Join the Fun!

Grouchy-Range-9032 , unattributed Report

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) How many witches were burned at the stake during the salem witch trials?

None. There’s no such things as witches, they burned innocent girls and women. Awful.

Final score:

170points

POST

FreeTheUnicorn 1 month ago

No one was burned at the stake in Salem. 19 hangings, one man pressed to death. More than 180 accused were not killed. Many were toetured. It's a stain on our history but so get your facts right.

188points

TheVendingMachineWas , Sora Shimazaki/pexels Report

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Open sexual harassment, unwanted touching, SA, etc against secretaries, female assistants, etc by their bosses. Woman were supposed to just grin and bear it.

Final score:

157points

POST

Johnny McFearless 1 month ago

Also the fact that women were only secretaries and assistants.

96points

Young_Old_Grandma , Mulyadi /unsplash Report

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Doctors going on duty for more than 24 hours straight.

Final score:

151points

POST

Tamra 1 month ago

I don't know how it is in other countries, but here in the US there has been a long-standing culture of over-working healthcare professionals. It's nearly ubiquitous to see doctors and nurses working insane hours, and it makes absolutely no sense.

77points

TrickySeagrass , Manoj Chauhan /unsplash Report

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Child marriage.

Final score:

150points

POST

WindySwede 1 month ago

🤮

55points

shutupandevolve , Pranidchakan Boonrom/pexels Report

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) The way some people treated pets. Leaving them outside. Hitting them.

Final score:

141points

POST

WindySwede 1 month ago

Talking about shooting cats just to prove they are real men.. no you are not, you are covering up some inside insecurity and feel you have to prove you are a real man to cover it up! 🤨🤕

55points

MamaKit92 , Inga Seliverstova /pexels Report

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Spousal r*pe. It was legal up until 1983 in Canada. It wasn’t until 1993 that it became illegal in ALL of the US; prior to that it was only illegal in 3 as of 1975. I’ve heard some men reminisce about the days when they didn’t need consent from their wives. I’ve even heard women condemn other women for having the “nerve” to ever deny their husbands sex. It’s disgusting.

Final score:

137points

POST

WonderWoman 1 month ago

Republicans are trying to bring that back as well

20points

Outrageous-Yak4884 , @coldbeer /pexels Report

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Bull fighting in Spain.

Final score:

131points

POST

Mavis 1 month ago

The pic looks like a rodeo not bullfighting. Rodeo is also disgusting.

106points

Flat_Ad1094 , Lucas Metz /unsplash Report

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Hitting children. Beating up children badly.

Final score:

126points

POST

cerinamroth 1 month ago

Hate to break it to you but still pretty common.

72points

Bizarre_Protuberance , John Trumbull Report

#10

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Definitely slavery, not just because it's a horrible thing to justify but also because people try to justify it *so often*.

One of the most popular lies in America is the lie that the so-called "founding fathers" can't be judged for owning slaves because that was accepted practice back then. In fact, the judge in the British Somerset case called slavery an "odious institution" in 1772: well before the US constitution was written. The abolition movement was very much in full swing in the anglosphere at the time. The Somerset ruling banned slavery in the British Isles in 1772. Canada banned slavery in 1793.

And yet Americans persist in pretending that slavery was widely accepted with no concerns at the time of the country's founding, just because they don't want to admit that the US founding fathers were bad people. They have their very own mythology, complete with heroes and villains, and they will not tolerate harsh criticism of those heroes.

Final score:

118points

POST

GettingCereal 1 month ago

There was also a major push to get abolition into the constitution, but the southern states threw such a hissy fit that the rest caved.

67points

#11

Just yesterday i had someone try telling me they regretted taking the covid vaccine and that "back than no one took vaccines".

I replied with "and people got polio".

whelplookatthat Report

Final score:

116points

POST

Black Cat 1 month ago

And smallpox and diphtheria and TB and measles and rubella and and and

14points

texaslucasanon , Monstera Production/pexels Report

#12

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) "My parents whipped my butt and screamed at me. I turned out fine."

Umm... no you didnt. You need therapy, boundaries, and a healthier friend group.

Final score:

113points

POST

Miranda Veracruz de la Joya Cardenal 1 month ago

If you think child abuse was acceptable, you didn't turn it fine

59points

Monalisa9298 , Polina Tankilevitch/pexels Report

#13

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Open misogyny and sexual harassment in the workplace. I’m a 64 yo professional woman and the behavior of some my male colleagues and superiors was horrible. And no one batted an eye.

Final score:

100points

POST

El Dee 1 month ago

Still happens..

29points

#14

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Forced marriage.

anon , Aastha Bansal/UNSPALSH Report

Final score:

98points

POST

WindySwede 1 month ago

An scientific education and sexual education should be mandatory for everyone, all over the world! Let go of old s**t!

41points

rougecomete , Pavel Danilyuk /pexels Report

#15

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Adult musicians sleeping with puberty-aged groupies. Guarantee every single one of your faves did it or was in a band with someone who did.

Final score:

93points

POST

WonderWoman 1 month ago

I think that is still happening

42points

TwincessAhsokaAarmau , Uncredited DOJ photographer Report

#16

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Throwing rocks at Ruby Bridges.

Final score:

91points

POST

Weirdo with Internet 1 month ago

These people are still alive! This wasn't that long ago and even if it was, still wouldn't justify throwing rocks and insults at a child

57points

#17

Genital mutilation of children.

qmriis Report

Final score:

86points

POST

Not Who You Think 1 month ago (edited)

"It's a cultural/religious thing." Maybe you need to take a step back and really pay attention to what you're saying.

52points

PickleFluffy1387 , Andrea Piacquadio/pexels Report

#18

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Automatically needing to respect your elders (and anyone older than you) just because it's the 'right' thing to do, not because they deserve your respect or did anything to earn it, but just because.

Final score:

85points

POST

Jane Jayne Jain Jeign Jein 1 month ago

As Tony Benn said, you should respect everyone, until they give you good reason not to.

116points

AetherealSubject , Keira Burton/pexels Report

#19

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) All forms of bullying. It looked cool from people in high school according to my classmates. Now some of my classmates were now gone due to bullying. It’s not cool.

Final score:

84points

POST

Ace 1 month ago

Bullying was and is never cool. I really don't think anything has changed in this case, it's still just as common and bad as it used to be, just that a lot of it is done via modern tech rather than ust face to face these days.

40points

#20

Genociding Native Americans.

Jack-of-Hearts-7 Report

Final score:

84points

POST

Hans Georg 1 month ago

Genociding any people.

78points

#21

Horrific mistreatment of disabled people. It’s still not great on a general global scale, but at least we don’t get left in the woods as infants or stuck in freak shows to entertain the masses.

an_ineffable_plan Report

Final score:

82points

POST

WindySwede 1 month ago (edited)

And even just women who be "out of order"? Edit: like put in asylum for being anything her husband/dad didn't want to?

38points

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

See Also on Bored Panda

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#22

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Ownership and the subservience of women. "Back in my day the women didn't vote or work, they waited on their knees for the husband to come home with a hot meal in one hand a strong drink in the other" along with a litany of other female slave fantasies men have of modern women.

BeeMyHomey , cottonbro studio/pexels Report

Final score:

77points

POST

WindySwede 1 month ago

That is also a thing in the bible, if someone hurt a women so she miscarriages, they are supposed to pay money to her spouse or otherwise her father. That is nothing in the line of being an independent individual!

26points

#23

Lynching black people for failing to show the proper deference to a white man on the street.

Get_It_Hexyy Report

Final score:

75points

POST

Weirdo with Internet 1 month ago

Or looking at a white woman

47points

Grouchy-Display-457 Report

#24

Smoking everywhere--even hospitals.

Final score:

67points

POST

Jane Jayne Jain Jeign Jein 1 month ago

We were doing a good job of limiting smoking areas, but now vaping is taking its place with a vengeance. I regularly see (smell them first) people sneaking a vape inside restaurants. It's illegal and it ruins my meal out. Just selfish w4nkers.

31points

coffeedr1nk3rrr1 , Hobbies on a Budget/flickr Report

#25

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) My grandma was telling us about some random stuff about her life as a kid, the usual, and then she dropped that her neighbor would give her a quarter to see her underwear? when she was like 5-6? wild s**t

also cheating on your spouse .

Final score:

65points

POST

Not Who You Think 1 month ago

The 25 cents for a little girls underwear peek is truly awful, but I love how "cheating on your spouse" was kind of added as an afterthought.

31points

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

See Also on Bored Panda

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#26

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Listening to stories from older colleagues there is so much stuff that was considered standard practice that would give Health and Safety an aneurysm these days. S**t like handling asbestos with zero protective equipment, even after people started realizing how bad it was for your health! Or guys working with natural gas lighting up a ciggie on the job site and it being perfectly fine because "we're not smoking near where people are working with gas at the moment".

ConstableBlimeyChips , Valiant Made/unsplash Report

Final score:

64points

POST

Marianne 1 month ago

My family are farmers. 20 years ago, a person would be ridiculed for wearing safety goggles or a face mask while harvesting potatoes. While on the machine, you're exposed to huge amounts of dust that gets into your face. I have asthma and couldn't stand it on dry days. Protective gear just wasn't an option.

31points

Puzzleheaded-Swan824 Report

#27

Hazing, overworking and basically bullying new employees. C**p like “it’s character building” or “well, I had to do it”. I think people perpetuate this nonsense because they are basically trying to get some sort of revenge.

Final score:

63points

POST

Kira Okah 1 month ago

Hazing has killed people.

42points

Upstairs-Storm1006 Report

#28

Gay jokes. Go watch movies from the 80's & 90's. Or just watch "Friends," there were cheap gay gags in basically every episode. .

Final score:

63points

POST

Marianne 1 month ago

True! I was so normal. Also using the term "gay" as a demeaning word in all kinds of situations.

34points

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

See Also on Bored Panda

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#29

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) I take care of a 95 year old woman with dementia who had a black lab as a child. The dogs name was “n**ger”. She sometimes talks about her dog and calls it by name, and everyone reacts how you’d expect, and she always says, “He needed a name! A dog needs a name!”

Not sure if it quite fits this thread, but I was reminded of it so I shared.

Informal_Flight_6932 , cottonbro studio /pexels Report

Final score:

62points

POST

Ace 1 month ago (edited)

Yeah, this one is a little out of place because although that term and the one it's derived from could have an insulting meaning if used in a certain context it was also commonly used in this way, perhaps much more outside the US, just because it means "black", ,with absolutely zero implied reference to people with that skin colour. Some people still get upset when they see "négro" used in languages like Spanish where that is literally all it means.

20points

#30

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Hitting a spouse. My favorite tv show of all time is “I Love Lucy” and I have such a hard time watching Ricky put Lucy over his knee. Makes my stomach turn.

DotsSpotsBots , CBS Report

Final score:

60points

POST

Pencil McGovern 1 month ago

"POW! Right in the kisser!" -Ralph Kramden to his wife, Alice, in about every episode of "The Honeymooners"

7points

captn_morgan951 , FourthAge/reddit Report

#31

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Maybe riding around in the open bed of a pickup truck all over town and highways when I was a kid in the 70s.

Final score:

54points

POST

IguanaStampede 1 month ago

That was fun! We called them urban hayrack rides.

25points

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

See Also on Bored Panda

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

#32

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Cat calling. Honestly can’t remember a time it was okay, but I’m always confused when guys try to justify themselves with “it’s just a comment. It’s always been like this” when I (a woman) get upset. Like I know my a*s is amazing but keep it to yourself, you know?

Brilliant-Hurry-5479 , Ashinia Junior Miller/pexels Report

Final score:

54points

POST

Apachebathmat 1 month ago

“Thank you for attending our wedding today, I knew Wayne was the one when he shouted ‘WHHHHHHOOOOOA B***H, TIDDIES ON FIRE’ out the window of a speeding car”

63points

ExperienceInitial875 , Andrea Piacquadio /pexels Report

#33

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) My friend quite seriously told me she didn’t understand the issue with Bill Cosby because quaaludes were all the rage and this is just how it used to be for women around men. Never thought I’d see myself storming out of a Los
Angeles McDonald’s in anger but sure enough it did indeed happen.

Final score:

51points

POST

Jane Jayne Jain Jeign Jein 1 month ago (edited)

Had to read that twice to confirm the friend was indeed a woman. Talk about brainwashed! (Spelling edit)

35points

The_Good_Guyy , ermias Tarekegn/pexels Report

#34

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Not back then, but in the present.

I have heard from a relative that pregnancies of indigenous children in my country are normal because it is "part of their culture".

Final score:

51points

POST

penguino (they/them) 1 month ago

The comments here are weird y’all can go look for yourself-but also, wtf? Kids shouldn’t be pregnant. Period.

30points

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

See Also on Bored Panda

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

#35

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Drinking and driving. Every adult over 60 wants me to understand why those were the good ol days.

AtomAntvsTheWorld , energepic.com /pexels Report

Final score:

50points

POST

Ace 1 month ago

Rubbish. I mean yes, is used to be a lot worse, i.e. more common, but you really won't find many people who would suggest that it was better back then as a result.

39points

Objective_Soil_4054 Report

#36

Enforced poverty.

Final score:

48points

POST

Jane Jayne Jain Jeign Jein 1 month ago

This has always been a popular policy amongst capitalists - without poor people, nobody would work for sh1t wages in their dangerous factories.

37points

#37

Racism.

hBoBh Report

Final score:

46points

POST

Urbangirlatl 1 month ago

I think I understand where Strings is coming from. When the CEO of Barilla pasta made a neg comment about including LGBT in their ads, I thought something along the lines of "thanks for letting me know where you stand so I can buy your competitor's product". It's not endorsing hate speech, but it's how we know we are dealing with @-holes.

18points

Alyce 1 month ago

But WTF does being gay have to do with pasta?

0points

Brian Droste 1 month ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Strings 1 month ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Jane Jayne Jain Jeign Jein 1 month ago (edited)

Do you think we should bring back groping in the workplace too so you can spot the mysoginists?

20points

Fellfromthemoon 1 month ago

We make a big deal of slurs. Racists still use slurs. We spot racists. End of story.

16points

CanadianDimes 1 month ago

So people should be subject to verbal abuse for your convenience?

10points

Mental Liberals 1 month ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Gerald Monk 1 month ago

...and a fantasy believed in by dullards

8points

aesthetic_kiara , Uriel Mont/pexels Report

#38

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) Physical abuse.

Final score:

44points

POST

WindySwede 1 month ago

Any*

16points

areUgoingtoreadthis , Yan Krukau/pexels Report

#39

“What's The Worst Thing People Have Tried To Justify With ‘It Was Normal Back Then’?” (40 Answers) "When I was starting out, our bosses abused us 10 times as badly as what you get pampered with, you don't know how good you got it".

Final score:

43points

POST

WindySwede 1 month ago

"I'm an unpaid intern with zero health care!"

25points

#40

Smoking at 12.

Temporal_Somnium Report

Final score:

43points

POST

Li’l E. 1 month ago

My mom started smoking at 13, in 1959.

11points

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

Note: this post originally had 45 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.

See Also on Bored Panda

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about two years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

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I'm a Visual Editor for Bored Panda. I’m also an analog collage artist. My love for images and experience in layering goes well with both creating collages by hand and working with digital images as an Editor. When I’m not using my kitchen area as an art studio I also do various experiments making my own cosmetics or brewing kombucha. When I’m not at home you would most definitely find me attending a concert or walking my dog.

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What’s the worst thing people have tried to justify with “It was normal back then, everyone did it”?

POST

UKGrandad 1 month ago

*Note to the usual suspects: please read what I'm about to say for understanding before downvoting it. Thank you* We can all feel morally superior to our ancestors because we know better these days, right? However, how many of us stop to consider which practices we think are morally and legally sound today may, in the future, see us as soundly condemned as we condemn past generations? What do we shrug off as perfectly normal that might make our descend scream 'WHAT THE HELL WERE THEY THINKING'?

30points

Michael Largey 1 month ago (edited)

Some people knew better back then too, but the others didn't listen to them.

13points

Pencil McGovern 1 month ago

I was raised by hippies in NYC in the 60s and 70s. In the 80's and 90's when more LGBT+ started coming out,, I (straight/cis) would be complimented for my "progressive" and "accepting" views and my public support of equal rights. I said 1000 times, I deserve no credit. I was raised that way. I have no idea who I'd be or what I'd believe if I'd been raised differently. I promoted LGBT+ equality, at least in part, because the culture I was raised in, the culture I lived in, *allowed* me to. I have no idea if I would have had the courage of those convictions if I'd been somewhere else. I think we, the masses, tend to give ourselves far more credit for having real courage which only truly belongs to a few.

3points

A Jones 1 month ago

I agree. Realizing stuff that is messed up isn't a form of weakness, it is strength.

1point

Freya the Wanderer 1 month ago

You definitely have a point there. I once started an Ask Pandas thread about what people may find unacceptable in 100 years. You can read it here: https://www.boredpanda.com/unacceptable-things-100-years-from-now-ask-pandas-community/

1point

IamMe 1 month ago

A lot of the things on this list are still happening today.

8points

Fun Size 1 month ago

A lot of them are still happening, yes, but at least they're no longer considered normal or acceptable by society at large.

4points

CK 1 month ago

Of course none of those things are justified; however, we shouldn't give ourselves as individuals any credit for not going along with child sacrifice and slavery in a society where that isn't normalized. The sad truth is that it is incredibly statistically unlikely that you wouldn't have gone along with those things if you had been born in a previous generation. And if you want to prove to yourself that you would have been the one to oppose the brutality? Defy the socially accepted cruelty that's happening now. Fight to end all slavery in the world, to give disabled people all reasonable accommodations with dignity, and to get food and healthcare to all who need it.

5points

Lola Donathan 1 month ago

My grandma had a man show himself to her one day when she was a kid and all my great grandma said was"oh I'm sorry sweetie,but you know,that's just how men are". SERIOUSLY!?

2points

CK 1 month ago

I hate how men engaging in predatory behavior is "boys will be boys" but women wearing comfortable clothes that don't cover everything is "slutty" to the old fashioned worldview.

0points

Damned_Cat 1 month ago

I love old movies and television, but it's so cringe when I see how they used to make it a humorous plot point when a married man chased women or cheated on his wife. At the same time, any woman who dared to even call attention to herself was an evil harlot.

1point

BravePanda 1 month ago

I used to be sexually harassed in high school in a daily basis because I had big breasts. Boys would hold my arms and hands behind my back, so other boys could oogle. I couldn't be alone after school because I would get cornered by a boy wanting "just to touch." It happened daily during and after school, on campus. It was the 90s.

0points

Justbecause 1 month ago

Not using pain relief for many medical procedures because 'it doesn't actually hurt' or 'they wont remember it'. Pain relief is cheap and readily available it should be used when medical/veterinary procedures are done.

0points

Justbecause 1 month ago

Aboriginal Australians were not considered human until the 70s. They were considered native animals and were treated as such. Many people still think its ok the treat Aboriginal people like this. Australia isnt the only country to treat original people as less than human.

0points

POST

UKGrandad 1 month ago

30points

Michael Largey 1 month ago (edited)

Some people knew better back then too, but the others didn't listen to them.

13points

Pencil McGovern 1 month ago

3points

A Jones 1 month ago

I agree. Realizing stuff that is messed up isn't a form of weakness, it is strength.

1point

Freya the Wanderer 1 month ago

1point

IamMe 1 month ago

A lot of the things on this list are still happening today.

8points

Fun Size 1 month ago

A lot of them are still happening, yes, but at least they're no longer considered normal or acceptable by society at large.

4points

CK 1 month ago

5points

Lola Donathan 1 month ago

My grandma had a man show himself to her one day when she was a kid and all my great grandma said was"oh I'm sorry sweetie,but you know,that's just how men are". SERIOUSLY!?

2points

CK 1 month ago

I hate how men engaging in predatory behavior is "boys will be boys" but women wearing comfortable clothes that don't cover everything is "slutty" to the old fashioned worldview.

0points