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

Screenshots of Jessica Tarlov and Jesse Watters
Fox News

Fox News Host Jessica Tarlov Slams Jesse Watters For Hypocrisy About Deadly Texas Floods

Speaking on Fox News' The Five, Jessica Tarlov called out her co-host Jesse Watters for not holding President Donald Trump accountable for the ongoing deadly floods in Texas as he did former President Joe Biden during Hurricane Helene last year.

The flash flood disaster has claimed the lives of at least 110 people as of this writing. Among the victims were 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the banks of the Guadalupe River. Officials warn that the death toll is likely to rise as search and rescue efforts continue amid widespread devastation.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ted Cruz
KOAM News

Ted Cruz Gets Blunt Reminder After Demanding Stop To 'Partisan Politics' Following Texas Floods

Texas MAGA Republican Senator Rafael "Ted" Cruz returned Sunday night to the United States from a European vacation. On Monday morning, he took the opportunity to get behind microphones to criticize anyone questioning why the death toll was so high on Friday in an area Texans have nicknamed Flash Flood Alley.

On Thursday, July 3, the National Weather Service issued flash flood alerts and warnings for the Guadalupe River basin in an area west of San Antonio, Texas. A popular outdoor recreation area, the Texas Hill Country would see many visitors in primarily Kerr County for the 4th of July weekend.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Trump Epically Dragged Over Bonkers Plan To Host UFC Fight On White House Lawn

President Donald Trump was mocked online after announcing there will be on a UFC fight on the White House grounds on July 4, 2026 to celebrate our nation's 250th year of independence.

Speaking at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, last week, Trump said:

Keep ReadingShow less
The Fantastic Four: The First Steps, starring Pedro Pascal, premieres on July 25th.
Disney/Marvel Studios

Conspiracy theorists confused by 'Fantastic Four' promo

The marketing team for The Fantastic Four: First Steps caused real-life mayhem among Q-Anon conspiracists who confused the superhero family’s logo for a “Q.”

This all happened on July 4th, when Marvel and Disney hired skywriters to promote the upcoming summer blockbuster, which is set to premiere on July 25th.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Alex Jones; Pam Bondi
Infowars; Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images

Tearful Alex Jones Says He's Gonna 'Throw Up' After Pam Bondi Now Claims There's No 'Epstein List'

InfoWars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was openly tearful after Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed that the so-called Epstein files—documents related to the late financier, pedophile, and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein rumored to contain the names of Epstein's most high-profile enablers—do not exist.

The claim that Epstein had no list of clients to whom underage girls were trafficked marks a public reversal of a theory previously amplified by the Trump administration. Earlier this year, Bondi had suggested in a Fox News interview that such a document existed and was “sitting on my desk” awaiting release.

Keep ReadingShow less