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

John Cusack; Donald Trump
Paul Natkin/Getty Images; Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

John Cusack Has Fiery Message For Trump As He Tries To Turn Chicago Into A 'Fascist Hub'

A number of famous faces turned out to protest against the Trump administration on Saturday as millions across the United States—and across the globe—gathered for another day of "No Kings" demonstrations. Longtime Chicago, Illinois, resident John Cusack showed up in the Windy City to support his adopted hometown.

Cusack was born and raised in nearby Evanston, Illinois.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Mike Johnson; George Santos
Fox News; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Mike Johnson Just Made A Surreal Admission About George Santos—And Yep, That Tracks

George Santos is out of prison and Mike Johnson is now facing significant criticism after telling Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy that he'd happily welcome the disgraced politician back to Congress.

Santos—who since arriving on the political scene faced allegations of fabricating his background, misusing campaign funds for luxury items and Botox, and leaving a trail of victims behind him as a known fraud and identity thief—received a seven-year sentence for crimes that the U.S. attorney for the eastern district of New York argued “made a mockery” of the electoral process.

Keep ReadingShow less
JD Vance; Gavin Newsom
Megan Varner/Getty Images; Mario Tama/Getty Images

JD Vance Just Visited California—And Gavin Newsom Gave Him A Petty Welcome For The Ages

California Governor Gavin Newsom had a hilariously petty way to "welcome" Vice President JD Vance to California—once again using a viral rumor about Vance's love for, ahem, couches to comedic effect.

Vance visited Camp Pendleton over the weekend for the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps and Newsom took the opportunity to mock Vance by hinting at the now-infamous—though untrue—rumor that Vance wrote about having sex with a couch in his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy.

Keep ReadingShow less
interior of a private jet
Yaroslav Muzychenko on Unsplash

People Call Out The Industries That Only Exist To Service The Very Rich

The only private jet I've been on was the Lisa Marie, Elvis Presley's plane on display at Graceland. I've never been chauffeured around in a limousine, arrived at a party by helicopter, or had a jeweler bring a case full of diamonds to my home for me to select from.

There's a saying about seeing how the other half lives, but it's much closer to the other 1% than it is 50%.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gavin Newsom; Donald Trump
Patrick J. Fallon/Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Gavin Newsom Hits Trump Over His Threat To Send National Guard To San Francisco With A Blunt Reality Check

California Governor Gavin Newsom shut down President Donald Trump's claim that the people of San Francisco "want" the National Guard there as the Trump administration's immigration crackdown continues.

In a Fox News interview, Trump said "I think they want us in San Francisco," contrasting this claim with ongoing ICE operations in Chicago, where citizens have clashed with immigration agents over the last several weeks.

Keep ReadingShow less