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Things People Weren’t Aware Of Until Embarrassingly Late In Life
Nobody has all the answers. Not even Wikipedia. So, generally speaking, we shouldn't be too hard on ourselves if our lack of understanding of the universe takes center stage. In fact, acknowledging the limits of your mind instead of giving into your insecurity to always appear smart is a sign of intelligence.
To show you that we all have our moments, Bored Panda is taking a look at a discussion on Reddit, started by user Big_Piccolo_8369 where people have been revealing what things they found out embarrassingly late in life. From preserving veggies to making decisions when you're [excited], continue scrolling and check out some of the most popular entries!
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#1
Percentages are reversible. So 8% of 25 is the same thing as 25% of 8 and sometimes the reverse is easier to calculate.
We managed to get in touch with Big_Piccolo_8369, and they said this post was a result of a conscious attempt to create a viral thread.
"I kept on trying to think of questions that would blow up. Since everyone has found out something way too late, and Reddit users love answering questions about themselves, I decided to ask that question," they told Bored Panda.
"I was kind of expecting lighthearted answers, but I was met with random things to do if you get sued or if you buy a house or something. I did see some funny ones so it sort of worked out."
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#2
Being well-educated in one area doesn't mean that a person can't be a total idiot in other areas.
Dr. Adi Jaffe, who holds a Ph.D. in psychology and teaches courses at UCLA that address addiction, pointed out that the more we learn, the more we realize how little we actually know. But when we lack this awareness, we fall victim to the Dunning Kruger Effect (DKE) — a cognitive bias in which people wrongly overestimate their knowledge or ability in a specific area.
"Because the world is full of know-it-alls who don’t actually have any idea of what they are talking about—and the more aware we become of this phenomenon, the better we'll be at deciphering the trolls spouting fake news from the truth-tellers," Jaffe explained on Psychology Today.
#4
Don't ignore bullies. That's terrible advice. The only way they will leave you alone is through the sight of their own blood.
Many tend to overestimate their capabilities."People will rate themselves as average or above average on essentially all tasks," Jaffe said. "If you understand how averages work, you know this is impossible (some people have to be below average, some are average, and some are above average for the whole thing to work)."
But the incompetent fail, through life experience, to learn that they are unskilled. Why?
"One reason is that people rarely receive negative feedback about their skills and abilities from others in everyday life. We can call this tact, being diplomatic, or respect for others, but the end result is the same: We typically shy away from telling people they messed up. But what DKE teaches us is that people need honest feedback."
#7
You can’t get lazy with birth control just because you turn 40. Signed, Middle Aged Mom of a newborn
There's another reason why so many of us may not accept that we are incompetent or lacking knowledge. We may be ignorant of an important form of feedback: social comparison.
"One of the ways we learn about our competencies is by observing the actions of others. Research shows that, compared with people who are experts in particular areas, people who are incompetent in those same areas are less able to identify the skills in others," Jaffe explained. "Consequently, they are unable to learn that they had less competence in the area and were more likely to overestimate themselves."
So when you think you're really good at something, finding an objective way to assess your expertise might be really useful.
#9
The people you work with aren't your friends. Always keep your guard up. Any and all of them can throw you under the bus at any time.
#11
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.
#14
That most people can actually see pictures in their mind. Growing up, I always thought 'counting sheep to fall asleep' meant using my head to think the words "1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep" etc, and so I was understandably puzzled as to why sheep, and not any other word? Then, when I was 34 years old, so not exactly young, I actually figured out that I have aphantasia. Turns out, nearly everyone can actually 'see' animals, or their family member's faces, or characters from a movie, in their head - whereas I've always built quite detailed descriptions, in words, because that's all I have in my head.
#15
Never make an important decision if you are hungry or [excited]. Both have a massive impact on your decision making abilities.
#19
No one really cares about you. I don't mean that in a bad way. But everyone is so busy thinking about themselves, you are always an after thought. The most embarrassing thing in your life, probably doesn't matter than much to someone else.
#20
Your brain isn't trying to make you happy or your life easier. It's trying to keep you alive. Everything else is secondary.
#23
Do all the crazy stuff when you are Young. By the time you can afford it, you no longer have the stamina to.
#25
Life can literally change forever in the next second, hour or day and that when people say to enjoy every moment of life as if it’s your last, it’s actually good advice to maintain a positive attitude and feel like you have no regrets. I’m speaking from personal experience - my SO has been diagnosed with a major issue and the good days are limited, so we are living our best life, just enjoying the simple things.
#26
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”
#27
Basic living skills My parents were hoarders and neglected me growing up, we lived in filth and wore dirty clothes, rarely bathed etc. So I never learned what goes into keeping a house clean, or good hygiene practices, or the basic skills needed for normal life. I know "in theory" how to do those things now, but the underlying core organizational, management, etc skills still aren't there. It's kinda hard to explain but it just feels like there will always be a gap for me.
#28
That kitten's baby teeth also fall out. Found out when playing with my cat he was young. Rollercoaster of emotions between it happening and me googling while holding a little ~~canine~~ fang in my hand.
#29
Apparently you’re not supposed to rinse off your toothpaste. Edit: Just Google it. Apparently it’s better to leave the toothpaste residue in your mouth so the fluoride can work on your teeth.
#31
That when people ask to borrow money especially if it's a friend or family just expect to never see it again.
#32
If you're a parent of a child who has had psych evaluations done by their school district you need to read each and every single thing that's documented in those papers. Then ask yourself if your child may not have the correct diagnosis after all. I went 32 years without knowing I was Autistic. I just found out last year. Who I'd be today if I had only known... I'm traumatized as h**l from this. The documents from my schools psych evals had loads of evidence to support this, but no one ever said a word to me! No one! Take matters into your own hands and never EVER rely on the system.
#34
On Wednesday I learned that pancakes are so called because they are a cake made in a pan. smh I’m 61yo
#36
you can preserve fresh vegetables by getting plasting containers and putting paper towels on the bottom and the top. it absorbs the water. its the water from condensation that makes them go bad so fast. then just change the paper towels every few days and wipe out the container. Makes them last WAY longer. i wonder how i am not dead that i did not know this. Especially as a single guy. My fresh veggies can last 3 weeks. I dont have to get little bits and keep going back to the store.
#37
My name is Aaron. Turns out when you go to the bank, and the post office and the store, you are running Errands. Not Aarons.
#38
A pony is not a baby horse. Edit: the number of people who are responding to this saying that they didn't know this makes me feel so much better for having learned it last year from reddit. At 36 years old. Glad I'm not the only one it took a while for! Cheers.
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