Things That Were Normal, But Are Now Either Illegal Or No Longer A Thing

Over at Reddit you can find a thread about basically anything. Whatever might have just popped into your head, it's already a 300-message-long thread about that insane thought you just had. Recently people have been posting things that were common back in the day and now are either illegal or you just don't see them anymore. Let's run through some of the crazier ones.

"I used to buy dynamite at the hardware store. My dad and I used it to remove stumps."

This is insane. Where does one even buy dynamite anymore? It makes complete sense that you can no longer buy it in hardware stores!

"Cigarette vending machines. No age restriction, just drop a couple of quarters in and pull the handle!"

The weirdest place I ever saw a cigarette vending machine was in a diner. Ending smoking sections in restaurants was a great move.

"Public executions."

Sports weren't as big then as they are now. People needed things to do to get out of their 2 room house, and away from their 15 children.

"Drinking and driving."

Definitely a good change. I've heard a story about someone getting pulled over and the cop told him to drive because he seemed to have drunk less than his friend...

"Not wearing a seat belt. People used to make fun of you for wearing one."

People were very anti-seat belt. There are old videos of reporters asking pissed-off people about the new laws. I couldn't imagine not wearing one when in a car.

"Cocaine. It used to be in everything."

People liked to party!

"Spankings in school, including with paddles."

I had a teacher in 2nd grade who was an older lady. She may have only been in her 60s at the time, but she seemed so much older to us. I remember a kid sleeping in class, she quietly walked over and she slammed his desk with a yardstick. Scared the crap out of all of us. That was the first time I had ever seen a yardstick used for that. That was 1995.

Here is the whole Reddit thread.

Superstitions are beliefs in supernatural forces and the idea that we can influence unpredictable events. Some people hold onto these beliefs, even when they don't make logical sense. According to Manchester Metropolitan University, psychologists have studied superstitions and found that people often believe actions or objects can influence outcomes, even when there's no logical reason to think so.

They say that superstitions come from our desire to find patterns and meaning in the world. For example, when we knock on wood to avoid bad luck, we're making a connection between our actions and unrelated events. Superstitions also provide comfort and a sense of control in uncertain or stressful situations. They act like mental crutches, helping people feel more secure when life is unpredictable.

Superstitions continue to exist because they fulfill our basic human needs and behaviors, according to Newswise, a research news website. Even though they might not make sense scientifically, superstitions remain a powerful force in human behavior, showing how our beliefs and thoughts shape our actions in our quest to make sense of the mysterious world around us.

Some common superstitions can be found in many cultures. For instance, knocking on wood is thought to bring good luck or prevent bad luck. People avoid walking under ladders because it's considered unlucky. In some cultures, the number 13 is seen as unlucky, leading to the avoidance of the 13th floor. Some buildings don't have a 13th floor; they simply label the 13th floor as the 14th floor. On the other hand, some superstitions are believed to bring good fortune, like finding a four-leaf clover or carrying a horseshoe. Another common superstition involves tossing a bit of salt over your shoulder to ward off bad luck.

Interestingly, some people took to Reddit to share their unusual superstitions. Check out a few of them below.

Someone on Reddit shared this quirky belief that putting shoes on furniture is a surefire way to invite bad luck. They added, "I’m sure it started as a thing parents told their children to avoid getting the furniture dirty, but I’m still afraid to do it, just in case." But really, who would even think of putting their shoes, which have been all over town, on any piece of furniture?

Someone with a performing arts background jumped into the conversation and said they have this thing about not congratulating anyone on their performance or achievements until it's all done. They explained, "Saying 'congratulations on your big show' the day before the show opens is basically asking for like, a lighting fixture to fall on stage and kill a performer or something." They even added that saying a simple "good luck" can feel a bit iffy.

Someone mentioned that if you trim your fingernails on a Sunday, you might somehow end up turning into a thief. We're not exactly sure how this superstition got started, but there's definitely at least one person out there who's sticking to it.

Some people shared their very specific routines. One person chimed in, saying, "If my right hand itches, I must rub it on wood; scratching it with my hand will signal bad luck and I'll lose money soon." They added that they heard this old wives' tale as a kid and never really bothered to question it.

Someone in the thread shared a funeral-related superstition. They said, "When you visit a funeral, don't go home directly, go somewhere else before heading home so that the soul of that dead person won't follow you home." they wrote. They also mentioned that if you get sick after attending a funeral, it's seen as a sign that the spirit of the departed has made contact with you.