# Without saying your age, what's something from your childhood that a younger person wouldn't understand? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 25, 2021, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138 "2021-10-25T01:08:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 40
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/783 "2021-12-17T19:53:00Z")
Looking up movie listing in the paper. Heck - I had to look up who my homeroom teacher would be in August every high school year ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/784 "2021-12-17T22:20:23Z")
_Winky Dink_, the original interactive show (from before “interactive” was even invented). To interact with the show, you had to buy a special transparent screen overlay and special crayons. If you didn’t buy the merch, the show was wasted on you. For example, you’re called on to draw a bridge on the screen so that Winky Dink can get across the chasm. If you didn’t have the merch, you’d eventually see Winky Dink float across the chasm on thin air. Making the whole thing kind of pointless. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/785 "2021-12-17T22:23:55Z")
My first introduction to the occult, when I was 8, was **Ka-Bala.** It was a weirdo glow-in-the-dark toy topped by a giant black flaming eyeball that literally taught children occult magic rituals. You could never get away with that today, not on your life; the religious right would be after you with pitchforks & torches. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2021, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/786 "2021-12-17T22:45:51Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It’s the Wreath of Khan. Thank Crom they didn’t get it. It restores my faith in the future of the planet. One day we’ll stamp out puns altogether. Just like we did with booze and drugs. > [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I had…a Betamax I was an early adapter to recording tv shows. I don’t recall what year I bought my Betamax but I think I paid $1200 for it. Can you even imagine? All I could record was broadcast channels until HBO showed up. > [@Skywatcher](#): > > [Things You Never Knew Existed | Collections Etc.](https://www.collectionsetc.com/thingsyouneverknew) I started getting these at a secondary address I have about two years ago. From the very first one, they had a big “This could be your last catalog if you don’t order now” banner splashed across the front. > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I don’t think anyone under the age of 30 would know what a disc preener was. I’m in my 50s and I didn’t know what that was until I looked it up. Oops, or what **Keeve** said. > [@ZonexandScout](#): > > American Express Travelers’ Checks? Ahhhh…yes. I was taking a train from Montreal to Vancouver in 1974 and so I bought a few of those in Canadian dollars to use on the train. (I’m from the US.) The steward would not accept them because he had never seen ones denominated in Canadian dollars. I had to use some of my precious US dollar checks in order to be able to eat. Back in the old days, groups of Canadian scammers would cross over the border with Canadian travelers checks and try to pass them off as US dollars. They would usually hit a string of towns and be back over the border in a couple of days. The checks were so overly ornate that all most cashiers looked for were the numerals. Since a Canadian dollar was worth about sixty to seventy cents, they could make a pretty good group haul. > [@Johanna](#): > > My first introduction to the occult, when I was 8, was **Ka-Bala.** I had to google to see a pic and I have seen that before, it was immediate recognition. I have vague memories of playing it, but nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/787 "2021-12-18T03:44:06Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > _Winky Dink_ Shrinky Dinks?! I loved those growing up. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/788 "2021-12-18T03:49:33Z")
Different guy - though they are first cousins. They’re also related to that Dinky Hocker who shoots smack. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/789 "2021-12-18T16:48:37Z")
When I was a kid in the '50s, there was no fast food. I think the first were Big Boy and White Castle, but no McDonald’s till I was in college (Over 2 sold!). And if you wanted any ethnic food, you had to go to a particular part of town, e.g. Chinatown or Little Italy. I’ll never forget the very first time I had Chinese food, on Christmas Day when I was seven. I never had food like that before! ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2021, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/790 "2021-12-18T17:14:42Z")
^ Are you Ralphie? Sorry about your turkey. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![TimfromNapa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@TimfromNapa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimfromNapa)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/791 "2021-12-19T02:31:01Z")
One summer afternoon, when I was between 5 and 7 years old, I found a quarter. That was very exciting. With it, I bought a round of 5 Good Humor ice creams for me and my siblings. I’m pretty sure my mother suggested that act of altruism. I’m sure Ayn Rand would have strongly disapproved. If Ayn Rand had been my mother, I’d probably still have that quarter. Now I’m sad. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/792 "2021-12-19T14:28:50Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > > [@DesertDog](#): > > > > one of my cow-orkers > > How, exactly, do you ork a cow? > [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > ^ Illegal in 27 states. 🤪 The good news: Legal in 23 states! ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/793 "2021-12-19T14:48:14Z")
I got my 👁 on you. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/794 "2021-12-19T14:51:15Z")
🐄 😁 … ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/795 "2021-12-19T16:51:00Z")
Watermelons were full of seeds and grapefruit was white. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2021, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/796 "2021-12-19T17:00:06Z")
A zinc-plated, vacuum tube culture. (Where automatic rice-pickers lacked machine guards, resulting in ear deformation) ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/797 "2021-12-20T14:13:24Z")
The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/798 "2021-12-20T15:13:14Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Watermelons were full of seeds and grapefruit was white. And watermelons weren’t round. All of them were oblong in shape. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/799 "2021-12-20T15:37:39Z")
“Dyn-o-mite!” ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2021, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/800 "2021-12-20T15:38:11Z")
“You can call me Ray” ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2021, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/801 "2021-12-21T21:50:05Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > (Where automatic rice-pickers lacked machine guards, resulting in ear deformation) I enjoyed that episode of Star Trek too, Captain Kirk trying come up with an explanation for Mr. Spock’s ears. I remember cheap pocket-sized calculating “machines” stamped out of steel which had strips of numbers running up and down, with sawteeth on one edge of each strip. To calculate, you inserted a stylus in between the teeth and moved the strips up and down - it worked something like an abacus. Another item fallen down the memory hole. Also, looking in the CRC math handbook for tables of trigonometric functions, logs, statistics, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2021, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138/802 "2021-12-21T22:01:22Z")
> [@Bonum\_Legatum](#): > > I remember cheap pocket-sized calculating “machines” stamped out of steel which had strips of numbers running up and down, with sawteeth on one edge of each strip. I don’t recognize what you’re describing; but I do remember the plastic clicker devices that you could take to the store with you to keep track of how much $ worth of merchandise you were buying. [![](http://image.timepassagesnostalgia.com/watermarked/imagesl0/l029adderx3.jpg) ](http://image.timepassagesnostalgia.com/watermarked/imagesl0/l029adderx3.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138.md?page=39) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/without-saying-your-age-whats-something-from-your-childhood-that-a-younger-person-wouldnt-understand/953138.md?page=41)