21

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way If you know you are supposed to do something simple (take out the trash, clean your room, etc) but you just can't find the motivation, stop.

Decide what you want to get done (it has to be something you can do as a single action.)

Decide how you would feel if you had completed it (relieved, content, happy, etc)

Ask yourself how long you are willing to go without that feeling (a day, an hour, five minutes, etc)

Now you aren't dreading doing the thing, you are asking yourself why you are denying yourself the feeling you want to feel.

Bubble_James_Bubble , https://elements.envato.com/young-asian-man-taking-out-the-garbage-at-home-TDFHRUY Report

Final score:

119points

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On a whim 1 year ago (edited)

Procrastinating Brain… yes, you will feel good about taking that trash out… but do you know what would make you feel really great?! Chocolate… cloud watching… sliding up and down the passage in your socks…

73points

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#22

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Using electrical tape. Typically, I use this tape to wrap electrical connections like my security cameras or TV cable to weatherproof them. If I need to change out the connection in a couple of years, it results in a gooey mess after struggling to remove the tape. A pro showed me that you spiral wrap the tape over the connection sticky side out, reverse at the end and wrap sticky side down back over the first wrap. When you need to replace it you only have to cut away the ends and the remaining tape is a non-sticky tube that is easy and less sticky to remove.

Stan_Archton , LightFieldStudios Report

Final score:

117points

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Legoinsinööri 1 year ago

Or use proper connectors and vulcanic tape or even a small junction box to weatherproof it properly and won't have to change the tapes anymore.

54points

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#23

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Add vinegar to the wash, and your clothes last longer before getting stinky. I suspect fungi / general microflora are involved.

Additional-Fee1780 , Clean With Confidence Report

Final score:

114points

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LizzieBoredom 1 year ago

Replace clothes with lettuce and tomatoes, and once you retrieve your fork from behind the picture, you can have lunch.

159points

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#24

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Rinsing my hair - I used to rinse with hot water and assume I just had frizzy and dry hair. Rinsed with cold water once and realized I'd lived far too long with frizzy hair for no reason.

Clawffee , RossHelen Report

Final score:

101points

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Well-Dressed Wolf 1 year ago

But… but… brrr! XD

90points

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#25

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way How to properly secure a towel around the waist after a shower. Instead of tucking the hem inwards, you fold it outwards and down, much more secure, you can like, run around and not worry about it falling off.

archetype1 , fxquadro Report

Final score:

100points

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Sinclair13 1 year ago

Can someone please explain this to me I don't understand. Is the picture showing the wrong way to do it?

103points

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#26

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Brushing my hair. No one taught me how to do it right because I always had short hair as a kid, and my mom somehow got the impression I knew to brush the ends first, and work up to the roots. Nope. I started at the top and would rip down. No wonder my hair was so bad. But then I saw Tangled AS AN ADULT and realized I had been brushing my hair wrong my entire life.

randomthoughtsofnaps , Prostock-studio Report

Final score:

98points

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A Bi-Cycle 1 year ago (edited)

Wait, I'm confused. What's the proper way? Very curly frizzy shoulder length hair here. Edit: thank you everyone for your kind comments! Greatly appreciated :D

31points

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#27

When the soap bar gets to the last sliver, you can just stick it on to the new bar to use it up completely.

finlyboo Report

Final score:

97points

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Dark Side of the Loom 1 year ago

I put that last sliver in one of those small mesh bags that you receive when you buy jewelry (Closed by little cords). When wet, it foams quite nicely when you rub it against your skin :)

54points

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#28

Long-pressing on a letter on your phone will show you various accents to choose from. Voilà!

BSB8728 Report

Final score:

91points

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Well-Dressed Wolf 1 year ago

Useful for getting around Bored Panda’s language filters so one can say shít, áss, and bütthole!

157points

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#29

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way You can take the silverware basket out of the dishwasher when unloading it. 💀

877-Cash-Meow , LenorIv Report

Final score:

89points

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The Bearded Llama 1 year ago

The dishwasher we had when I was young had the silverware basket zip-tied in. 🤔

18points

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#30

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Put on pillow covers. I used to shove the pillow in there and struggle with it until my wife showed me how to flip the pillow case inside out and cover the pillow while flipping right side out.

Immediate_Papayas , reginafoster Report

Final score:

79points

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Eb 1 year ago

Never understand people doing this. Just put the corners in the corners and shake.

139points

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#31

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way The inside shower curtain goes inside tub.

Glittering_Animal395 , Charlotte May Report

Final score:

76points

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Linouchka 1 year ago

It goes in the tub WHILE SHOWERING ! If you want it to dry properly without mold, you have to get it out after you're finished, even if that means you will have to clean up the droplets a little later. It's just water, no harm done, but the curtain remains clean.

47points

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#32

My Nana was a very clever woman. She taught me more than any of those viral life hacks ever did. When she wanted to save the end of a roll of tape, she took one of those tabs from a bread bag and stuck it on the end. Just one of many small, but genius ideas.

rslashdepressedteen Report

Final score:

76points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

or you just fold a small part of the tape over at the end after each usage.

122points

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#33

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Felt like an idiot for years I’d bite the shells of pistachios open.

A friend showed me I can just use a half shell to lever the others open 😅

spiderbro8 , AZ-BLT Report

Final score:

73points

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Tammilee Truitt 1 year ago

*Warning* Shelling is no problem, however, recently I was eating the damn things while watching TV. I couldn't stop. I ate a lot of nuts. About 3 hrs later I woke up to the worst tummy and back ache. Felt exacting like I was in labor. Lasted a couple of hours. Beware the little demon nuts.

84points

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#34

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Cut bell peppers. For years I did it in a messy way where it got seeds everywhere.

Then one day I decided that there was probably a better way so I watched YouTube.

What you do is you cut the top and bottom off first, pull the seeds out in one piece, then cut down the sides and unroll it like paper. Then you cut the unrolled piece into strips.

thedrakeequator , Prostock-studio Report

Final score:

70points

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Telepathetic 1 year ago

Terrible knife handling in picture

52points

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#35

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Washing my hair. Had bad dandruff from high school into my 20s.

Turns out you don’t need to shampoo daily and less is more with conditioner.

Shaved my head for 10 years just so my scalp could heal.

Finally started going to a stylist and she explained it in a way I understood and now I have long luscious curls.

bwtaha , Sonyachny Report

Final score:

67points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

I suffered with this a lot. Dandruff has 3 causes, as I understand it. 1. surface fungal infection. Anti-dandruff shampoo can help with this. A further symptom is crusty buildup on the scalp, like dried plasma. That's a fungal dandruff. 2. psoriasis. Reducing shampoo usage and just rinsing with water helps. Also identifying allergens. 3. Dry scalp. This is normal. You can resolve again by reducing strong soap usage.

30points

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What do you think ?

The Queen Of Upper Butt Crack 1 year ago

When wearing a 1 piece bathing suit and need to pee just move the material to the side instead of taking the whole wet swimsuit down to your knees and worse, trying to get the wet bathing suit back up.

15points

wow apparently I've been doing stuff right most of my life. yay for me :)

7points

Fembot 1 year ago

Since you’re asking me what I’m thinking, BP: - is this how we learn these days? Don’t people learn this stuff from parents or peers? Have we lost generational wisdom and skills? - it would be wonderful to pay as much attention to being nice, taking care of others, being useful in society etc than we do to the best way to peel garlic…

5points

Dilly Millandry 1 year ago (edited)

Probably most of us learn the majority of these things from our parents but there are still a lot of people who don't have families with this kind of knowledge. Or they might have been brought up in care or with parents that don't care. Cultures can have different skills and wisdom too - eg I quite rightly trusted my Chinese friend to know better than my mother on how to cook rice! Most of us have better or easier access to huge amounts of information these days but there's an awful lot that gives conflicting advice.

13points

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Rahul Pawa 1 year ago

I bet a lot of these skills were lost on older generations as well. Managing emotions being a prime example in my mind.

3points

Hphizzle 1 year ago

I remember people freaking out that a preschool was demonstrating how to wipe properly (using two balloons taped to the back of the kid size chair, so they learned to turn and wipe). Complained that the Parents should teach them!!!!! Well if both parents work full time, most of the children’s waking hours (potty using hours) are at preschool. They are going to learn from where they can. Same for us adults. Our parents don’t know everything. This kind of post is always fun and helpful.

2points

Kenny Earthling 1 year ago (edited)

yes, grandparents dead or in a home and parents both at work, not much time for generational learning

Maggie 1 year ago

Wow. Your comment feel judgey as hell. Yeah that’s how people learn these day. That’s how any generation would of learn if they had informations at their finger tips at all time. What is it with this? Are you mad people don’t miraculously know everything at all time? Who cares how people learn stuff? Humans like to enrich others humans life and that makes you mad? What’s wrong with you?

1point

Kevin J. Henning 1 year ago

Well said.

Joyce Blodgett 1 year ago

Not all of us grew up with the Internet, nor did our parents know some of these things. In my childhood/youth, we didn't have pop-top cans, for instance; we had to open cans with a punch-type can opener, and we opened glass bottles of beverages with the other end of the same opener. Most of this is stuff I grew up learning from my parents and other adults, but not every single thing is known to every person everywhere. Your criticism of such learning only serves to show that you're not a very nice person, and I, for one, am glad you're not in my personal world.

0points

Janine Randall 1 year ago

I lost my parents at 15. I had basic life skills, but no hacks or inside info. I love learning how other people do things, especially living behind the Redwood Curtain (rural NorCal). There aren't that many people around to get tips from.

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“Felt Like An Idiot”: 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way

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