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“A Felon Running For President”: 30 Things People Never Expected Would Be The New Normal
I’m going to hold your hand when I say this: 2014 was ten years ago. Shocking, I know—it feels like it was just yesterday. But in the decade since, so much has changed, both in the world around us and in our own lives.
Recently, Redditor u/Ok-Squash8044 sparked an interesting conversation, asking others to share things that would have been unimaginable back then but are completely normal now. Many users chimed in, and the thread quickly filled with thought-provoking insights.
Read on for some of the best answers—and don’t forget to upvote your favorites!
This post may include affiliate links.
#2
That in 2024 we would be fighting about the abortion issue.
#3
Reading headlines about more women dying bc they were denied lifesaving healthcare when their pregnancies went wrong, because that procedure they needed is also a type of abortion.
#4
A politician with free reign to say or do anything they want, with absolute impunity, and still have a legitimate number of votes to make it close or f*****g *win*.
In Clintons presidency, even ONE of these transgressions would endanger everything. The man fought tooth and nail to hide a blowie, and the nation reeled in the controversy.
Today, every day, an indictment worthy statement is shot across the news, and no harm no foul. Just keep rolling towards consignment to oblivion. All conditions normal at two minutes to midnight.
#5
People being able to live a long life while being HIV positive.
#8
Diseases that have been dormant for decades coming back.
#10
I think almost everything about current US politics was unimaginable 10 years ago. 10 years ago we thought our country and our constitution was strong. Now we know better.
#12
How much spying our electronics do on us and we're totally cool with it.
#13
Going to the store to buy marijuana legally.
#14
Paying more than $10 for a fast food combo.
Blondie23 1 week ago
I stopped eating fast food in 2019 to lose weight and never went back. Only on VERY rare occasions like vacations will I eat it... after not getting fast food for years I was almost knocked out by the price!!! Like really???? And people eat this every day. Like how do you afford it... really?!?!?!?
#15
A president who discusses the size of Arnold Palmer’s d**k.
Connie Wade 1 week ago
And we could have had a smart, articulate, accomplished, experienced woman for President. I am embarrassed to call myself an American at times like these.
#16
Two very uk based ones:
1. Brexit - I was a final year politics student in 2014 and no one thought we would vote for Brexit, let alone a hard Brexit as that would be economic madness.
2. The normalisation of the far right - UKIP were on the rise but very much a fringe minority. The Conservatives were dogmatic in austerity but socially they had legalised gay marriage, promoted the big society, and were at least performatively tolerant. Worlds away from the culture war nonsense now. .
Gozer LeGozerian 1 week ago
The amount of people that voted for brexit for funsies because they didn't actually think it would happen and then *surprise Pikachu face* when it actually did
#17
Leave a pizza order on someone's front porch without even knocking.
DeoManus Argentem 1 week ago
This is good if you opt for it. I prefer it, really, because I have pets - the delivery service I prefer has the option for "no contact delivery" - they text you a picture of the delivery once they drop it off. No need to put on clothes, look presentable, or rile up the pets.
#18
The cost of living. 10 years ago it was possible to have disposable income, and save up for nice things. Now the entire pay cheque goes towards bills and other living costs, then the credit line has to cover the rest.
#19
Kids having constant access to an AI that will effortlessly do all their homework for them.
Captain Kakapo 1 week ago
If homework or test or any other assignment can be done by AI, it is bad task, it should be updated with this consideration
#20
There’s been massive student-led protests in Thailand against the military junta throughout 2021 with the leaders being jailed yet barely a peep from western newspapers.
notlikeyou1971 1 week ago
US just doesn't do that kind of stuff. They don't talk about other countries. They sure send A LOT of money over to other countries but don't talk about other countries.
#21
People plastering presidential candidate flags and stickers all over their cars and houses like it was their favorite sports team. Even in a sports lens that would be seen as a mental illness.
#23
It being 95 degrees in f****n October.
Edit: not unimaginable as in "didn't know it could happen." But unimaginable as in ***surely those at the levers of power will be reasonable and take decisive action to prevent it***
Despite the decades long screams of "do something" [emissions have only fallen a little](https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions).
There are success stories like the [banning of CFCs](https://gml.noaa.gov/hats/publictn/elkins/cfcs.html) and the reduction of acid rain by lowering sulfur and NOx emissions. 2014 me thought that green house gas driven climate change would be another success like that that if not abated, would at least stabilize. There have been multiple international agreements since the 90s that haven't been ambitious enough or that were not signed by the US/pulled out of by the US. *Any progress is good* but its not enough. .
#24
Maybe not 10 years ago (more like 20), but according to my grandma, everyone having tattoos. She said not a lot of people had them and even less would show them proudly, but now if you go to a waterpark or any place where lots of skin is exposed, you’ll see so many people with tattoos.
My grandma is very against tattoos, it’s so funny to hear her rant about them. I have a small one that I’ve been hiding from her for 2 years now lol.
#25
Everything, including Walmart, being closed before midnight.
#26
$17 pints.
Bernd Herbert 1 week ago
That's criminal. Here, where I live in Germany, I consider 5€ for a large beer to be on the expensive side.
#27
Just a reminder that 10 years ago was 2014. A lot of stuff on here was already well underway by then: Political division in the US really jumped into high gear after 9/11, your smart phone has been spying on you since at least 2010, etc.
#28
Girls suddenly being not just 'okay with' but 'active facilitators in' distributing their own nudes and amateur p*** for a quick buck.
#29
Fear Factor guy interviews the game show dude and it's one of the post important political events ever.
#30
The government no longer denying the existence of UFOs.
What do you think ?
Janelle Collard 1 week ago (edited)
Yeah, in the 2020 election campaigns, t-rump said he loves the poorly educated. I wonder why? 😁
Load More Replies...
WonderWoman 1 week ago
Russia, China, North Korea have already joined forces, now that trump was installed, the world as we know it has ceased to exist.
Mason Kronol 1 week ago
The fact that Elon Musk was giving away a million dollars a day to voters was concerning. Him communicating with Putin while offering starlink access to Ukraine while trump complained about the money Biden was sending is weird. Trump influencing the GOP while Biden was president didn’t seem to concern enough republicans. Elon sitting in on trumps recent call with Zelenskyy scares the c**p out me! We handed NASA and the ISS over to Elon and Russia. And don’t forget how much money trump owes the Saudis.
Load More Replies...
Guess Undheit 1 week ago
Wait a year. In yankland, the number of babies born and marriages will drop dramatically as women adopt the South Korean feminist 4B policy: NO dating men, NO sex, NO babies, NO marriage. This is REALLY going to drive cis hetero males up the wall - if incels think they have no luck now, wait until the "chads" can't get dates either. Nightclubs will close, romantic restaurants, and plenty of other "date places" will see a serious loss of business.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 week ago
An interesting proposal. Women adopting the strategy of celibacy (while these laws are in place) is one way not to have a medical complication regarding pregnancy, but what would this "off the market" strategy do to the national ®ape rate? I think it's gonna be bad times all around. Not a good time to be in possession of a uterus.
Load More Replies... Janelle Collard 1 week ago (edited)
Yeah, in the 2020 election campaigns, t-rump said he loves the poorly educated. I wonder why? 😁
Load More Replies... WonderWoman 1 week ago
Russia, China, North Korea have already joined forces, now that trump was installed, the world as we know it has ceased to exist.
Mason Kronol 1 week ago
The fact that Elon Musk was giving away a million dollars a day to voters was concerning. Him communicating with Putin while offering starlink access to Ukraine while trump complained about the money Biden was sending is weird. Trump influencing the GOP while Biden was president didn’t seem to concern enough republicans. Elon sitting in on trumps recent call with Zelenskyy scares the c**p out me! We handed NASA and the ISS over to Elon and Russia. And don’t forget how much money trump owes the Saudis.
Load More Replies... Guess Undheit 1 week ago
Wait a year. In yankland, the number of babies born and marriages will drop dramatically as women adopt the South Korean feminist 4B policy: NO dating men, NO sex, NO babies, NO marriage. This is REALLY going to drive cis hetero males up the wall - if incels think they have no luck now, wait until the "chads" can't get dates either. Nightclubs will close, romantic restaurants, and plenty of other "date places" will see a serious loss of business.
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 week ago
An interesting proposal. Women adopting the strategy of celibacy (while these laws are in place) is one way not to have a medical complication regarding pregnancy, but what would this "off the market" strategy do to the national ®ape rate? I think it's gonna be bad times all around. Not a good time to be in possession of a uterus.
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