12 Things That Used To Be Socially Acceptable But Are Now Considered Taboo
Bob Dylan said the times they were a-changin', and that truism has never been more accurate. With social norms morphing at a breakneck speed, it's worth looking back at past social trends that seem like relics of a distant time. Don't be too ashamed if you feel nostalgic for these entries. Don't tell anyone, though.
1. Littering
Why wait for a trash can when you have a car window? Play hot potato with the Burger King wrapper and throw that thing outside!
That was the mentality years ago, for some reason.
2. Sending Kids to the Store
Off to the store you go, honey. Remember, I need a Red Bull, a pack of Swishers, and some of those rhino-horn-derived mystery pills. Don't dilly-dally. Momma's thirsty!
3. Spanking
While spanking might not be common among adults today, it used to be expected between adults and kids. Rampant fear of Child Protective Services, kids' ability to trash their parents on social media, and “evolved” parenting attitudes have prompted a drastic reduction in spanking.
4. Shaming the Poor
Some Americans who grew up in poverty look back on their childhood and remember being made fun of. As opposed to the sympathy most show to people experiencing poverty today, some used to view all poor people as the product of their own poor decisions (and, in many cases, lack of work ethic).
We like to think of the poverty issue more nuancedly today.
5. Riding in the Bed of a Pickup
We have to decide whether we're coddling children to their detriment. Have you even lived if you haven't ridden in the back of a rusted-out Ford F-150 going 75 miles per hour on a busy highway?
6. Going Helmet-Less
Hands-off parenting was prominent in the pre-2000s decades. Not coincidentally, so was helmets-off bike riding.
7. Aggressive Flirting
Some might even call it harassment. Either way, office dynamics between men and women were decidedly different decades ago, and most would say not for the better. If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch a season or two of Mad Men.
8. Edgy Jokes
Making wisecracks about someone's nationality, race, gender, or orientation was far more common years ago. While many jokes went too far, Americans were better at letting edgy comments roll off their backs. We're not condoning bad behavior. Just stating the facts.
9. Drinking and Driving
Sometime in the past 50-60 years, lawmakers and cops decided that drinking and driving is dangerous and should be policed as such. The days of passing Dad a Coors Light from the backseat cooler are long gone.
10. Pants-ing
If you were a young man in the early 2000s, 90s, and perhaps even earlier, there were few acts more hilarious than pulling your buddy's pants down in a public space. Today, some call that sexual harassment.
11. Hitchhiking
Thanks a lot, serial killers. Now I have to pay for the bus…
12. Respect for Teachers
Believe it or not, there was a time when you'd never hear about students openly defying teachers. No insults, no body slams, no disrespect whatsoever. In other words, none of the stuff you see weekly now from students in horrifying TikTok videos.
