Be grumpy! What do you think should be phased out?

[bookbard]

This is your chance to yell, "Get off my lawn!"

What things are traditional or whatever but you think should be phased out?

I'll start - Fireworks. They're hundreds of years old (if not more). We've all seen them, let's move on. You're literally setting a whole lot of stuff of fire and going ahh! Replace it with drones so they're less noisy and less likely to start fires. 

Your turn!

[Eos]

The internet.  Maybe not that traditional but humans are far more competent than moral and the internet has ruined the world.  [ducks and says thank you for being my invisible friends on the internet]

Cars.  See above.

[Alte Veste Academy]

7 minutes ago, Eos said:

Cars.  See above.

Yes, and the highway system. Should have made the train system more intricate instead.

[saraha]

Tipping. It really stinks. People should get a fair wage. Also, tiktokers who blast customers for the amount they tip, or who level their service on what they think people will tip. Just pay everybody fairly and drop the expectation. Tips should be for over and above service and people should not have to feel any kind of way about tipping.

In my job I make an appropriate hourly wage, but occasionally do receive tips from people who feel I went above and beyond. I don’t expect tips, people do t feel obligated, as an employee I don’t have to live with the stress of not knowing how much money I am making through no fault of my own. I mean if you put in 8 hours you should get paid for 8 hours, it’s not your fault that customers don’t come for whatever reason.

Just pay people a fair wage.

[ScoutTN]

Not “traditional” but increasingly typical and hugely problematic: computers in lieu of books in school. I HATE this. Bring back the books!  Ditch the Chromebooks, smart boards etc. 

Edited October 13, 2023 by ScoutTN

[ScoutTN]

Those wretched electric scooters. People without helmets drive them all around like maniacs downtown. So dangerous to themselves and pedestrians. They cause car accidents and serious injuries but our wimpy city gov’t won’t ban them. 

Edited October 13, 2023 by ScoutTN

[WildflowerMom]

Social media (not forums, but places like FB, Twit, Insta)

Mothers/Fathers Days 

 

[WildflowerMom]

Also, sticky traps.    
Round abouts.  
 

[Pam in CT]

DAYLIGHT "SAVINGS" TIME.   OMG if I were Queeen of the Universe. 

I HATE IT SO SO SO SO MUCH THAT "FALL BACK" SUNDAY IS THE MOST DESOLATE DAY EVERY YEAR WHO WANTS TO LEAVE THE HOUSE WHEN IT'S ALREADY DARK WHAT IS THE POINT WHO EVEN WANTS IT

 

 

 

 

 

 

( I could go on a good deal longer in this vein but I'll spare you from more )

[MrsMommy]

Golf

[Elizabeth86]

18 minutes ago, WildflowerMom said:

Social media (not forums, but places like FB, Twit, Insta)

Mothers/Fathers Days 

 

Amen! Life was so much better before social media. Yes I hate mother’s Father’s Day. I have great parents, but I loathe holiday expectations. 

[Indigo Blue]

Paparazzi

Vaping-because it’s just so stupid 

Edited October 13, 2023 by Indigo Blue

[SanDiegoMom]

53 minutes ago, saraha said:

Tipping. It really stinks. People should get a fair wage. Also, tiktokers who blast customers for the amount they tip, or who level their service on what they think people will tip. Just pay everybody fairly and drop the expectation. Tips should be for over and above service and people should not have to feel any kind of way about tipping.

In my job I make an appropriate hourly wage, but occasionally do receive tips from people who feel I went above and beyond. I don’t expect tips, people do t feel obligated, as an employee I don’t have to live with the stress of not knowing how much money I am making through no fault of my own. I mean if you put in 8 hours you should get paid for 8 hours, it’s not your fault that customers don’t come for whatever reason.

Just pay people a fair wage.

Yes! I don't understand it here in CA -- minimum wage is pretty high - I think it's 15.50 and going up again soon?  And I still don't mind as much tipping at a full service restaurant but why at a take out restaurant?

[Grace Hopper]

48 minutes ago, WildflowerMom said:

Social media (not forums, but places like FB, Twit, Insta)

Mothers/Fathers Days 

 

Echo echo. Especially the M/F days (and son days and daughter days and son days BUT I don’t mind nat’l coffee day more than once a year).

ETA I’d keep IG for art sharing but would take it back to its early iteration before reels, stories, reposting of non-original work, etc. 

38 minutes ago, Pam in CT said:

DAYLIGHT "SAVINGS" TIME.   OMG if I were Queeen of the Universe. 

I HATE IT SO SO SO SO MUCH THAT "FALL BACK" SUNDAY IS THE MOST DESOLATE DAY EVERY YEAR WHO WANTS TO LEAVE THE HOUSE WHEN IT'S ALREADY DARK WHAT IS THE POINT WHO EVEN WANTS IT

 

 

 

 

 

 

( I could go on a good deal longer in this vein but I'll spare you from more )

So wait, you hate the Fall Back yet want to get rid of DST - do you mean you want to stay on DST or never go on it in the first place? I’m all for just staying in it perpetually which means no Fall Back, but I know opinions vary based on time zone locales, work/school hours, etc. 

 

I’d be happy to see gun violence disappear. 

Edited October 13, 2023 by Grace Hopper

[TravelingChris]

36 minutes ago, Pam in CT said:

DAYLIGHT "SAVINGS" TIME.   OMG if I were Queeen of the Universe. 

I HATE IT SO SO SO SO MUCH THAT "FALL BACK" SUNDAY IS THE MOST DESOLATE DAY EVERY YEAR WHO WANTS TO LEAVE THE HOUSE WHEN IT'S ALREADY DARK WHAT IS THE POINT WHO EVEN WANTS IT

 

 

 

 

 

 

( I could go on a good deal longer in this vein but I'll spare you from more )

We. in Alabama want Daylight Savings all year round

[*****]

Twice a year standardized testing in schools, especially on the computer.  I think kids are over-tested. And I wish they would go back to paper testing, like fill in the bubble.  I remember directions to the kids when tested on the computer...no looking around, keep your eyes on your area.  That is hard on anybody, let alone a kid!  I think they are so over-tested that when it comes to the end of the year or even the upper grades, they just check out early and give any old answer. That's just a theory I have based on a school district in our area with very low scores, especially in the upper grades. 

[Ginevra]

Public education that is primarily supported by the property tax revenue of the district in which the school resides. 
 

Postage stamps. Can’t we design a better system? 
 

Tipping. So dumb! 
 

Cemeteries. I say this even though I find old cemeteries interesting and I have a cemetery plot where I intend my ashes to one day go. But in general, it doesn’t make that much sense as a continuing plan for the indefinite future. 
 

Cash. 
 

 

[Corraleno]

Amen on the fireworks! Every holiday that involves fireworks I spend at home hugging a terrified dog. It's dangerous and traumatizing for people and animals, so many pets run away and get lost, and there are always a few idiots who end up injuring or killing themselves or others, or setting things on fire. In my previous town, idiots with fireworks burned a neighbor's house to the ground while the poor family were out of town. I would love to see fireworks outlawed and replaced by drone shows.

I'd like to phase out factory-farming of animals, "Round-Up Ready" crops soaked in glyphosate, toxic additives in US food that the EU has already banned, and our for-profit healthcare system.

Oh, and I'd really like to phase-out-the-phase-out of the Fairness Doctrine and bring it back.

[denarii]

Balloons

Glitter 

[athena1277]

5 minutes ago, TravelingChris said:

We. in Alabama want Daylight Savings all year round

Yes we do!!!  I loathe the ending of DST.

Also, I’d like to get rid of football.  
 

Honestly, can we just skip fall?

[Ginevra]

4 minutes ago, athena1277 said:

Yes we do!!!  I loathe the ending of DST.

Also, I’d like to get rid of football.  
 

Honestly, can we just skip fall?

Fightin’ words!!!

Sugar maples! Apple picking! Butternut squash soup! Pumpkin pie! Boots and sweaters! Yellow leaves against a robins-egg-blue October sky! Perfect hiking weather! Cuddling under a blanket! Flannel! Hand-knit scarves! Apple cider! 
 

Im pretty sure I would die without fall.

[Annie G]

8 minutes ago, Ginevra said:

 

Im pretty sure I would die without fall.

Same here. Look, we live in the south and there are at least 9 HOT seasons a year here.  I live for the 2 weeks of fall. 

[Grace Hopper]

10 minutes ago, Ginevra said:

Fightin’ words!!!

Sugar maples! Apple picking! Butternut squash soup! Pumpkin pie! Boots and sweaters! Yellow leaves against a robins-egg-blue October sky! Perfect hiking weather! Cuddling under a blanket! Flannel! Hand-knit scarves! Apple cider! 
 

Im pretty sure I would die without fall.

My dd calls it Nora Ephron days. 

[wisdomandtreasures]

Selfies. Repeated selfies. We know what you look like. Also, quit filming while driving. Your navel-gazing and "deep and profound" thoughts aren't worth possibly killing someone. Get over your blasted self. Yes, the filming while driving makes me very angry. It's not just stupid and annoying, it's freaking deadly. 

 

On a lighter note, the term "game-changer". Calling every good idea "brilliant". Calling tips for saving time or money or whatever "hacks". Why are you hacking things?!

 

Millennial blogger speak. "What's your awesome?" "Check my blog for four ways to taco!" "Because reasons " 

[Pam in CT]

Yes, what I want to to never Fall Back but rather have DST be ... you know, just "what time it is."

( I call the Fall Back interval Daylight Losing ...)

I do like apple picking and foliage and cider donuts and squash and I truly adore boots, so it's not the fall, per se. Just the DARKNESS.

 

Also, Fairness Doctrine.

[kbutton]

At least half of what’s in the grocery store could go. It’s junk. Companies pay to have a spot on the shelf. I have to backtrack a million times because there is no longer a sensible way to display food.

 

[Heartstrings]

NASCAR, football, etc.  Quick way to cut emissions and meet climate goals.   
 

Football connected to colleges or high school.  
 

Apparently I’m down on sports today.  

[Ginevra]

23 minutes ago, Grace Hopper said:

My dd calls it Nora Ephron days. 

Sleepless in Seattle is also one of my all-time favorite movies so…

[Ginevra]

23 minutes ago, Pam in CT said:

Yes, what I want to to never Fall Back but rather have DST be ... you know, just "what time it is."

( I call the Fall Back interval Daylight Losing ...)

I do like apple picking and foliage and cider donuts and squash and I truly adore boots, so it's not the fall, per se. Just the DARKNESS.

 

Also, Fairness Doctrine.

I get it. The darkness of ever-shorter days is the one thing I do not love about fall. 

[SKL]

Serious or tongue-in-cheek?

How about both!

• Media fomenting ignorance and hate (and getting rich off of that).
• Short hemlines and low necklines being considered "dressy" or being required for female athletes.
• The "c" word.
• Ice on the roads.
• Having to wake up before the sun is even thinking of rising.
• Like Scout said - schools "teaching" primarily with electronics (which kids are using to cheat and not learn).
• Cars beeping inside when you're backing up.
• Spam (the electronic kind).
• The fact that Facebook is going to show me ads about everything I just typed within 30 seconds.

[bookbard]

Wow, I hadn't thought past fireworks but I agree with so many grumps here!

Except daylight savings, it works for me, however I think I'm at a latitude that it works well with - doesn't get too early or late or dark or light or whatever is the problem. 

Oh, I thought of another one. Journal articles shouldn't be behind paywalls. They've already been paid for by the funding body. It is very annoying as well as wrong. 

Edited October 13, 2023 by bookbard

[HS Mom in NC]

Cheerleading, pole dancing, and pageants-all basically the same category in my book. I want women to be beyond that now.

Using acres instead of square miles for wildfires. Most people don't farm-use a familiar unit of measure already.

This unnecessary explainer- "...X, formerly known as Twitter..." Yeah, we know. Everyone knew a week after it happened. Just call it X and be done.

Spectator sportsball and competitive sportsball for kids.  It's supposed to be a healthy outlet for tribalism-it just creates positive associations with tribalism/polarization in the US and it ruins community because there's so much freaking sportsball you can't plan community events because there's always a big game or some sort of practice going on.

Gift giving expectations on holidays. Just celebrate meaningfully and stop adding a consumerist/materialistic element to it.  Give gifts spontaneously because you genuinely want to, not because of some convention that this is the day for it.

Handshaking.  Bowing Asian style is soooo much more sanitary and elegant.

Zoning laws and tax policies that don't prioritize well done public transit and maximize walkability.

US type employer provided medical insurance-it's insulating people from the absurd realities of the American healthcare crisis. If everyone had to select and pay for it themselves by finding an employer willing to pay a salary high enough to afford it, most Americans would be outraged, look closely at Scandi, Western European, and Australian versions and develop our own version.

Unnecessary plastic.  I get that medical items might still need to be in plastic, but for heaven's sake, everything in the US seems to be covered in it.

Political dynasties in the US. If your parent, grandparent, sibling, child, or aunt/uncle has held high office, find something else to do. This.is.not.a.family.business. There are quite a few well know political families at different places on the political spectrum that should be done now.

Adolescent/childish mindsets in adults. No, you're not charming. This is the big bad world and we're the adults-we have to put on our big kid undies and deal with it. I must walk around thinking, "Am I the only adult in the room?" 1/3 of the time I deal with people or watch the news.

DST. I'm for standard time forever. The time is what it is-adapt accordingly. My ancestors are from Norway-they figured it out how to deal with it, everyone else can too.

US States controlling the national borders.  Those border lines should be controlled entirely by the federal (national) government because individual states can't handle these issues and having differing policies from state to state makes no rational sense. Make it the federal government's problem to solve and fund.

US State based public standards, education policies, and funding. We should expect a more uniform transition when a kid moves from one district to another and one state to another. Taxpayer funded adult education credits should be transferable and accepted at all other taxpayer funded adult education institutions.

Apparently I needed to vent. Thanks, @bookbard.

[Clarita]

I want to vent for my friends. 

Homework! I have a lot of friends whose children just entered Kindergarten and they all have homework. I can get behind Tommy didn't finish his work today in class, read to your child for a few minutes tonight, or practice reading at home with your parents type homework. Worksheet packets sent home on a monthly basis isn't beneficial to Kindergarteners (I feel comfortable extending that to all students, including college - homework OK just not random monthly packages of worksheets).

[Shoeless]

Those little disposable Keurig coffee pods and all the products they've spawned to store them, (little drawers, racks, organizers) 

Lunchables

Shopper loyalty cards. Just charge me whatever the price of the thing is without making me sign up with my email, phone number, address, blood type, retinal scan, etc.

Fees. Convenience fees, swipe fees, booking fees, processing fees, handling fees, fee fi fo fum fees.  Again, just charge however much it costs and stop nickel and diming me. I think it makes businesses look petty and cheap when they slap on fees that could be rolled into the product cost. 

Middle aged women being called "Karen" for being firm, but still polite, when trying to resolve a problem with a business. 

Snobbery

ETA: Oh, and those little faux-news boxes that are on formerly reputable news sites. I think they're called chumbox ads.  They say things like "Top Gut Doctors Are Begging Americans To Throw Out This Vegetable!" with a picture of several peeled bananas or yams. The photos always look vaguely gross or suggestive. I hate them and think that journalism started going downhill when news outlets put them on their sites. I think a lot of people assume they must be valid, real "news" if it's on a major news website. 

 

Edited October 13, 2023 by Shoeless

[Carol in Cal.]

3 hours ago, Pam in CT said:

DAYLIGHT "SAVINGS" TIME.   OMG if I were Queeen of the Universe. 

I HATE IT SO SO SO SO MUCH THAT "FALL BACK" SUNDAY IS THE MOST DESOLATE DAY EVERY YEAR WHO WANTS TO LEAVE THE HOUSE WHEN IT'S ALREADY DARK WHAT IS THE POINT WHO EVEN WANTS IT

 

 

 

 

 

 

( I could go on a good deal longer in this vein but I'll spare you from more )

See, I love getting that hour back.  Love. It.  

And to me once the Christmas decorations start going up it's really festive to go outside in the dark, so I enjoy that, too.

But I loathe Spring Forward with the fire of 10,000 suns.  I hate getting up earlier.

[Carol in Cal.]

Highest on my list is rape and other violence against women.

[Lady Marmalade]

The promoting of holidays by stores months before the holiday. Apprently I should have already bought Halloween candy because it's been picked over everywhere.  My grocery stores are promoting eggnog "while supplies last" right now.   Sam's Club already has the aisles lined with everything one could possibly need to make Thanksgiving dinner. Um, I'm not buying fresh brussels sprouts today for dinner in seven weeks...

[*****]

Perfumed air.   Plug-ins (and any heavily scented detergent such as Dreft, Tide, dryer sheets, hair sprays and cologne especially when it remains on furniture when the guy leans against it...)  I don't mean to offend anyone here, but honestly, it's getting to be too strong, I can smell it 2 houses away when a dryer is being used or even when I pass a person out in the wilderness hiking (seriously).  My nose plugs up on me.  I even have a friend that gets severe migraines, gets severely ill and has to go to urgent care. 

The chemicals used cause hormone disruption, are carcinogenic, and more.  And the toxic chemicals don't always have to be listed on products. It makes no sense why this is allowed.  Didn't society learn anything from the effects of 2nd hand smoke?  How is this any different?   

[Laura Corin]

SUVs. They don't fit in parking spaces here and are more likely to hit cyclists and to kill pedestrians and cyclists when there are accidents. Their passenger safety record is not even that good - fine for the front seats, not for the rear.

[Eos]

4 hours ago, HS Mom in NC said:

Unnecessary plastic.  I get that medical items might still need to be in plastic, but for heaven's sake, everything in the US seems to be covered in it.

Get rid of all of it.  Archeologists of the future will be baffled by why our particular layer is drenched in this substance. There's an old municipal dump near my house that stopped being used in about the early 70s.  It has a lot of scary rusted metal and weird things festering away, but there is no plastic at all in it, it's really striking.   Keurig cups and the extra inside layer of plastic on vitamins or juice containers are especially annoying.

I also hate those individual stickers on pieces of fruit. 

Violence against women: very traditional, very much time for it to end. I'll go out on a limb here and say if I could wave my magic wand and make only one thing disappear forever, this would be it.

[Pawz4me]

DST should be phased out (we've BTDT on making it permanent; people hated it and it's horrendous for our health)

Misogyny, patriarchy and xenophobia

Authoritarianism 

The electoral college

Mean people

Edited October 13, 2023 by Pawz4me

[elegantlion]

Keurig!! I'm at a conference and the hotel has Keurig machines in the rooms. UGH! I've created more trash trying to get two cups of coffee than it would take for a whole pot. 

shoe styles that forget humans still have pinkie toes - Clarks - I'm looking at you. My feet are not quite wide - wides always fit too large, but some styles are too shoe shaped instead of being foot shaped. I'm transitioning my shoe collection to better styles but it's frustrating. 

[Hyacinth]

Not nearly as significant as other well-articulated rants in this thread, but I’m saying it anyway:

Crocs. Particularly on grownups. Get some real shoes, man. 

[wisdomandtreasures]

Me again. 😉

The new phenomenon of people thinking that because they recently learned about something, they can write an "ebook" (aka polish up a few blog posts, put them into a PDF and claim it's 100 pages but the margins are huge and lines are double-spaced), or start a podcast about whatever the subject is. 

Oh, and podcasts. I don't care to listen to your random chitchat and rabbit trails. Give me the bullet point list of the main points you talked about and a few links for further reading. 

Every. Last. Thing. being an ad or affiliate code. I miss pre-2010 internet. Does anyone remember the blog "Eyes of Wonder"? I want more of that. Not "Today I'm sharing my favorite canning tips. By the way, here's the canner I use (Amazon affiliate link) and here's my code for 10% off canning lids!" I'm not against people making money or anything but man, after a few really annoying interactions with MLM reps, feeling like every social (or social media) interaction is a sales pitch gets old.

[Ausmumof3]

I like firework, I’d be sad to never see them again. They’re pretty limited use around here so it’s mostly possibly to plan for animals. My dog hates them and thunder but he just heads for the laundry thankfully. 
 

Daylight saving is annoying me more each year.

I want people to stop putting tonnes of random stuff in bread. Like flour, yeast or sour dough? Water and salt please. 
 

Im also good with no more factory farming. We’re moving toward banning cage eggs here although people are getting nervous about what eggs are going to cost 

[Ausmumof3]

I want people to stop hitting wildlife on the road. This time of year is awful with all the baby birds, reptiles just getting moving etc. I hate driving down the road seeing dead stuff every hundred metres or so. 

[MercyA]

5 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I like firework, I’d be sad to never see them again. They’re pretty limited use around here so it’s mostly possibly to plan for animals. My dog hates them and thunder but he just heads for the laundry thankfully. 

3 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I want people to stop hitting wildlife on the road. This time of year is awful with all the baby birds, reptiles just getting moving etc. I hate driving down the road seeing dead stuff every hundred metres or so. 

Re: fireworks--unfortunately they are harmful to wildlife as well. They scare resting birds, who may abandon their nests temporarily or permanently or become disoriented and crash into buildings. Squirrels and other small mammals may also flee their nests and not be able to find their way back or be too scared to return to their offspring. The noise can permanently damage animals' hearing.

Agreed re: the wildlife on the road. I know often it is accidental, but I know people who *deliberately* hit animals in the road. 😠

[Ausmumof3]

6 minutes ago, MercyA said:

Re: fireworks--unfortunately they are harmful to wildlife as well. They scare resting birds, who may abandon their nests temporarily or permanently or become disoriented and crash into buildings. Squirrels and other small mammals may also flee their nests and not be able to find their way back or be too scared to return to their offspring. The noise can permanently damage animals' hearing.

Agreed re: the wildlife on the road. I know often it is accidental, but I know people who *deliberately* hit animals in the road. 😠

Yeah true. Because there’s so many restrictions around them here they typically only get used for the show, nye and sometimes a Christmas thing. 
 

We did visit NT during territory day and my fireworks loving husband loved it. I was terrified! That was a level of mayhem I don’t want to experience again. So I can kind of imagine what it might be like in the US. (Although territory day might be worse - nothing like letting people have something once a year to make them go a little crazy)

[MercyA]

Competitive sports for little kids

Poorly written picture books--please bring back actual STORIES

Military recruiters in high school

Animal dissection in high school

Circuses with wild animals

Captive cetaceans

Bow hunting and big game hunting

Bullies of every kind

Edited October 13, 2023 by MercyA

[Indigo Blue]

5 hours ago, ***** said:

Perfumed air.   Plug-ins (and any heavily scented detergent such as Dreft, Tide, dryer sheets, hair sprays and cologne especially when it remains on furniture when the guy leans against it...)  I don't mean to offend anyone here, but honestly, it's getting to be too strong, I can smell it 2 houses away when a dryer is being used or even when I pass a person out in the wilderness hiking (seriously).  My nose plugs up on me.  I even have a friend that gets severe migraines, gets severely ill and has to go to urgent care. 

The chemicals used cause hormone disruption, are carcinogenic, and more.  And the toxic chemicals don't always have to be listed on products. It makes no sense why this is allowed.  Didn't society learn anything from the effects of 2nd hand smoke?  How is this any different?   

I agree with you. Scented candles are so nice, and I love fresh-smelling laundry (I don’t use those, however) but people just don’t realize how toxic fake fragrance is!! We focus a lot on not wanting toxic coloring and ingredients in food, but we seem blind to seeing that fragrances really are that bad. And companies cut more and more corners, and the fragrances keep getting lower quality and just plain stink. They really should be banned as there really is good enough reason to do so, and I just don’t understand why this gets the low level of attention that it does.