As people, we are often wrong. Take cigarettes, for example: up until 1964, we didn't know there was a link between smoking and cancer. We'd do it everywhere: in restaurants, next to pregnant women, babies, and even in hospitals. Now that we know how dangerous it was, thinking of these scenarios makes us cringe.
But there are a lot of other things we used to do or think that aged pretty poorly. We here at Bored Panda have compiled a list of the most cringeworthy screenshots from the past that are almost disturbing, given what we know now. Celebrity scandals, outdated science, and generally questionable fails await you below!
#1 Classic Daily Mail
Image credits: RopesAreForPussies
#2 Oof
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#3 My Mom Is Cleaning Out The Library At The Preschool Where She Works And Sent Me This
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In 2000, people might've thought that the Internet was just a passing fad. In 1995, Robert Metcalfe, the inventor of Ethernet, claimed that "the Internet will soon go spectacularly supernova and in 1996 catastrophically collapse." Even Bill Gates was wrong about some things, like the elimination of spam emails by 2006 or that passwords would become obsolete.
The truth is that we're often skeptical about technology. That skepticism usually comes from a natural fear of the unknown. "People see new technology as a potential disruptor to the way they currently do things," Rick Kowalski, Director of Industry Analysis and Business Intelligence at the Consumer Technology Association, explains.
#4 Old Visitor Brochures From World Trade Center
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#5 From An Interview In 2000
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#6 Helping The Less Fortunate, Huh?
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If you were born in the 2000s, you probably don't know that Bill Cosby was once "America's Dad" and why his downfall was so controversial and disappointing to many. In the past, he was one of the highest-paid TV actors in history, but in 2005, allegations of sexual crimes started popping up.
In 2018, Cosby was sentenced to prison, although his conviction was overturned in 2021, and he has been free since. Nevertheless, over 50 women accused him of giving them illegal substances and sexual harassment.
"He does not go back to being America's Dad, everything that he lost in terms of the trappings of his life - his reputation, his TV jobs, his night club jobs, his being a spokesperson - all of that is gone," his lawyer Rikki Klieman said.
#7 1970s Cigarettes Can’t Harm Your Throat!
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#8 Quote From Ellen In A Book My Daughter Is Reading
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#9 I Think You Guys Already Know
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Some people might not know that Stefani Germanotta is the real name of the pop powerhouse Lady Gaga. The Facebook group "Stefani Germanotta, you will never be famous" went viral last year when Lady Gaga acknowledged it in an Instagram post. It's a group supposedly made by her NYU Tisch peers before she left in 2005 to pursue music.
Did such a group ever really exist? Currently, there's no trace of the "original" group on Facebook. Instead, there are dozens of similar ones made by Gaga fans. But journalist and fellow NYU alum Lauren Bohn claims she saw the group when she herself was a student.
Another NYU alum, Carly Waddell, said on a podcast that she wasn't a fan of Stefani while at NYU. According to her, Gaga was annoying and would "play and sing Wicked at the top of her lungs" during lunch.
#10 Google Is A Pure Search Engine
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#11 Unfortunate
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#12 Oh God
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Netflix once promised in a tweet that they'd never leave a story unfinished. Yet that promise aged like milk. Since then, the streaming giant has canceled many beloved shows without giving them a proper ending. Such shows include Fate: The Winx Saga, The Midnight Club, The Society, The Baby-Sitters Club, Anne with an E, 1899, Resident Evil, GLOW, Warrior Nun and The Chair.
#13 The Back Of My High School Year Book (2007)
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#14 An Ad From The 1950's Gives Tips On How To Dispose Of Batteries
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#15 This Lyric
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If you weren't a big fan of Elon Musk in the 2010s, you might not know that he guest starred in an episode of The Big Bang Theory. Musk had cameos in many other productions, including Iron Man 2, The Simpsons, and South Park. But his cameo in TBBT now has ridiculous levels of irony, as he's seen volunteering in a soup kitchen with Howard.
#16 A Book I Found In My Grandpa’s Childhood Collection From 1917 About A “Photo Telephone”
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#17 An Old Memory Of Mine. Don't Ask Me For Any Future Advice
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#18 Sugar As Diet Aid 1971
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By now, the author of the Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling, is known as a huge anti-trans advocate. Just last year, she questioned Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif's gender. Then, she accused Paralympian Valentina Petrillo of being "a cheat."
It all started in 2017 and 2018, when Rowling "liked" some derogatory comments toward trans people on Twitter. Rowling went on many anti-trans Twitter tirades throughout the years, earning herself the title of a TERF: a trans-exclusionary radical feminist.
The stars of the Harry Potter films, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, released statements about how they disagree with Rowling. So has Eddie Redmayne, star of Fantastic Beasts, and even Warner Bros.
#19 I'm Really Curious About The Secrets Behind The Success. What Could It Be?
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#20 From A 1999 Review Of Star Wars Episode I
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#21 Time Magazine, May 15, 2017. An Article About The Next Pandemic And "How To Keep The World Safe"
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Smoking was the thing that could make you look instantly cool back in the day. That is, until 1951, when Sir Richard Doll, a UK scientist, made a link between cigarettes and lung cancer.
Before that, brands would use aggressive marketing to sell the idea of the coolness of smoking. Camel had a campaign with the slogan "More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette." The famous Marlboro Man was the epitome of "cool."
Today, smoking is making a comeback, with celebrities like Charli XCX and Dua Lipa glamorizing it on their social media. Addison Rae even said in a TikTok video: "Ew, I hate vaping. Smoke a cigarette!"
#22 From Clickbait To Monster Criminal
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#23 This T Shirt
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#24 Oh Boy
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Today, we know that sugar isn't good for us. But in the 1970s, people believed it could "cut appetite and increase your energy" and even help people lose weight. The truth is that foods rich in protein, fiber, and good fats are way healthier and make us feel satiated for far longer.
#25 Nobel Prize Winning Economist Paul Krugman
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#26 He’s Gonna Miss It
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#27 This Oil-Disposal Tip
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If someone told us to throw a used battery in a fireplace "to prevent soot formation," we'd probably call that person crazy. However, back then, batteries were made out of zinc and were not sealed. So the pressure wouldn't build up if they were to be thrown into a fire.
If we were to put a modern-day battery in a fireplace, it would most likely result in an explosion, toxic fumes everywhere, and chemical burns.
#28 Rewatching Suits, Noticed This Line
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#29 Message On Climate Change From Katy Perry, Who Was Recently Criticized For Her Needless Trip To Space With Jeff Bezos' Company
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#30 My “Would You Rather” Book From 2001
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Which of these things do you think aged the worst, Pandas? Was it the things celebrities did or said, or was it outdated advice from lifestyle magazines? Let us know which entries you liked the most by upvoting them! And, if this much cringe is not enough for you, see more things that aged like milk here and here!
#31 Guy Regrets A Financial Decision
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#32 Might Be A Bit Late But Damn
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#33 Aunt Becky Staying True To Form
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#34 This Aged Well
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#35 Greatest US Gymnast Shouldn’t Compete
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#36 This Book From 1975
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#37 Taylor Swift's Career Is Over, Declares Australian Mural In 2016
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#38 Well Then
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#39 Nailed It. Oh, Wait
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#40 LOL Nope
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#41 I’m Thankful For The Internet
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#42 Redditor Questions Whether A Parking Garage Is Stable And Is Assured That It Is, One Year Before It’s Collapse
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#43 Tweet From Neil Gaiman And Reply From His (Now-Ex) Wife, Amanda Palmer
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#44 No Way
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#45 1st Edition USSR Guide Book Published Less Than 26 Days Before The USSR Collapsed
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#46 This Scene From Heroes In 2006 About Youtube
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#47 Video Games In 1977 = Just A Fad
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#48 This Sign Advertising How Nobody Should Spend Four Bucks On Their Morning Latte Didn't Age Well
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#49 Found This Gem On Letterboxd
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#50 From Politico Magazine March 19, 2020
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#51 This Motivational Quote From My Work
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#52 This Line Just Aged Even Worse
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#53 He’s 37
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#54 So, How's Everyone Feeling?
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#55 He's Been Almost Done For Half A Decade
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#56 If Only That Was Still The Case
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#57 Never Obsolete
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#58 Y2k Survival Guide, Be Ready For When It All Comes Crashing Down
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#59 “The Average Retirement Age Is Now 61.5… And It’s Getting Even Lower.” -How To Study In College, Walter Pauk, 1993
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#60 This Can Be Found By Reading 'The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos And The Age Of Amazon' By Brad Stone
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#61 If You Can't Even Clean Up Your Own Room, Who The Hell Are You To Give Advice To The World?
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#62 Rowling Would Totally Endorse This
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#63 Drake
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#64 Drake And Josh Are All Good, Don’t Worry
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