# What currently innocuous things will be socially unacceptable in the future? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 20, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134 "2011-04-20T20:58:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/21 "2011-04-21T14:01:34Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Wait, what? Women shave their _arms_? > > I thought I was a man of the world, but it appears now I’ve been hanging out with primitive, shaggy-ulnaed Sasquatch ladies. > > Who shaves their arms?! It’s a Second Amendment thing. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/22 "2011-04-21T14:12:41Z")
On the other side of the hairless question is the fact that 50 years ago, no man had a beard and long har and now they are reasonably common. On the other hand, it is increasingly hard to find a plain barber shop as more and more men go to hair salons (and pay three times what I pay). In Japan, nose blowing is definitely infra dig. If you believe Kage Baker, eating of meat, even of chocolate and drinking of alcohol will fall out of fashion. I don’t see it, but who knows. ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/23 "2011-04-21T14:15:49Z")
Here in Japan, women shave their faces. You know, I went looking for a nice picture of razors women use here to shave their faces, but I came across something far more interesting. Gents! How about a [face-shaver/beard-shaver/nosehair trimmer/vibrator all-in-one?](http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/wil-mart/ms006.html) :eek: ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/24 "2011-04-21T15:17:14Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Wait, what? Women shave their _arms_? > > I thought I was a man of the world, but it appears now I’ve been hanging out with primitive, shaggy-ulnaed Sasquatch ladies. > > Who shaves their arms?! I used to, when I was in my 20s. I just loved being smooth all over. Also, I have light skin and dark hair. It kind of lost its appeal to me after a while, though. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/25 "2011-04-21T15:24:08Z")
Fashions change. Arm shaving will become standard, and then people will stop doing it. The same with anything involving body hair. It always changes. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/26 "2011-04-21T16:04:24Z")
I am hoping that littering does (and that includes cigarette butts). ---
**Author:** ![code\_grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@code\_grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/code_grey)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/27 "2011-04-21T16:21:35Z")
forum trolling and other forms of nonconstructive misbehavior. I think there will be greater spread of forums and systems isomorphic to forums, and so there will be a push for stricter norms of forum behavior, at least among the brighter segment of the population. That, in turn, might eventually rub off onto everybody else. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/28 "2011-04-21T16:29:43Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Wait, what? Women shave their _arms_? > > I thought I was a man of the world, but it appears now I’ve been hanging out with primitive, shaggy-ulnaed Sasquatch ladies. > > Who shaves their arms?! I have mine waxed. They get kind of hairy if I don’t. I’m originally South Asian so I guess it’s a cultural thing maybe? Hair removal is a serious thing. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/29 "2011-04-21T16:47:43Z")
Here’s one that’s already starting to become a social faux pas: tan lines. In the future, we’ll all be expected to be completely pale (those of us working in the underground salt mines) or perfectly tanned. Tan lines will be expected to be covered up like women’s armpit hair or pimples. Speaking of which, zits too. They’re already ugly, but there’s no way to completely get rid of them in some people. However, nobody on TV apparently has zits. In the future, even if you’re not on a TV show, just the fact that you exist around other people means you’ll be expected to either get rid of your acne or cover it up with makeup ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/30 "2011-04-21T17:01:29Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Adults will not be allowed to look at kids in public. Or at least adult men won’t be allowed to look at, speak to, acknowledge the existance of, or be withing 500ft of any child they aren’t biologicaly related to. At least not without video monitoring and a female chaperone. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/31 "2011-04-21T17:13:21Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Here’s one that’s already starting to become a social faux pas: tan lines. In the future, we’ll all be expected to be completely pale (those of us working in the underground salt mines) or perfectly tanned. Tan lines will be expected to be covered up like women’s armpit hair or pimples. I find this sad. I take pleasure in comparing the color of my pre-tanned skin to my post-tan skin. Also, I actually predict that this will head in the opposite direction. The push to wear sunscreen and protect your skin from UV rays has seemed to intensify in the last ten years, and I would not be surprised to see an association between suntans and unhealthy skin start to emerge. As a result, whiter skin would be considered more beautiful. Aren’t some celebrities already doing this? Megan Fox is the only one who comes to mind, but I bet there are more people. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/32 "2011-04-21T17:22:29Z")
Having biological components. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/33 "2011-04-21T17:24:19Z")
I’d bet (a small out of) money that in the future “The Simpsons” will increasingly be considered awkward and eventually will be more or less taken out of circulation. Why? Because of Apu. It will be seen as socially unacceptable that he is voiced by a non-Indian, and that he has the trappings of an Indian-American stereotype. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/34 "2011-04-21T17:27:17Z")
> [@code\_grey](#): > > forum trolling and other forms of nonconstructive misbehavior. I think there will be greater spread of forums and systems isomorphic to forums, and so there will be a push for stricter norms of forum behavior, at least among the brighter segment of the population. That, in turn, might eventually rub off onto everybody else. I’d argue that eventually someone will find out how to make money doing those sort of things and then its just a fast downhill slide on the free market baby 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gurujulp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba9def/32.png) [@gurujulp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gurujulp)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/35 "2011-04-21T17:39:53Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Here’s one that’s already starting to become a social faux pas: tan lines. In the future, we’ll all be expected to be completely pale (those of us working in the underground salt mines) or perfectly tanned. Tan lines will be expected to be covered up like women’s armpit hair or pimples. > > Speaking of which, zits too. They’re already ugly, but there’s no way to completely get rid of them in some people. However, nobody on TV apparently has zits. In the future, even if you’re not on a TV show, just the fact that you exist around other people means you’ll be expected to either get rid of your acne or cover it up with makeup Oh, BTW- the dermatologist I went to gave me some stuff that is aluminium chloride 2% solution in alcohol- he says it is the same thing in deodorant, and is what the stars use at the first sign of a zit to dry it right up and away, then make-up over… ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/36 "2011-04-21T18:29:29Z")
> [@KinkiNipponTourist](#): > > Here in Japan, women shave their faces. > > You know, I went looking for a nice picture of razors women use here to shave their faces, but I came across something far more interesting. > > Gents! How about a [face-shaver/beard-shaver/nosehair trimmer/vibrator all-in-one?](http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/wil-mart/ms006.html) :eek: I can’t read the kanji, but you’re saying that the bulb-y shaped attachment is a vibrator? I already have a doodad with most of these attachments, but it doesn’t have one like that. It really doesn’t look like the kind of vibrator that would be of interest to most men. Color me doubtful. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/37 "2011-04-21T20:33:00Z")
> [@code\_grey](#): > > forum trolling and other forms of nonconstructive misbehavior. I think there will be greater spread of forums and systems isomorphic to forums, and so there will be a push for stricter norms of forum behavior, at least among the brighter segment of the population. That, in turn, might eventually rub off onto everybody else. I wonder if posting under a nickname or pseudonym will become less acceptable than it is now. There are already movements afoot to make people have an “internet identity” (fortunately they don’t seem to be getting very far) but in the future as the net becomes even more ubiquitous than it is now, I wonder if people will be forced to have some sort of “registered online identity.” ---
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/38 "2011-04-21T20:36:07Z")
Cars? Or the kind of ridiculously unsafe, ridiculously unclean cars we have nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/39 "2011-04-21T20:46:44Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > I don’t know if there will ever be more “universal” stuff like that – I think social norms are getting more cliqueish. This. I suspect universal social norms will be rarer in the future because popular culture in most countries will become more and more fragmented. People will be better educated and more travelled on average and therefore more tolerant of different lifestyles. Online forums will provide emotional support to people who disagree with some evolving norm allowing them to hold out and making the norm less powerful in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134/40 "2011-04-21T20:47:44Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > Having biological components. **Larry Borgia**?! Coincidence? I think not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-currently-innocuous-things-will-be-socially-unacceptable-in-the-future/579134.md?page=3)