As Voltaire, an 18th-century writer, historian, and philosopher, said in one of his most popular quotes: “Common sense is not so common.” Although the meaning behind the saying seems fairly simple, each person’s common knowledge is uniquely their own, making it less shared than we might imagine.
This was perfectly illustrated in a popular Reddit thread, where user Relation-Major731 asked fellow netizens to share some obvious things that they had only just realized. From finding out that pickles are pickled cucumbers to learning that coffee causes anxiety, these pieces of information were discovered by people a bit later in life.
And there’s nothing wrong with that, as we should never stop learning. So, let’s all put on our thinking hats and dive into some common but not-so-common facts in this judgment-free zone!
Read More: 31 People Confess Things They Didn’t Know Until Embarrassingly Late In Life
#1
Tutti frutti means “all the fruits” in Italian.
Image credits: Fun-Report4840
#2
I’m face blind, and I just found out how bad it is. Apparently my UPS driver who I see every day at work is the guy who grew up down the street from me, and I thought they were two different people because the UPS guy wears a hat.
Image credits: TheThalmorEmbassy
#3
I learned in therapy last year that I can ask for things I need and things I want. I was 42 years old at the time.
Image credits: Thee-lorax-
#4
In Greek alphabet we have the letters Ο (Omicron) and Ω(Omega).
It took me 37 years to realize that they actually mean O-small and O-big.
Image credits: ThanosDi
#5
Vampires don’t have a reflection because mirrors used to be made using silver and it was the silver that wouldn’t reflect the vampires image
Image credits: Personal-Tea7226
#6
The phrase “pitch black” is referring to the substance “pitch”, which is very black in color. I had always considered “pitch” in that context to be akin to “very”, like how some otherwise archaic words survive in idioms.
Image credits: knucklebed
#7
Tamagotchi are in eggs because they’re tamago (egg) + Tomodachi (friend)
Image credits: skorletun
#8
Ponies are not baby horses. They are just small horses.
Image credits: RealGBK
#9
That my casual coffee drinking habit (3-4 coffees/day) is causing the anxiety I’ve been experiencing for some time. Now I drink one coffee around lunch time, only if I feel I need it and I feel better.
Image credits: canred
#10
Figured out in college that there isn’t “cup cake mix” in the baking aisle. It’s just regular cake mix.
I spent forever looking up and down the shelves for “cup cake mix” only to be informed by a nice grandmotherly woman that it is just cake mix put in little cups.
Image credits: Ok_Dog8129
#11
We went to London in primary school and went to the Houses of Parliament. I’ve only just realised they say “ayes” and “nos” when referring to how people vote. Not “eyes” and “nose” I thought it was a covert way to vote by turning your head a certain way or something. I only figured it out when I was watching a video with captions….
Image credits: Mannymac2000
#12
Took me til my freshman year of college before I realized pickles were pickled cucumbers and not their own, unique vegetable. I thought the way you pickled other things was you put them in pickle juice.
Image credits: willvasco
#13
We were having breakfast at IHOP. Just got thinking, and i said, out loud, “i wonder what happened to the International House of Pancakes? They used to be all over them place. “
I am not smrt. 😳
Image credits: NecessarySir
#14
I saw a video where a man said he didn’t know banks don’t keep your money. He’s been giving the bank rare coins thinking they put it in HIS account. (I think he thought it was like a safe deposit box)
Image credits: thegirlthatmeowsalot
#15
It was never Napoleon ice cream 😅
Image credits: ItsImperial_
#16
Corn kernels are the seeds.
Wanted to grow corn for fall last year, bought a pack of corn seeds only to realize the kernels from the cob were the seeds… felt pretty dumb just realizing this at 33 years old.
Image credits: Jtx0741
#17
Growing up, my grandmother always used to tell me “Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite,” and it always sounded like a quaint, old-timey saying to me. It wasn’t until a recent infestation scare in my apartment complex that I learned bedbugs are real critters, and not just a part of a nursery rhyme meant to tuck kids in at night. Talk about an epiphany that itches in retrospect.
Image credits: PearlyPetalx
#18
That eating the crust of bread doesn’t make my teeth strong as my grandpa and mom always told me
Image credits: justmyusername2820
#19
The first little piggy wasn’t going shopping.
Image credits: Just-some-fella
#20
That placing an onion slice or lettuce leaf on the bottom hamburger bun keeps your freshly-grilled burger from soaking the bun.
Image credits: epicenter69
#21
That “evergreen” trees/plants are forever green, as in they don’t lose their leaves in the winter. Never broke down the word “ever-green”
Image credits: TearSafe8494
#22
Half & half is literally half heavy cream mixed with half whole milk. Felt like a real dummy when I learned that one last week.
Image credits: guavajo44
#23
Hot water can leave your hair heat damaged. I always denied having heat damaged hair because I don’t use heated styling tools. I never occurred to me that washing my hair, in my one degree below steam shower, was causing heat damage 🥴
Image credits: viciousvixen26
#24
They’re called hula hoops because when you use them it looks like you’re dancing the hula.
Image credits: ryanmpaul
#25
A few years ago, I realized that Paris Hilton was famous because her family owned Hilton hotels. I never put two and two together before that and I felt like an idiot.
Image credits: Previous-Eggplant-35
#26
My father herded caribou in Alaska from heli’s as a young man.
For 24 years I thought the fibre “velvet” literally came from cartilaginous antlers, as it’s referred to as velvet in the industry for its soft feel.
I’ve shared this lie with hundreds of people.
Image credits: sub_lunacy
#27
“Pearl clutching” references woman putting their hand to their chest (in supposed shock) while *wearing* the pearls. the pearls aren’t just in their pockets or something.
Image credits: KatBoySlim
#28
I learned a couple years ago that it’s not “The mayor of bad news” it’s actually “the bearer of bad news”. I’m 25
Image credits: theperfectrapport
#29
Did you know that Go-Gurt is *just* yogurt?
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Image credits: Starting-Salary-420