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37 Basic Facts People Didn’t Learn Until They Were Much Older
Learning is a continuous journey that people go on for their whole lives. Even though we might learn things from school or people, books, movies, and other sources, there might be certain facts we miss out on. It can therefore be embarrassing if we only figure those things out for ourselves very late in life.
This list is full of such realizations from folks who feel a bit sheepish about the apparently common knowledge things they learned later on. Who knows, maybe this might be a learning experience for you as well.
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#1
Those roadside memorials are not actually where they buried the person. I always thought that was so disrespectful to just leave people in the ditch where they died.
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#3
I didn't know the exhaust fan in the bathroom was there to get rid of the humidity in the room to prevent mold. I thought it was there to get rid of the smell.
I was 68.
It’s easy to think that general knowledge is, in fact, “general”—but the truth is that not everyone is as clued in as we think they are. There are some facts about life and the universe that ideally everyone should know, but for whatever reason, they don’t figure them out. That’s okay, too, because there will always be chances to learn these things.
Sometimes, folks might not be taught such facts in school or have never discussed them with friends. It then becomes difficult to stumble upon the information on a normal basis. People have to actually pick and choose what they want to learn because that decides what they spend their time on. Otherwise, there’s just a vast amount of information to consume.
#4
I didn’t know pirates were real until I was like 27. Fully thought they were made up characters like leprechauns.
#5
I know absolutely nothing about fashion and my wife watches a show called “Say yes to the dress” about picking wedding dresses. They kept using a term to describe sleeves and after hearing it a dozen times I paused the show and said “[forget you]! What the h**l are CAT-sleeves? Nothing about em looks like a d**n cat”
She informed me the term is “Cap-sleeves” and now if she seees that sort of sleeves on someone she turns to me and meows.
Apart from all the facts on this list, there are some important life lessons that people need to learn as well. One of the most valuable beliefs is that you are the architect of your own life and that nobody else can control who you want to be. Although many people learn this lesson a bit too late, understanding and following it is the key to living a happy life.
There are many such positive self-beliefs that most people aren't taught by their parents or in school. They may then end up becoming adults who harshly criticize themselves or feel they need to conform in order to fit in. It’s therefore essential that kids are taught these things early on so that they don’t limit themselves.
#8
I was an adult when I found out that Alaska is not an island and, in fact, is attached to Canada. All the maps as kids showed Alaska like an island next to Hawaii.
I swear, I’m a well educated person. 😂.
It might be funny to read some of the posts on this list and marvel at the fact that so many people were clueless about such basic things. One of the reasons for this could be that schools are primarily focused on academic subjects, and they don’t leave much space for kids to pick up any practical or essential life skills.
Children need to learn about personal finance, develop social skills, figure out how to manage their time, and also find the space to be creative. When they miss out on so many key things, it becomes a task for them to complete on their own later in their lives. That’s why so many of us are still confused about the fact that a tomato is a fruit and not a vegetable.
#10
I thought baby carrots taste different than big carrot cause the baby ones always seem more wet and I don’t like that….so figured they were also grown differently like maybe they were a different species of carrot - 🥕 turns out they are just big carrots cut up and shaped. I like big carrots 😂.
#12
I just realized the other day that to “make ends meet” had nothing to do with meat. Like I got what it meant from context but I thought it was like I’m so poor I can’t make ends meat like it was some kind of dish.
There’s nothing to be embarrassed about if you don’t know some facts or are still learning about the world. Some people embrace the idea of lifelong learning and love the fact that there is still so much for them to figure out. The way to go about this is to always be curious about new things and to keep asking questions.
People who always want to learn don’t feel any shame or guilt about the fact that they may not know something. Instead, they treat that as an opportunity to learn, and they talk to people who know a lot more than they do. This is actually a very healthy way to figure out more about the world and also get a personalized learning experience.
#13
That the wax in candles are actually the fuel for the flame. I thought that the wick was soaked in fuel and the wax just melted away to reveal it. I was well into adulthood when I learned this.
#14
I was 25 when I discovered that Sherlock Holmes was not a real person. I was so disappointed and betrayed.
#15
You can just twist the deodorant to remove the protective cap instead of wrangling it out with your teeth.
There are just so many facts to learn about the world and the universe that we need to give ourselves a break if we don’t know some of them. It’s time for us to take pride in the fact that there are some silly things we’ve just figured out, so that we can laugh about them and then learn something new.
That’s why we want you to share the funny things you’ve just learned about. We promise we won’t judge you.
#17
My shoe size lol I though shoes were supposed to fit snug to the foot, turns out I was wearing a half size to a whole size down lol.
#19
That in “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” Santa is the dad in a costume. Until I was mid-20s I really thought the mom was cheating on her husband with Santa.
#21
59 years old when I found out New England is NOT a single US state -- it's a region of 6 states. Maybe I thought so because of the New England Patriots?
#22
That I have curly hair… my entire life I thought o was cursed with dried out, frizzy Hermione hair… turns out my hair has some solid locks when I ditch the brush, avoid combing while hair is dry, and get a satin night cap lol.
#23
My mom is 64 and she just learned that the sun is a star. She thought it was its own thing I suppose!
#24
Dinosaur bones in museums aren't real bones only a cast (sometimes smaller displays will be real but they will state so).
#25
That the song i thought was called ice capade by janet jackson is actually called escapade.
#26
The Normans that invaded England way back? Were from NORMANDY….. I’m not sure why that never dawned on me.
#27
I thought Charles Barkley the basketball player and gnarles Barkley the musician were the same person.
#28
You always find the thing you are looking for in the last place you look. I get that it means it’s the last place because why would you keep looking after you find it. But what I always thought it meant was the thing is always in the last place you would consider looking at to find it.
#29
How to pronounce "ethereal", i didnt know it was like eth-ear-eal like cereal, i thought it was ether-eel LOL.
#30
This one is hard to admit, but how babies are actually made. I learned when I was 16/17. I knew where they come out of but not how they got in there.
#31
I realised the pickle thing around the same age as you.
I was 16 when I suddenly realised that pine cones came from.pine trees.
#33
I am an educated man in my 40s. I have travelled the world. I have loved and lost. I engage with a wide variety of creative media, so as to expand my understanding of the world while also engaging my mind.
I was wildly mispronouncing "biopic" the entire time. I am a dolt.
#35
How to cook rice without a rice cooker. (Still use one when I can, though. Cause it's just better.).
#36
I was too old when I learned blue raspberry is just a mix of raspberry and blue berry and not a real fruit.
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