Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Explain Which Bits Of Common Knowledge They Learned Way Too Late In Life

People Explain Which Bits Of Common Knowledge They Learned Way Too Late In Life
photo of bulb artwork
Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash

Who hasn't had a moment when they learned what they thought was a revelatory piece of information, ran to share it with their friends, and were then greeted by a barrage of stone faces?

Owing to the fact that what we only just learned a few minutes ago, was apparently common knowledge.

These include your favorite movie star was in fact the offspring of another movie star, what gelatin is actually made of, or little tricks and strategies which make certain experiences so much more pleasurable.

For no particular reason, some people learn these things far later than just about everyone else.


Redditor Big_Piccolo_8369 was curious to learn which bits of common knowledge people were late to the party in knowing, leading them to ask:

"What is common knowledge that you found out way too late?"

Strategic Planning

"Always eat before shopping at Costco."- mtl_jim

Sometimes Silence Is Golden

"Just because I hold an opinion on something doesn't mean that I need to share it."

"I spent WAY too much of my early adulthood inserting my viewpoint into discussions that I wasn't really a part of."- xjuggernaughtx

How To Hold People Accountable

"Always get it in writing"- GKnives

take notes GIFGiphy

How To Keep Friendships Strong

"Simply asking 'how are you' once in awhile is all it takes to not fall apart from old friends."- a_burdie_from_hell

Know Your Worth

"Hard work isn’t always the answer."

"When I worked a minimum wage job, I would work hard and not take breaks, so a great job, and always finish early."

"I just then got told to pick up the slack for the employees who spent their time goofing off."

"Never got a promotion, raise, or even a 'hey, good job'."- Disco-Onion

"I learned a couple things from previous employers."

"1: Do Not Count on the Company to care."

"I worked for McDonald's and the franchise I worked for didn't care what they did to me."

"My manager literally told me to my face that she didn't know what happened when I my arm got smashed in the fry hopper mind you she was sitting there watching me and failed to deactivate the machine."

"I learned not only that I don't matter to the company but also to make sure that machines I use are off regardless if someone tells me they are."

"2: Life is short, don't kill yourself for a company that will replace you the second you drop dead."

"I learned this after destroying my back, suffering a concussion, developing ulcers and anxiety all from over working myself to the point where I couldn't function safely and my health declined."- chibicat_25

Think Twice Before Lending Money

"That when people ask to borrow money especially if it's a friend or family just expect to never see it again."- Different-Chest-5716

Loan Borrow GIFGiphy

Spotting Charlatans

"Being well-educated in one area doesn't mean that a person can't be a total idiot in other areas."- Red-belliedOrator

Never Make Decisions When Angry

"'Every action made in anger ends in sorrow'."

"An attorney, when I was 24."- yours121110

"Don't make permanent decisions based on temporary feelings."- Yoschnitzel

Angry Inside Out GIF by Disney PixarGiphy

The Importance Of Sleep

"Going too long without sleep can impair your ability to drive the same way as drinking too much alcohol."- SuvenPan

It Takes Time To Learn

"That common knowledge never comes early."- CardiologistLower817

Not Everyone Gets What They Deserve...

"Working hard won't get you a promotion, doing average or mediocre work and being likeable/popular will."- NeuronNetworks

Ignoring Me Schitts Creek GIF by CBCGiphy

Can't Be Too Literal Minded

"Several doesn’t mean 7 of something."- Zenkir32

Make Sure You Eat Enough

"Calorie Deficit."- Thx-rese

Not As Similar As You Might Think

"I had supposed that apples and pears are varieties of one species."

"In middle age I happened to learn that they are not even the same genus."- lazydog60

pears GIF by jjjjjohnGiphy

Safety First!

"Staring at the sun, looking directly as eclipses, and looking at the sun through a magnifying glass does not instantly make you blind, it takes time."

"I always thought it was instant and that I could just look away before I went completely blind."

"I only found out that wasn’t true when I was 19."

"Now my eyesight has been progressively worsening for years."- ivegonegaga

All Past Mistakes Can Be Fixed

"'It's NEVER too late to do the right thing, to take the right decision'."- TheSuperPREDATOR

An Optical Illusion

"The claw marks on a Monster energy drink form the letter M."- DancingDick

monster energy rainbow GIFGiphy

Basic Hygeine!

"You have to wash anything you drink out of, even if it’s just a water bottle."- laurenmela

We're all bound to be looked down upon every now and then for just learning something everyone else already knows.

Though always remember, the wisest ones are those who never want to stop learning.


More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Kelly Clarkson
Denise Truscello/Live Nation Las Vegas/Getty Images

Kelly Clarkson Reveals Horrific Comment Her Ex-Manager Once Made About Her Body—And Fans Are Livid

"Kids say the darnedest things" is a popular phrase for a reason, and while it might not have the same ring, maybe we need to change "kids" to "entertainment managers"?

While doing her Las Vegas residency, Kelly Clarkson mixed her most iconic songs with audience interactions and stories of things that have happened during her career.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mid-shot of a female doctor, wearing a stethoscope.
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Medical Professionals Break Down Times Patients Accurately Self-Diagnosed With Google

Medical professionals often advise against Googling when we are feeling ill.

WebMD is the enemy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Virginia Foxx and Yassamin Ansari

GOP Rep. Melts Down After Dem Rep. Calls Out Republicans' '8 Weeks Of Taxpayer-Funded Vacation'

North Carolina Republican Representative Virginia Foxx was fuming after Arizona Democratic Representative Yassamin Ansari welcomed her back from the GOP's "vacation" after House Speaker Mike Johnson kept the House out of session for eight weeks.

Johnson adjourned the House after September 19, following the passage of a short-term spending bill to avert a government shutdown.

Keep ReadingShow less
La Toya Jackson
@latoyajackson/Instagram

Fans Concerned After La Toya Jackson Shares Cryptic Videos About Her Health At Doctor's Office

We may not all like the same things or be fans of the same celebrities, music, books, or films, but we all understand the anticipatory grief that comes with the fact that our favorite artists are human, just like us, meaning they will age and eventually create their last piece.

Fans of Dolly Parton, for instance, went through a scare last month when her sister shared a cryptic Facebook post about Dolly, only for the country singer to later have to post a video to reassure her fans that she "ain't dead yet" and was healthy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gordon Ramsay
Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images

Gordon Ramsay Sparks Debate With NSFW Take On Creating Menus For People Taking Weight Loss Injections

Chef Gordon Ramsay is famous for his outspoken, often acidic take on things arguably even more than he's famous for his food.

His tirades on his television shows Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares are renowned for having sparked their own memes and gifs years after they were actually on the air.

Keep ReadingShow less