Hundreds of years ago, before deodorant and mouthwash existed, it was not considered socially unacceptable in most cultures to have stinky, sweaty armpits and/or bad breath. Nowadays, in many cultures, the availability and ubiquity of such products mean it’s not exactly cool to show up for work at, say, a mid-level management job with such characteristics, esp. not habitually.
What little things today - I’m sure mostly bodily functions, minor and otherwise, over which we have no control, but other categories are welcome! - will be considered socially unacceptable 50, 75, 100 years from now? (Assuming our species makes it that long, of course…)
My guess: those red splotches on the sides of bare-legged womens’ legs after they’ve been sitting with their legs crossed for a while. Now that the weather has gotten so warm around here (apologies to cold-weather Dopers still getting snow & sleet!) and I see this around the office all the time and occasionally notice it on my own legs, it makes me wonder: is that red blotch the halitosis of the future?
Looking old; wrinkles, sagging skin, etc. Even before actual immortality is developed, I expect that the surface aspects of aging will be fixable. Once people stop seeing old people all the time, the appearance of age will become first weird and then disgusting to people. Or become associated with poverty.
I don’t know if there will ever be more “universal” stuff like that – I think social norms are getting more cliqueish.
Internet access is probably the one I think of. In the future, Luddites will be pariahs. But they’ll probably have their own pariah subculture to hang out with.
Arm hair on women. If you had told me at age 12 that people would shave their arms in the future I’d have laughed in your face. Now my sister, her girlfriend, and my mom all shave their arm hair. I never will shave my arms, I think it’s bizarre. But then I don’t shave my legs either, so with time I’ll end up as the bizarre one.
Eye goobers. 'Nuff said.
Hopefully we’ll find a way to disable earwax and boogers, too–blowing your nose is the faux-pas of the future! There’s got to be something better. Maybe little portable filters that you can change out every couple weeks?
I’d like to think that it would become socially unacceptable to text during meetings or other occasions (like driving) where you are supposed to be paying attention.
I’ll be the first one to say that yes, there are plenty of meetings that are pointless where you get invited just in case someone has a question requiring your expertise, which ultimately doesn’t come up. Likewise, there are long straight roads in Wyoming with no cars where you could text perfectly safely.
That said, I have seen bosses call meetings, demand presentations, and then not pay attention to the presentation they requested because they are texting or reading e-mail. Likewise with the people who text in stop and go traffic.
Given the fattening of America, I’d also like to see the buffet become socially unacceptable too.
Throwing away any potentially recyclable items. Like spitting into a spittoon would be today, looking around, not seeing a recycling bin, and tossing a soda can into the trash would be shocking.
Once somebody develops a cheap and 100% effective method of hair removal I predict any hair beyond eyebrows and lashes and scalp will be considered old fashioned.
I suspect it may go the other way - and it will be considered rude to interrupt someone when they’re texting, or demand that they devote their entire attention to that which is immediately physically present.
Talking about religion or politics in the workplace.
Either because they come to be thought of as private beliefs that are not to be foisted upon others unless they ask, or because detractors from the One True Faith Party will be sequestered in special pods and used to power the organic computers of the future.