It’s pretty common to make assumptions about a generation you didn’t experience firsthand, especially when you’ve seen it portrayed in movies and on TV. What does Gen Z really know about the 80s? What does Gen X know about the 50s? Even though we might hear stories from our relatives or watch some retro flicks, our minds tend to gravitate toward what Hollywood has shown us.

Well, some wise old folks on Reddit decided to set the record straight. They hopped on a thread that asked, «What do young people get completely wrong about past decades?» And their responses are pretty eye-opening. From their thoughts on old-school music to smoking being a social norm, and even the whole living wage debate, these Redditors are dropping some wisdom about the past that today’s youngsters just flat out don’t get. 

So, was life better back then? Or is it better now? Well, that’s a never-ending debate, my friend. No matter which generation you belong to, you’ll definitely gain some insights by diving into this thread below.