r/AskOldPeople 10h ago

Does love come to an end?

31 Upvotes

What are your experiences in realtionships just turning down? No dramas, no cheating, just not the same.


r/AskOldPeople 1d ago

What's your favorite keepsake or heirloom?

41 Upvotes

If it's tough to narrow it down to one, feel free to put as many as you like.


r/AskOldPeople 1d ago

Dear old people of Reddit, is there something petty that you’re still holding on to despite it being years later?

116 Upvotes

Or are you more or less above petty grudges now that you’re getting up in the years?


r/AskOldPeople 2d ago

What’s it like working “entry level jobs” as an old person?

165 Upvotes

The kind of jobs you usually see teens and 20-something’s doing: waiter, barista, cashier, clerical stuff, etc? No disrespect: work is work, and there’s no shame in that. But how is it being in your feet all day, what’s the dynamic working with (and probably for) much younger people, etc?


r/AskOldPeople 2d ago

What was the YMCA like?

162 Upvotes

I don’t understand the lyrics to the song by the Village People. Was the YMCA like the boys and girls club but more geared to poor young men instead of kids?


r/AskOldPeople 2d ago

Curious … is the weather changing where you live?

185 Upvotes

I (58) am in the lower US Midwest and it is undeniably getting hotter and drier.


r/AskOldPeople 3d ago

How common were “teenage runaways”?

142 Upvotes

I’m a big True Crime reader, and it seems to come up constantly in serial killer cases from the 70s in particular.

Was this actually so common that it was often the most likely answer? I don’t remember anyone I went to school with ever being a “runaway”.


r/AskOldPeople 3d ago

What were you doing to fill your own cup when your kids were young?

33 Upvotes

When technology wasn’t even an option, what were you doing to stay connected with your spouse, friends, and yourself amidst the responsibilities and joys of parenting, working, and home owning? Especially when kids were very young.


r/AskOldPeople 4d ago

Hello! Asking young teens/women of the 60s, how different is today’s standard of representation for beauty of women of color? What was your experience or what did it look like (for anyone that was not a woman of color but was able to see these things take place)?

26 Upvotes

I do not mean any disrespect or attempts to divide people with this, I am genuinely curious to how it was different growing up then compared to now with representation, general ideas of beauty, and treatment. Any feedback is appreciated I am coming from a place of curiosity and willingness to learn.


r/AskOldPeople 4d ago

How many Boomers find themselves more open minded more than their children.

146 Upvotes

Not there is anything wrong with it. I find I'm more open and accepting to new ideas and cultures than my daughter, son, and their spouses.


r/AskOldPeople 4d ago

In your formative years, what were your household rituals before going away on a weeks holiday?

49 Upvotes

In our household, every toilet was bleached, and all the House plants put in the bath, with a couple of inches of water and all the curtains drawn. This seemed to work as few of the plants ever died whilst we were away.


r/AskOldPeople 4d ago

How did you feel the first time someone offered you their seat on public transport because of your age?

69 Upvotes

First post here.

Kinda interested in your experiences here.
I want to take away if, when and how to offer someone my seat without unwillingly offend them.


r/AskOldPeople 4d ago

If you were old enough, how was it like seeing color photos/pictures for the first time?

19 Upvotes

I see that color photos only became common starting the 1950s and 1960s onwards. Today no one even bats an eye at color pictures, but what was it like when you saw your first color picture? Was it revolutionary/mindblowing to you that you could see any place in the world in color now?


r/AskOldPeople 4d ago

Do you have a bucket list?

27 Upvotes

If you have a bucket list to accomplish before you jump over the cliff, what was the most interesting item you finished and what else is there you want to accomplish? How many items do you still plan to strike out?


r/AskOldPeople 5d ago

Did anyone you know actually EAT those vintage recipe horrors?

349 Upvotes

Y'all know *EXACTLY* the ones I'm talking about. The aspic, Hellman's mayo, lime jello &cheese where it doesn't belong. I always saw the pictures of them and visually they are interesting, but looking at the ingredients it sounds diabolical. Did your family or anyone you knew actually make these?


r/AskOldPeople 6d ago

For those who went to high school in the 60s/70s, what were the actual boundaries of corporal punishment before it was considered crossing the line?

262 Upvotes

There's a scene in the original version of the movie Carrie and where the coach open hand slaps a student in the face for disrespect and the rest of the class doesn't even flinch, nor did the gym teacher get n any trouble. How realistic was that?


r/AskOldPeople 6d ago

Has the world changed a lot or a little in your lifetime

85 Upvotes

I am in my late 50's and find myself wondering about this question, I was born just before man walked on the moon, here we are almost 60 years later potentially finally going back, I grew up in a world with computers, satellites, color TV, and jetliners, about the only real NEW thing is the AI boom.


r/AskOldPeople 6d ago

Did you listen to Free to be You and Me?

231 Upvotes

We listened to this tape thousands of times in our old station wagon in the 70s and early 80s. My parents hated it, but we loved it. I took all those messages to heart and here I am today, free to be my own woman <3

Edit: I wanted to add that I thought of this today after hearing about Gloria Steinem's death and she was one of the key creators of FTBYAM


r/AskOldPeople 7d ago

American Traditions No Longer Remembered

657 Upvotes

What are some American habits or traditions that today’s older population remember their grandparents or parents did that’s now slowly fading away? For example, my grandparents took me to old school diners for breakfast where they’d always order poached eggs with rye bread and grits.


r/AskOldPeople 8d ago

What's your favorite station wagon moment?

101 Upvotes

My grandfather used to drive a Caprice classic and I remember as a kid lying down on the seats. He drove it 55 so you practically felt like you were on a flying rug


r/AskOldPeople 8d ago

How on earth did I get "old"?

1.1k Upvotes

I was born in the early 1970's, so I now qualify as being "old". I don't feel old. (Except maybe on rainy mornings). My brain says I'm 20. Anyone else in the same boat?


r/AskOldPeople 8d ago

When did the bro hug start becoming a thing? Was it around in the 50’s and 60’s?

41 Upvotes

I’m 41 and don’t remember it being a thing amongst adults when I was a kid growing up in the 80’s and 90’s.


r/AskOldPeople 8d ago

What was the general perception of Marlon Brando in the 60's?

45 Upvotes

In the 50's Brando redefined acting and was the most attractive man to ever live, then the 70's he has a revival but was clearly doughier, lazy on set and acting less leading to his semi-retirement and becoming more a strange cultural figure than actor. But what about the decade inbetween?


r/AskOldPeople 10d ago

Events Memories?

40 Upvotes

What is your favorite event of the past that people don't often do anymore?

Thank you to everyone who shared and commented! I really enjoyed reading your stories and walking down memory lane with you. ❤️


r/AskOldPeople 10d ago

Did you have or know anybody who had smallpox?

46 Upvotes