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Alrighty, here’s the deal: we all grow up thinking we know the basics everyone ‘just knows.’ But sometimes, that’s totally wrong! Ready to dive into some hilarious surprises about what is NOT common knowledge? Let’s do it!

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#1

Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

redomisia , Pixabay/Pexels Report

You don’t need religion to have morality.

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    #2

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    PeonyM , benzoix/Freepik Report

    Don't watch videos on speakerphone when you're in public.
    Don't talk on speakerphone in public.
    Don't FaceTime on speakerphone in public.

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    #3

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    TaintM3 , AS Photography/Pexels Report

    That "natural" doesn't mean "healthy".

    anamorphic_cat:

    Dozens of poisonous plants and lethal gases illustrate your point.

    allthecats:

    And "chemicals" doesn't mean "bad."

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    #4

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    DoTheRightThing1953 , Julius Silver/Pexels Report

    That tariffs are paid by the end user. They are initially paid by the importer but are passed along to the consumer.

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    #5

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Ohaibaipolar , Chris Peeters/Pexels Report

    DON'T DRIVE FAST IN BAD WEATHER. I CAN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE NEED THIS EXPLAINED TO THEM.

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    #6

    arachnia42 Report

    That disabilities don’t check for proof of age before affecting someone - you can be any age and disabled, and that not all disabilities are immediately externally visible.

    Also affect vs effect.

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    #7

    yeehah Report

    There's a stick on the steering column of your car that indicates in which direction you want to turn.

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    #8

    HVAC_instructor Report

    That you do not have to talk. Sometimes it's possible for you to shut up.

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    #9

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    No_Lies_Detected , Liliana Drew/Pexels Report

    Wait for the people to get off the elevator before trying to enter.

    Giving_Cat:

    Or Subway or bus or…

    Marlsfarp:

    Generalize to: people exiting the more confined space have the right of way.

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    #10

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    HeisenbergsIntern , Pixabay/Pexels Report

    As a kid, I once argued with someone about penguins. They didn’t know penguins are birds so we placed a bet, googled to confirm that they are in fact birds, and then I took the money to buy lunch in the canteen the next day. I told the canteen lady that I won my lunch money by placing a bet on penguins being birds. To my surprise she also denied them being birds. So I made another bet - if google says they are birds, I get my lunch for free.
    At that time I’ve only discussed penguins being birds with two people. So what I thought was common knowledge appeared not to be.

    Sometimes I wonder how many people out there doesn’t know that penguins are birds. And if I can meet them to place bets or get free food.

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    #11

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Sea_Advertising8304 , Aaron Kittredge/Pexels Report

    The President doesn't have unlimited authority and cannot rule by decree.

    I've met so many people on all sides of the political spectrum that don't know civics.

    They keep saying "why doesn't the president just ban/enact X?"

    They are all surprised when i point out the president doesn't have such authority.

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    #12

    Macabracadabra Report

    That you give your seat up on the bus/subway etc for the elderly, humans with small children, humans with crutches/walkers/canes and humans with a lot of heavy looking bags (to name a few).

    Be grateful that you can stand. One day you may wish someone would be kinder to you than you have others in the past.

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    #13

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    GHAAITE , Suzy Hazelwood/Pexels Report

    Europe is a continent, not a country.

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    #14

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Damn_Dog_Inappropes , Nataliya Vaitkevich/Pexels Report

    Tax brackets! No, Bob, taxes won’t wipe out the raise you just turned down. You’re just an idiot.

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    #15

    _Monsterguy_ Report

    You COULDN'T care less.

    This is something I *could* care less about and really should.

    CoolhandLW:

    Dang that's a huge pet peeve of mine. I don't know why it bothers me so much.

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    #16

    Aquarius1992 Report

    It’s genuinely not a judgement, but I find it alarming how many adults I know have poor grammar or spelling capabilities.

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    #17

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    mechy84 , George Pak/Pexels Report

    When you're in a touristy part of a city, overly friendly strangers that come up and talk to you unprovoked are not looking for new friends.

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    #18

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    buckyhermit , Marcus Aurelius/Pexels Report

    When I became a wheelchair user, I thought “wheelchairs don’t do stairs” was common knowledge. So imagine my shock when I started coming across people who thought 3-5 steps would still be considered “wheelchair accessible.”

    This is why we need to be super specific when asking if a place is wheelchair accessible. We need to ask if there is step-free access. “Oh yeah, we are wheelchair accessible, there are just one or two steps” isn’t an acceptable answer.

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    #19

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Lost_in_the_Library , Pixabay/Pexels Report

    That the seasons are reversed in the northern and southern hemispheres.

    As an Australian, this is a fact we all know from a very young age. When I first went overseas at age 16, I quickly learnt that many, many people (including full grown adults) in the northern hemisphere have no idea about this.

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    #20

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Schoonicorn , Todd Trapani/Pexels Report

    The size of the Great Lakes. The number of people who just don't believe that you can't see across most of Lake Michigan. Or that the lakes can produce any kind of waves at all, let alone of ship-sinking size. A friend was going to a wedding in the Upper Peninsula and told me they were also going to spend a day kayaking around Lake Superior. I said "Cool! What part?" And they looked at me like I was an idiot and said "All the way around? I've got a whole day." I wish I were kidding.

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    #21

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Immediate_Ad_7993 Report

    This may sound like common sense, but you’d be SHOCKED. Chickens will lay eggs nearly every day regardless of the presence of a rooster. It’s the equivalent of a period not a baby.

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    #22

    WerewolfBe84 Report

    You are allowed to not have an opinion on a subject.

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    #23

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    AMugOfPeppermintTea , Mary Taylor/Pexels Report

    That in English, apostrophes are generally used for contractions (cannot=can't) or to show possession (the bone belongs to the dog. The dog's bone). It is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR PLURALS. 1 dog, 2 dogs. 1 ex, 2 exes.

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    #24

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Brikish , Kristin Vogt/Pexels Report

    That being out in the cold does not give you a cold.

    Tomschewies:

    Soooo many people believe this. I think it confuses people that cold weather can cause a leaky nose but that doesn’t mean it’s a cold.

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    #25

    Astro_The_SpaceDog Report

    How to properly train and own a dog. The amount of people who know nothing about dogs is baffling to me. The belief of alpha hierarchy has been proven false in both dogs and wolves for over 20 years by researchers. Yet, people still use it and recommend it as a form of training. It’s proven harmful. This leads to fearful and aggressive dogs.

    There is a TON of ignorant dog owners. Not only do they spread false information, they don’t even bother fact checking themselves.

    The reason why dogs end up in shelters is because of BOTH irresponsible breeding and irresponsible/uneducated owners.

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    #26

    Scritches98 Report

    As an Aussie: the size of Aus and the distance/travel time between places in Aus. You can start in one state, drive for three days, and still be in the same state.

    We’re basically the size of the US with nowhere near the population or inhabitable landscape.

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    #27

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Natural-Seaweed-5070 , Hobi Photography/Pexels Report

    The fact that deer do in fact drop their antlers, usually after mating season is over & then grow a new set every year.

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    #28

    Stonegen70 Report

    An awful lot of people I talk to don’t realize their tax refund is their money anyway.

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    #29

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    pookapotomus2 Report

    That not everything on the internet is real.

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    #30

    Mother-Ad-6360 Report

    Growing up I thought every household had constant yelling, walking on eggshells, and random silent treatments. Took me way too long to realize a lot of people actually grew up in calm, supportive homes and that mine wasn’t “normal conflict,” it was just unhealthy.

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    #31

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Spoonula , David Jia/Pexels Report

    Ponies are not baby horses, just like how chihuahua and pugs are not baby dogs. Ponies are a type of horse that stay small even as adults.

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    #32

    PleaseGiveMeSnacc Report

    Pickles are pickled cucumbers.

    i was amazed by the amount of people who argued with me when i told them.

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    #33

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Affectionate_Staff46 , Lukas/Pexels Report

    No, you cant use US $ to pay for things in an European country!

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    #34

    No-Beautiful8039 Report

    I don't know about most, but a lot of people near me:

    That the ACA (Affordable Care Act) and "Obamacare" are the same piece of legislation.

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    #35

    BitterDeep78 Report

    That green bell peppers are the unripe versions of yellow, orange, red and purple peppers


    (ETA I didn't say those colors were stages of ripeness. Orange bell plants will grow orange peppers. Red bell plants will grow red peppers. But they start green and you have to let them ripen).

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    #36

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    drinking_varnish , Karola G/Pexels Report

    Low(er) in calories does not mean it's healthy or better for you.

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    #37

    DetectiveBulky7850 Report

    A light year is a measure of distance, not time.

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    #38

    okpatient123 Report

    The number of people who don't know that water boils faster if you put a lid on the pot is genuinely concerning.

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    #39

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    247mumbles , Anthony Beck/Pexels Report

    That the UK has not left the European continent, just the European Union. The amount of people who genuinely think we’re not part of Europe anymore shocks me.

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    #40

    Slow-Power2713 Report

    Common knowledge isn't that common.

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    #41

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    MetamorphicMermaid , Matthias Zomer/Pexels Report

    That cows have to be kept repeatedly pregnant to continue producing milk- too many people think that cows are just always making milk and it somehow "needs to be relieved" when their udders are full.

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    #42

    ElbowsMcDeep Report

    I was an anatomy teacher and I had a student that didn’t know the meat we eat is muscle from animals until I was using a steak to demonstrate connective and muscle tissues.

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    #43

    AngryWizard Report

    How to spell 'definitely'. There are a finite number of ways to spell de-FINITE-ly.

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    #44

    longhornmike2 Report

    That’s it it’s not up for debate whether we landed on the moon. Now you might debate whether the first landing was faked. But we went 5 more times (manned landings). There is a lot of equipment left there that can be seen from earth. Even a mirror you can hit with a laser.

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    #45

    caitlowcat Report

    The only things you should flush down the toilet is TP and human waste. It doesn’t matter if the wipes or the cat litter says it’s flushable. It’s not!

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    #46

    Dizzy-muse2258 Report

    "Lead" pencils do not contain lead, they contain graphite.

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    #47

    _-Cuttlefish-_ Report

    Grapes, onions, garlic, chocolate, corn cobs, xylitol are all harmful for dogs to consume. I hate seeing people giving their dog a protein of whatever they cooked for dinner knowing that there’s onion in it. Yeah, a lot of dogs won’t get seriously sick, but I will hurt their stomach. And some do get very sick. Don’t give your pets human food.

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    #48

    Wait, People Actually Didn’t Know These? 48 Classic ‘Common Knowledge’ Fails

    Hoppypoppy21 , Anna Shvets/Pexels Report

    Getting an IV does not mean a needle is left inside you while that IV is in place.

    While I don't expect everyone to know this, I continue to be surprised that people who actively have IVs in place do not know this.

    hotdiggity75:

    I didn’t know this and now I feel stupid.

    LegCompetitive6636:

    The needle has a plastic tube, a catheter, on it which is left inside the vein when the needle itself is removed
    Edit: just to clarify more, the needle pierces the vein then the catheter is advanced further into the vein and the needle is removed, that long needle isn’t going all the way in your vein.

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