18 Things That Were Normal 50 Years Ago But Are Unthinkable Now
Fifty years ago, everyday life was shaped by practices and norms that seem almost unthinkable today, from smoking in restaurants to relying on landlines, revealing just how much our world has evolved in a few short decades.
- Alyana Aguja
- 6 min read
Fifty years ago, every day was filled with habits that seem unthinkable today, such as smoking in your home, using a payphone, and depending on a manual typewriter. These activities were once the foundation of social activities, employments, and travel, but technological developments, advances in public health, and cultural norms have turned them into distant memories. A look at these former norms illustrates how quickly values, amenities, and laws have shifted within society, providing an interesting insight into the speed of contemporary progress.
1. Smoking Indoors
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Half a century ago, indoor smoking was the norm in almost all public and private places. Planes, restaurants, workplaces, and even hospitals had a smoking section or permitted individuals to smoke anywhere. Now, almost all indoor smoking is prohibited because people are becoming more aware of the health hazards and the effects of secondhand smoke.
2. Payphones Everywhere
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In the 1970s, payphones were everywhere: on the streets, in gas stations, and even inside restaurants. Children used them for quick calls and carried spare change just to make a call. Today, with the prevalence of mobile phones, payphones have almost disappeared.
3. Unrestricted Car Travel for Children
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In the ’70s, it was not unheard of for kids to ride in the front seat of a vehicle without seat belts or be thrown in the back of a pickup truck without consideration. Child safety was a concept at best compared to today’s stern car seat regulations and awareness of child passenger safety. We’ve made a big step towards putting such regulations in place to make every child safe on the road.
4. Socializing Through Landlines
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Everyone used to have a landline in their houses back in the days before cell phones, and one would typically sit in the living room or kitchen, talking while the parents listened in the background. The busy signal sound or waiting for the other person to answer was an everyday phenomenon. This method of socializing is all but lost now with the use of mobile phones and instant messaging.
5. Smoking on Planes
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A standard feature of the flight experience, airplane smoking sections were a staple of air travel. Passengers smoked in the rear while the rest of the plane tolerated the lingering smoke. Due to increasing health issues and passenger comfort, smoking was prohibited on aircraft in the late ’80s.
6. Drinking and Driving
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Previously, driving under the influence was not unusual for individuals, and there was less concern about designated drivers. Restaurants and bars tended to be lenient toward this practice, with fewer regulations and enforcement regarding drinking and driving. In the modern era, strict DUI laws and zero-tolerance policies render this practice nearly unthinkable.
7. Housewives as the Norm
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Half a century ago, it was considered a natural social norm for women to be stay-at-home wives, with many of them staying at home to work on the household and look after children. It was a period when gender roles were fixed solidly and there were little or no career prospects for women, coming second to being married. Now, gender equality in the workplace and shared responsibilities have radically transformed these expectations.
8. TV Networks Broadcasting Only a Few Hours a Day
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In the early ’70s, TV stations often signed off in the late evening, showing static or a test pattern until the next morning’s broadcast. The idea of endless, 24/7 programming was unfathomable at the time. Today, streaming platforms and 24-hour cable news networks have made constant media consumption the norm.
9. No Email or Internet
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In 1975, instant communication via email was a dream yet to be realized, and individuals used postal mail and landline phones to communicate. Personal computers were costly and few in households, and the internet was still in its embryonic stages. Emails and instant messaging are the order of the day today, replacing letters and transforming how we communicate and conduct business.
10. Typewriters in Offices
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Offices in the ’70s had manual typewriters, where employees typed reports and documents with the clack-clack of keys pounding against paper. It was slow, as errors required white-out or starting again from scratch. Nowadays, word processors and backspace features have rendered this obsolete, allowing for quicker, more efficient document production.
11. No Seat Belts on School Buses
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In the 1970s, school buses did not have seat belts, and kids would travel without any safety device on their daily trip to school. The idea of seat belts being necessary on a bus wasn’t thought of until much later. Today, seat belts are a common fixture on school buses to provide safety for students.
12. Gas Stations with Attendants
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In the 1970s, most gas stations employed attendants who would fuel your tank for you, wash your windows, and even take a look underneath the hood if you requested. You could relax in your own vehicle while the rest was handled. Nowadays, full-service gasoline stations are nowhere to be seen, and do-it-yourself is the practice nearly everywhere.
13. Handwritten Letters and Postcards
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Mailing a handwritten postcard or letter was the main form of long-distance communication. You’d choose stationery, pen your message, and hope for the postal service to deliver it, often taking days or weeks. Since email and social media became prevalent, handwritten communication is more of a nostalgic throwback than an efficient form of communication.
14. Television Commercial Breaks as Social Events
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In the 1970s, TV programming commercials were not just a part of the experience but were frequently viewed with the same attention as the show. Individuals would sit around the TV, chat, or even engage with commercials. In today’s DVR and streaming era, skipping commercials is the new norm, altering the consumption of advertisements.
15. Public Smoking in Restaurants
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It was typical to have diners smoke and eat in restaurants, with ashtrays left on tables for convenience. Smoking sections were usually marked, but most freely lit up, having their meal and a cigarette. Today, smoking is prohibited in most restaurants since public health issues have become the focus.
16. Soda Delivered in Glass Bottles
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In the ’70s, sodas used to be brought in glass bottles, which you would either return for a deposit or reuse. Such bottles were stored in coolers and shipped straight to households or businesses. Plastic bottles and cans now rule the roost, and returnable glass bottles are a rarity.
17. Manual Film Cameras
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Photography in the ’70s involved working with a manual film camera, and you’d have to manually set focus, exposure, and shutter speed for the ultimate photograph. You’d shoot a roll of film to be developed in a local shop, and it’d take days to receive your prints. Instant photos and editing are what you can expect now with digital cameras and smartphones.
18. Local Shops Closed on Sundays
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A generation ago, most stores and companies, particularly small neighborhood ones, used to close on Sundays as a given. This was associated with religious practices and social norms around rest time. Today, Sunday shopping has become the norm, with almost all stores operating during the day.