12 Things Once Socially Acceptable That Aren’t Anymore

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The last few decades have seen society go through rapid changes in seemingly the blink of an eye. From certain forms of comedy to technology, commonplace things are no longer acceptable or have fallen out of everyday use.

Here are 12 things society has moved away from in the last 20 years.

1. Public Smoking

no smoking metal sign in the park.
Image Credit: Treenoot/Shutterstock.

 

Gone are the days when you could light up a cigarette almost anywhere, from restaurants to offices. Now, thanks to health campaigns and clean air laws, finding a smoker in public indoor spaces is a rarity.

2. Casual Slurs

A young man feels depressed after being made fun of or being mocked by his colleagues. Feeling ashamed and ostracized. Possible racial discrimination.
Image Credit: MDV Edwards/Shutterstock.

 

Remember when off-color jokes just slipped into conversation? Times have changed, and now there’s a strong push against using language that offends or marginalizes others.

3. Shock Comedy

Reading about Friends TV show cast and the popularity of the show. Friends TV series is popular comedy sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman
Image Credit: ArtMediaWorx/Shutterstock.

 

Shock comedy used to dominate the airwaves, with comedians pushing the envelope for a laugh. But nowadays, there’s a fine line between what’s funny and what’s just plain offensive.

4. MapQuest Directions

Close up of driver hands holding cellphone with Google maps navigation app searching for direction with blurred city street lights on background at night.
Image Credit: Bilanol/Shutterstock.

 

Printing directions from MapQuest for a trip was the norm, wasn’t it? Today, our smartphones navigate for us, making those paper printouts a thing of the past.

5. Psychic Hotlines

Psychic Tarot card reader on laptop computer while having an online session,
Image Credit: Lysenko Andrii/Shutterstock.

 

Psychic hotlines were all the rage, offering readings and insights over the phone. Now, with a world of information at our fingertips, fewer people put their faith in those claiming to peer beyond the veil.

6. Bigotry As Jokes

1940s World War II comedian actors of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello (played by Bill Riley and Joe Ziegler) telling jokes at Mid-Atlantic Air Museum World War II Weekend in Reading, PA.
Image Credit: Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.

 

Ever watched old TV shows or movies and cringed at what was once accepted humor? Bigoted jokes once got laughs in sitcoms and stand-up acts. Today’s audiences expect humor that doesn’t punch down or perpetuate stereotypes.

7. Unannounced Visits

Asian woman welcomes black couple into her house home accommodation for their holiday vacation trip
Image Credit: Daxiao Productions/Shutterstock.

 

It used to be normal to drop by a friend’s house unannounced. Now, a quick text or call is a common courtesy to respect each other’s time and privacy.

8. Corporal Punishment

Violence against children. Father scolds and threaten her child girl. family relationships. Discipline, yelling, spanking concept.
Image Credit: Julija Sulkovska/Shutterstock.

 

Spanking was once widely accepted as a means to effectively discipline children. Perspectives have shifted towards more positive and understanding methods of behavior management.

9. Calling Without Texting

Photo of positive dream glad guy hold telephone make call sit cozy couch wear yellow shirt home indoors.
Image Credit: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock.

 

Making a phone call without sending a heads-up text first feels almost intrusive now, doesn’t it? Our communication etiquette has evolved to respect personal space and time.

10. Children Playing Unsupervised

Kids play tug of war in sunny park. Summer outdoor fun activity. Group of mixed race children pull rope in school sports day. Healthy outdoor game for little boy and girl.
Image Credit: FamVeld/Shutterstock.

 

Many people have fond memories of roaming outside until the street lights came on. Today, more parents are keeping a watchful eye on their outdoor play.

11. Paying for Cell Phone Minutes

Close-up photo. Worried senior woman mother sitting on sofa at home and holding phone. Worries about children, writes and sends messages, calls, searches, waits at home.
Image Credit: voronaman/Shutterstock.

 

Watching your cell phone minutes used to be a big deal to avoid those hefty overage fees. Now, with unlimited plans, we don’t have to count minutes or texts.

12. Writing Checks for Everyday Expenses

Woman's hand writing a check to pay the bills, with calculator and an invoice on the desktop.
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Remember when you could pay for groceries by check? Digital payments and credit cards have sped up transactions and phased out the need for a checkbook.

15 Behaviors That Are a Dead Giveaways Someone Is Poorly Educated

Woman, serious and portrait in a closeup with thinking in the outdoor with an idea in mexico. Face, female person and beauty with focus and calm with vision, eye and skin with concentration for goal.
Image Credit: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock.

 

We all like to think we are always acting at our most intelligent and rational. Yet, ignorance from a lack of education can sneak up on us or be on full display in others.

Awareness is key to preventing and correcting some of our worst ideas and behavior. Here are 15 signs of ignorance and poor education to look out for.

15 Behaviors That Are a Dead Giveaways Someone Is Poorly Educated

15 Things People Mistakenly Think Are Real but Aren’t

American singer Taylor Swift performs at her '1989' World Tour concert in Shanghai, China, 10 November 2015.
Image Credit: ChinaImages /DepositPhotos.

 

People believe all kinds of ridiculous things, and they believe some true-sounding things that are actually false as well. Some of these things have been repeated for ages and will probably never go away.

Others have sprung up more recently and spread fast, thanks to the internet. While you probably can’t convince the people who repeat such misinformation that they’re wrong, you can at least know the truth when they try to push it on you!

15 Things People Mistakenly Think Are Real but Aren’t

The 20 Most Successful Singers Of All Time

Eminem, Marshall Bruce Mathers III at the 50 Cent Star Ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 30, 2019 in Los Angeles, CA
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It’s easy to judge the success of an artist based on how many Grammys they’ve won or by how much money they’ve made. A better look at success, however, is to see how many singles they’ve released relative to the number of Grammys they’ve won.

According to BonusInsider, these artists are the most successful based on these metrics.

The 20 Most Successful Singers Of All Time

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