A lot of advice espoused by the older generations is pretty outdated. The world changes at a brisk pace nowadays, but many people are still stuck in the past.
Redditor u/LostMediaHoarder took to the subreddit r/WhitePeopleTwitter to ask people's opinions on this tweet by @marykatbow: “What's a piece of advice that old people like to give that is absolutely useless in 2023?”
Other Redditors flooded the thread with their answers.
Make Unique Cold Calls
One Redditor shared that their father-in-law told them to make cold calls or “drop off donuts at the places [they] wanted to work.” When they asked him if they could bring donuts to his office, apparently he said: “Well, no security would stop you.”
u/Oizys7000 wanted to know if they had any qualifications.
To which OP responded, “No, I have jelly filled.”
Prioritize The Phone Book
Another Redditor said their aunt told they to keep a phone book because, “The internet might not always be there so you need to learn how to use a phone book.” To which their uncle said: “Honey, if the internet is gone she’ll have much bigger problems than not knowing how to use a phone book.”
But, this idea that no one remembers how to use books has other Redditors fuming.
“I hate the assumption that it’s some sort of rocket science to use a book and as soon as the almighty internet goes out,” u/therespeeinholywater replied. “Somehow we’ll all just be babbling idiots using the books as hats. You don’t really lose the ability to open a page and look something up alphabetically. Ever.”
Getting a Job Is Simple if You Keep Showing Up
The idea that you can get any job you apply for has other Redditors riled. According to u/aathey85, their dad “insists that if you show up repeatedly, unannounced, in person that you can land any job regardless of your qualifications.”
u/caerulantia agreed that this is terrible advice. “If you show up repeatedly, unannounced when I'm hiring, I'm firing you already.”
Offer to Work for Free To Get Hired
In some fields, doing tests before the job is part of the hiring process. But, some people are still under the impression that working for free is something that can — and should — happen in every field.
Reddit u/BuckyGoldman has been told to, “Hand your resume directly to a manager. Tell them you'll work free for a couple of days to prove how good a worker you are.”
The logic here was confounding for u/friendlygaywalrus.
“So… 1. Arrive unannounced, 2. Interrupt the day of the person with (theoretically) the most responsibilities, 3. Sell yourself into slavery and prove they don’t have to pay you much for your best efforts, and 4. Profit?”
Don't Use Google Maps
Trusting technology is still hard for some people. Reddit user u/fidrildid6 wrote that their dad will start giving directions to them.
“Any time I tell my dad I'm going somewhere he asks what way I'm going, then I have three seconds to come up with a plausible road or he'll start telling me in great detail which way to go.”
But worse than people who give directions are people who insist on routing people using cardinal directions. Redditor u/scalability wrote: “When you ask someone their address and they start with, ‘well you take 74 north…' -___- ”
Follow Your Dreams but Also Make Lots of Money
u/Pardot42 responded, “Dad: ‘Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life.' ”
“Me: ‘I want to be a park ranger.' “
“Dad: ‘They don't make very much money…'”
Work Hard and You Will Succeed
Some people are still under the impression that getting a degree is the key to success. Reddito user u/professorjaytee hates the advice.
“‘Study hard, get a degree, get a job with a good company, work hard for them, and stay until retirement…'” Yeah, that didn't work for me back in the 1980s. Why the f*** would it work now?”
If You Pay Only a Small Portion of Your Bill, You'll Be Fine!
The advice is that paying anything you can towards a bill will be enough to keep creditors off your back. Real-world experience continues to prove to Redditors that companies aren't all that willing to work with you when it comes to paying back debts.
u/SixthLegionVI agreed that this advice sucks: “Lol. I had a hard time making a student loan payment in my early 20s. Went right into the chase to let them know, and they may as well have said, ‘lol f*** you.'”
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Maya (she/they) is a queer entertainment and culture journalist. They cover interviews, reviews, roundups, news, and more. She loves horror, history, and creativity. They hope their writing both entertains readers and inspires them to think critically. Her favorite pastimes include needle felting, gaming, and drawing.