So many things that were once true in my lifetime are no longer true today. For example, my math teacher told us we needed to learn math because we wouldn’t carry a calculator in our pocket all day. While it’s still true that you need to learn math, you do have that calculator today. Here are several other former truths.
1. “The Camera Never Lies”
Oof. This one is a terrifying truth. Do you remember when you could say, “The camera doesn’t lie” regarding photo or video evidence? In today’s current climate of deep fake videos and AI-generated images and voices, it lies all the time. Some may argue that photos have always been manipulated. Others would suggest it was never the camera lying and always the photographer.
2. “A College Degree Will Get You Places”
Remember the adage: “A college degree will get you places?” That’s nowhere near the truth today. According to a recent survey: “Only 46% of college grads surveyed say they currently work in their field of study. 29% report working in a different field, while 16% of those under age 54 (and therefore not likely retired) say they are currently unemployed.”
3. “Texting Takes Too Long — Just Call Me”
I was someone who would say: “Texting takes too long. Just call me.” But that’s no longer viable to some. I remember being forced into getting a texting plan, so I didn’t pay additional charges when people texted me.
Now, almost everyone I know under the age of 45 insists on texting everything. People ignore calls and then have the audacity to text: “What’s up?” What’s up is — I have something to discuss that requires more than a couple sentences or a brief paragraph.
4. “Pluto Is a Planet”
In 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) demoted Pluto from its position as the ninth planet in our solar system to one of five “dwarf planets.” Pluto doesn’t fit the criteria of a planet because it doesn’t orbit the Sun, have sufficient mass to be round, remove small objects from the area around its orbit, or not be a moon of another object.
5. “Don’t Get Into Stranger’s Cars”
Remember when the truth was, “Don’t get in cars with strangers. Especially those you meet over the internet?” IT MAKES SENSE when I think about all the terrible hitchhiker stories I’ve seen. But today, you call up a Lyft or Uber (total stranger) and trust them to take you from point A to point B.
6. “You Can Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothing”
Back in the day, ready-to-wear clothing was considerably more expensive. However, with the rise of fast fashion and manufacturing overseas, it hasn’t been cheaper to make your own clothes since around the 1980s. The fabric alone can cost the equivalent or more than just buying the garment at Kohls.
7. “Loyalty to a Company Will Get You Rewarded”
Long gone are the days when loyalty to the company resulted in being rewarded with significant pay raises and perks. People often have to change jobs in today’s work climate.
Zippia’s data analysis team found: “The average salary increase when changing jobs is 14.8%, while wage growth is 5.8%. Wage growth for job switchers is 47% higher than those who stay in their current jobs.” While this may not seem like a lot on paper, those who remain in their current jobs see half the wage growth.
8. “Working an Entry Level Summer Job Will Pay for a Year’s Tuition”
Do you remember when working an entry-level summer job earned you enough to pay for a year’s college tuition? It was true in the ’70s, ’80s, and even the early ’90s. However, that was before the Department of Education started guaranteeing student loans so colleges could run away with tuition costs.
9. “It’s Cheaper to Repair Than Replace Something”
Today’s painful truth is that it’s often no longer cheaper to repair things than it is to replace them. It also creates excessive trash and is extremely wasteful. Planned obsolescence (designing things to break easily) is an infuriating practice that drains real-world people while padding the pockets at the top.
10. “Hard Work Pays Off”
That isn’t true for a massive percentage of our workforce. People are working themselves to death to barely survive. Side hustles are almost mandatory to live indoors and eat. Groceries cost more than double what they did in 2020. More than 60% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck.
11. “Till Death Do Us Part”
Do you remember great-grandparents and grandparents who stayed together, through thick and thin, till death — did they part? Those days are over. Unfortunately, 40-50% of first marriages end in divorce. And the divorce rate for second marriages is between 60-67%.
12. “A Person Making Ok Money Can Buy a Starter Home”
Starter homes — what’s that? I’ll never forget learning that my father paid $57,000 for a three-bedroom house with a family room and den in 1987. Can you imagine? We were a one-income family and had a home with a big backyard (double lot today), food on the table, and clothing on our backs. That’s not to say we never struggled, but we were never in danger of losing the farm.
13. “Doctor’s Care”
I hate to be rash, but Doctors used to care about making you better. Now, it’s about prescribing pills to manage the symptoms of many things that could be entirely healed with dietary changes (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes type-2). Big pharma has bought out the medical schools, and all doctors learn is how and what to prescribe.
And then what to prescribe to combat all the new problems the “medicine” creates. It’s not to say that there are not caring doctors, but it’s not what it used to be. Unfortunately, medicine became big business with out-of-touch administrators and ruthless insurance companies.
14. “Summertime Is the Perfect Time to Do Outdoor Things”
Where? Summer nowadays is the season of heatwaves, droughts, and fires. It’s uncomfortable to be outdoors before the sunsets, and even then, not always. We had 90-degree weather at midnight this year, and it was relentless. And it’s only getting worse annually. Remember when kids used to play outside? I couldn’t handle it anymore.
15. “The Government Is for the People”
When? In my lifetime, I’ve not seen it. It feels much more likely that the government is against us. They do have our interests at heart. The government is supposed to work for us, not rule over us. Taxes are out of control, and they keep taking more. Homeless tent cities are becoming more prevalent.
Our veterans are not taken care of after being mentally destroyed by war. People are not being paid a living wage and literally working themselves to death. All so big businesses can turn a profit while Americans are barely surviving.
The National Debt is $33 trillion, and they can’t account for spending while weapons continue to go missing. It’s a corrupt business that ABSOLUTELY is NOT for the people.
12 Stupidest Things People Brag About Like We Are Supposed to Be Impressed
What is the stupidest thing people brag about? I’ll go first and say when Americans brag about not tipping. I understand tipping culture has gotten out of hand, but if you’re in a sit-down restaurant and don’t tip, you’re a jerk, and it’s nothing to be proud of. After someone asked for other examples in an online forum, here are THEIR top responses.
20 Skills People Born Before 1990 Possess That No One Uses Anymore, Do You?
I love reminiscing about the good ole days sometimes, and that is how I stumbled on this fun thread in an online forum: “People born before 1990, what trivial skill do you possess that no one uses anymore?” Here are some of their best answers! Do you remember?
Things That Donald Trump and His MAGA Cult Ruined for the Rest of Us
What did MAGA ruin for you? I’ll go first and say relationships. Family and friends I have known for years revealed a side to them I didn’t realize existed or represented their thoughts on things like the rights of people of color.
15 Jobs That Women Admit Are Automatic Deal Breakers for Dating Them
Are there any professions that would make a person undatable for you? You’re not alone. A man recently asked women in an online forum, “What job would a man have that would be an automatic deal breaker for you?” Here are THEIR honest confessions.
Top 12 Most Racist Disney Classics That Are Better Left in the Vault
Exploring film history often exposes tales of awe, imagination, and cultural shifts. Did you know that there are racist undertones in many Disney classics? It makes sense as progress evolves throughout the decades, but it’s cringe-watching it now. Here is a look at the most racist Disney films.
Elizabeth Ervin is the owner of Sober Healing. She is a freelance writer passionate about opioid recovery and has celebrated breaking free since 09-27-2013. She advocates for mental health awareness and encourages others to embrace healing, recovery, and Jesus.