Posted on Oct 23, 2026 UTC

I am not that old, but one time, I was telling my younger cousins about how Netflix used to be a mailing service, and they were absolutely gobsmacked. I myself was kinda shocked too, because I'd just assumed that was common knowledge. (Wait till I tell them about the mythical world of Blockbuster.) So when redditor u/MrDNL asked the people of r/AskOldPeople to share the common knowledge from their time that younger generations might have a hard time believing, I was all in. Here are some of the responses that will either make you feel totally nostalgic or completely puzzled:

1.

"When the internet first came out, you couldn't talk on the phone and be online at the same time."

2.

"Going to get gas was more of an experience. When you went, the gas station attendants would put gas in your car, clean your windshield, and check your oil.…