20 Old School Ideas That Seem Totally Ridiculous Now

Ah yes, the good old days — when life felt simpler, phones had cords, and our biggest worry was taping over our favorite show. But let’s be honest… some of the things we did back then? Totally baffling. Like, “what were we even thinking?” levels of confusion.

From fashion faux pas that defied logic to life hacks that were really just mild safety hazards, it was a time of bold choices and questionable wisdom.

Whether it was slathering on baby oil to enhance a sunburn or trusting a metal playground in July, we embraced chaos like it was a family tradition. And don’t get us started on the food — somehow everything was processed, neon-colored, and “part of a balanced breakfast.”

But hey, we survived, and we’ve got the stories (and maybe some back pain) to prove it. So grab your slap bracelet and let’s laugh our way through 20 ideas from the past that have us scratching our heads today.

1. Smoking on Airplanes

Remember when lighting up a cigarette on an airplane was as common as asking for peanuts? Nothing like being trapped in a metal tube full of smoke for six hours. I always wondered how the flight attendants managed to keep smiling through the haze.

These days, the only thing smoking on a plane might get you is a stern talking-to and possibly an emergency landing. The thought of smoke-filled cabins now feels like a scene from a bygone era.

It’s fascinating to think we once prioritized smoking over fresh air at 30,000 feet. I guess we were truly flying by the seat of our pants back then.

2. Drinking from the Garden Hose

Ah, the taste of summer! Nothing quenched thirst like a blast of hose water straight from the garden. No Brita, no bottled water—just vibes and hose water. It was sort of a rite of passage; the first sip was always a gamble on temperature.

If you were lucky, you’d catch it cool and refreshing; if not, you’d enjoy a tepid surprise. These days, that sounds as appealing as drinking from a rusty spigot.

Yet, somehow, we survived to tell the tale, a testament to the resilience of our immune systems—or perhaps just our youthful indiscretion.

3. Not Wearing Seatbelts

Seatbelts? We don’t need no stinkin’ seatbelts! At least, that’s what we seemed to think back in the day. Because safety was apparently optional, much like vegetables at dinner.

Riding around without seatbelts was almost like being in a mobile bouncy castle, where every bump was an adventure. Now, we shudder at the thought of even backing out of the driveway without being securely strapped in.

Looking back, it’s a miracle we didn’t end up with more bumps and bruises—or worse. What were we thinking, treating cars like bumper cars without the bumpers?

4. Leaving Kids in the Car While You Shopped

“Crack a window, they’ll be fine!” was the mantra of yesteryears. I remember sitting in the backseat, playing with superhero action figures while my mom dashed into the store.

The idea of leaving kids in the car now seems absurd, like asking a cat to babysit. Times have changed, and so have our understanding of safety and responsibility.

Back then, it seemed perfectly reasonable, but today, it’s a quick way to get a call from child services. I guess we can say we’ve moved on from backseat babysitting.

5. Blowing on Video Game Cartridges to “Fix” Them

Certified magic. Questionable science. Who knew that the secret to making a video game work was a breath of fresh air?

Those NES cartridges seemed to demand a ritual blowing session before they’d cooperate, like tiny digital divas. Maybe it was just an excuse to feel like a gaming wizard for a moment.

Nowadays, we’d probably just Google a solution rather than perform wind-powered repairs. But hey, if it ain’t broke—or if it is, just blow on it!

6. Using Butter as Sunblock

SPF what? Just slather and sizzle. There was a time when people actually thought using butter as sunblock was a good idea. The result? A human roasting pan, complete with crispy edges.

We laugh now, but at the time, it seemed logical enough for some to try it. Today, we reach for SPF 50 instead of reaching into the fridge for some butter.

I suppose it’s better for your skin and leaves the butter where it belongs—on popcorn rather than on people.

7. Getting Up to Change the TV Channel

Can you believe there was a time when you had to actually stand up to change the TV channel? No remote = a workout just to channel surf. Every channel change was a mini-exercise session.

The lack of a remote made channel surfing an actual physical activity, akin to a mini-gym session. Now, it’s hard to imagine life without a remote glued to our hands.

Looking back, maybe we didn’t need gym memberships; we just needed more channels.

8. Recording Songs Off the Radio With a Cassette Tape

Timing had to be perfect or you’d get a DJ talking over your favorite part. The art of recording songs off the radio with a cassette tape was a delicate dance.

I remember hovering over the record button, hoping the DJ wouldn’t ruin my favorite song’s intro. It was as much about patience as it was about music appreciation.

These days, it’s just a click away, but back then, it required dedication. Maybe we appreciated those songs a little more because of the effort.

9. Hitchhiking

Just stick out a thumb and hope for the best. What could go wrong? Hitchhiking was once a common and seemingly harmless way to travel.

The idea of getting into a car with a stranger now feels like the start of a horror movie rather than a travel plan. Still, it was a way to meet new people and share stories, or at least, that’s what I’ve heard.

Nowadays, apps have replaced the thumb, and safety is more than a hopeful thought. A hitchhiker’s journey, more a leap of faith than anything else.

10. Having One Phone… in the Kitchen… With a Cord

And everyone in the house listening in while you tried to whisper. One phone, one cord, and often, one chance to sneak a private conversation.

Privacy was a luxury, as was the ability to move more than three feet during a call. If you needed to talk, it was public knowledge, whether you liked it or not.

Today, we carry the world in our pockets, but once, a cord tethered us as surely as any leash. It’s amazing how far we’ve come in terms of communication freedom.

11. Writing Checks at the Grocery Store

“Price check on aisle four… and a pen, please.” There was a time when writing checks at the grocery store was as routine as buying bread.

The line would patiently wait as you scribbled numbers and signed your name. A lost practice, now replaced by a simple swipe or tap.

I sometimes miss the ceremony of check-writing, though not the waiting. The grocery store check line was like a time warp, slowing everything down.

12. Watching TV on a Schedule

You miss it? Too bad. No pause. No rewind. No reruns for weeks. TV was an event, something planned and anticipated, not just streamed.

Family life often revolved around the TV schedule, and missing a show meant weeks of suspense. Binging was something we did with snacks, not shows.

Now, we watch what we want, when we want. But back then, TV watching required planning, patience, and punctuality.

13. Riding in the Back of a Pickup Truck

No seats. No belts. Just wind and danger. Riding in the back of a pickup truck was the epitome of freedom and perhaps a little naivety.

There was a thrill in feeling the wind and watching the world whiz by without a care. Safety was more of a suggestion than a rule.

Today, it seems reckless, but once upon a time, it was pure childhood joy. I’d say we were just riding the winds of change, quite literally.

14. Floppy Disks

Storing 1.44MB like it was Fort Knox. Floppy disks were the height of tech innovation, the cutting-edge of data storage.

I remember the thrill of holding a piece of vital information in something that seemed so substantial. Now, it feels quaint compared to today’s massive storage solutions.

Floppy disks may be obsolete, but their legacy lives on in the save icon. A small reminder of how far storage has come.

15. Wearing Aluminum Foil to Get a Better Tan

Reflect the sun directly into your face? Genius. At least, that’s what some people thought when they wore aluminum foil to boost their tans.

It’s hard to imagine now, but once upon a time, it seemed like a good idea. Skin safety? More like skin sizzler.

A tan may have been a badge of honor, but today we know better. Sunscreen over shiny sheets any day.

16. Collecting Phone Book Numbers Like a Social Flex

“You’re not in the Yellow Pages? Do you even exist?” In the era before smartphones, having a hefty phone book was a sign of social clout.

Flipping through pages to find a number was akin to a treasure hunt, a task requiring patience and a good memory.

These days, we’ve traded pages for pixels, but once, the phone book was the social network of choice.

17. Spying on Neighbors With Binoculars (Like, Casually)

“Oh we’re not nosy, just… observant.” The art of casual spying was a neighborhood pastime.

A pair of binoculars and a curious mind were all you needed to keep up with the Joneses. Blame it on curiosity, or perhaps just a lack of cable TV.

Today, we have social media for that, but once, it was all about the binoculars and a good vantage point.

18. Leaving Voicemails With Full Directions and Plans

“Hey, so take a left at the gas station, then…” No texting, just trust. Voicemails once carried the weight of plans, directions, and even entire conversations.

I remember leaving detailed messages, hoping the recipient would follow along. It was a time of faith in voicemail technology.

Now, we text and send pins, but back then, we relied on the power of spoken word and a blinking answering machine light.

19. Buying Encyclopedias From a Door-to-Door Salesman

Because Google was a man in a suit with 26 books in his trunk. Encyclopedias were the original search engines, one volume at a time.

Owning a set was like having a treasure trove of knowledge, albeit one that was heavy and quickly outdated. Buying them from a traveling salesman felt like acquiring wisdom from a sage on wheels.

Today, we have the internet, but once, knowledge came bound in leather and delivered to your door.

20. Having to Wait Days to See Photos You Took

Pray that flash worked and your thumb wasn’t in the shot. The excitement of taking photos was matched only by the anticipation of waiting to see them.

Dropping off film and waiting days for development made each photo a surprise, for better or worse. Would it be a masterpiece or a blurry mess?

Now, we click and view instantly, but there was a certain magic in the mystery of those undeveloped rolls.