People Imagine Which Kinds of Questions Would Be On A Parenting Test
[rebelmouse-image 18354538 is_animated_gif=It's a discussion many of ust might have had. "Why isn't there some kind of test to see who can be a parent?" Or maybe, "We have tests to see who can drive cars, so why not one to see who can make a person?" All valid questions, but intil the government evolves to the horrific point of being able to put a car boot on reproductive parts, it seems those unfit to have children will continue to do so. Still, it's fun to dream, as many people on Reddit found when they answered user, r/ALLCAPSMANIAC's question:
If people had to pass an exam in order to get a license to have children, what would some of the questions on the test be?
Start Small...
[rebelmouse-image 18352144 is_animated_gif="Do you want kids?" Should probably be on there.
It would be followed by "why?" at least 30 times.
Think Of The Dolla' Bills
[rebelmouse-image 18349825 is_animated_gif=How are you going to provide for your child financially?
...followed by...
There is never enough love or money.
Is That Spelled "-ee" Or "-ie"?
[rebelmouse-image 18354539 is_animated_gif=What's the spelling of your future baby's name?
"your answer must include multiple Y's"
Who's The Big Dog?
[rebelmouse-image 18354540 is_animated_gif=If your child doesn't like something important like sitting still sometimes, riding in a shopping cart, using a car seat, eating healthy foods - does that mean they never have to do it?
Or more generally:
Who is in charge?
A) You
B) The baby
A Series Of "What Are Your Intentions?"
[rebelmouse-image 18354541 is_animated_gif=Are you having a child purely because you feel you have to?
Are you having a child just to see what you and your SO would produce?
Are you having a child purely to have a girl to dress up or boy to carry on your family name?
Would you throw your child out of the house for being gay?
If you die, who is to receive the child into their custody?
Are you hoping to use this child to keep a man or trap a woman into your life?
Real Chest Talk
[rebelmouse-image 18354542 is_animated_gif=Do you like your t-ts the way they are?
Basically...Where's The Money Going?
[rebelmouse-image 18354544 is_animated_gif=You have £10.00 pounds left for the week, and 12 nappies, you can buy 8 1L bottles of Cider/Beer for £5.99 or 2 packets of 15 nappies for £8.00. What do you buy?
Feel free to translate to American if you want.
Start The Vetting Quickly
[rebelmouse-image 18348071 is_animated_gif=Do vaccines cause autism?
Answer: Hopefully Not Trip On The Dog!
[rebelmouse-image 18354545 is_animated_gif=What will you do when you're sleep deprived and your child won't stop crying?
Don't Be THAT Parent
[rebelmouse-image 18353114 is_animated_gif=If you want to see a movie, do you a) get a babysitter, b) wait until you can watch it at home, or c) take the child to the movie theater?
Follow up question: If the child starts crying or being disruptive in the movie theater, do you a) take the kid out until it calms down, b) leave and ask for a ticket refund, c) let it scream for an hour in the theater?
This Is Up For Debate?
[rebelmouse-image 18354546 is_animated_gif=Are babies dishwasher safe?
"At Least"
[rebelmouse-image 18354547 is_animated_gif=Test for emotional intelligence. Test for the ability to recognize psychological problems. Test to see if they can get through regular adult stuff like filing taxes and changing a tire.
Should be a competent adult at least.
Double Up The Cleaning
[rebelmouse-image 18354549 is_animated_gif=How often will you change it's litter box?
What's Your Chill Level?
[rebelmouse-image 18354550 is_animated_gif=What's your level of patience and self control / self discipline when you have been sleep deprived for 6 straight weeks?
Why Did You Come Back? Get Out!
[rebelmouse-image 18354551 is_animated_gif=When your baby is crying, do you...
A) Give him/her a joint, they are obviously stressed.
B) Shake until crying stops.
C) Start crying so he/she has a good example of a proper breakdown.
D) All of the above.
Well? What Would You Do?
[rebelmouse-image 18354552 is_animated_gif=I'd ask what they would do if their child is LGBT.
So often I think strains in the parent child relationship are a result of parents expecting their kids to be like them and to have the same interests and values as them, but we should realize they are individuals and we can guide them toward a universal right and wrong as best we can but not force agendas on them and not let differences get in the way of a loving, supportive relationship.
Be Ready For Them Terrible 2's
[rebelmouse-image 18354555 is_animated_gif=Question 1: Are you ready for the toddler stage?
Answer:...
Question 2: Why?
Answer: ...
Question 3: Why?
Answer: ...
Question 4: Why?
Answer: ...
Question 5: How many rebuttals can you come up with in 5 minutes to the word "no"? You must use complete sentences and remain calm.
But, Like, That's How This All Started, Right?
[rebelmouse-image 18348911 is_animated_gif=What causes pregnancy?
You'd be surprised with how many people would get that wrong.
Leave Open A Lot Of Room For Elaboration
[rebelmouse-image 18354556 is_animated_gif=As a teacher I really prefer constructed response type tests. Performance events, if you will.
Your toddler has a melt down at Target. She is screaming and flat on her back and is doing that thing that makes her body limp and feel like it weighs 50 lbs and it is impossible to easily scoop her up and leave. If the average caloric intake of an apple sauce squeeze is 50 calories, you've watched every episode of the Boss Baby cartoon series on Netflix five times (ten episodes, 25 minutes each), and pull ups are impossible to pull back up without ripping loose the sides, why is the correct answer give her a baby wipe and she will settle down immediately?
Please provide the proper psychological theories to support your conclusions.
Multiple Choice Speed Round!
[rebelmouse-image 18354557 is_animated_gif=What will you do if your child gets sick? What will you give them?
What will you feed your child for lunch on a typical day?
What will you do if your child is misbehaving?
What time will your child go to bed?
What beverages will your child be allowed to have during the day?
When is it ok to leave your child home alone (what age)?
Describe the typical puberty talk that you will give your child/preteen.
Describe the typical sex talk that you will give your preteen/teenager.
Describe how you would talk to your child and teenager about drugs and alcohol.
What will your teenager's curfew (or similar rule) be?
What will you do if your child gets a minor injury like a scrape? What about a major injury?
How will you help your child succeed in school?
What would you do if your child was having mental health issues?
How would you protect your child from bullying?
A for effort. Very important questions. Though I would have answered these questions very differently 20 years ago.
I would have answered them idealisticly and in the true spirit of someone who has no clue what she was in for. I've learned that the plan is: there is no plan. Keep 'em alive, teach them to think for themselves and keep them young for as long as you can.
H/T: Reddit
Romantic Confessions That Instantly Ended A Relationship
Reddit user AdditionalDentist100 asked: 'What's something you confessed to your partner that ended your relationship?'
When it comes to romantic relationships, it's a lot harder to maintain a relationship than it is to start one. And unfortunately, it's all too easy to end that relationship.
A lot of things can end a relationship, and sometimes, it could be as simple as a single comment. Sometimes it's so hilariously stupid that you can't fathom being with the person any longer. Other times, the person says something so cruel that you know it's time to run. And sometimes, the comment isn't even necessarily bad -- just ill-timed.
Redditors know all about this and are ready to share.
It all started when Redditor AdditionalDentist100 asked:
"What's something you confessed to your partner that ended your relationship?"
Faking It
"Not me, but someone I know was finally told that her husband was faking his English heritage, background/upbringing in England and fake accent. Dude kept it up for years, eventually admitted that it was all a lie and that he grew up on West Coast."
– NE_Golf
"I would think that was a lie but there are people who have faked being a 9/11 survivor. Apparently this type of stuff happens more frequently then I'd imagine."
– jdefr
Oh, The Humanity
"That I didn't rinse off the Mac and cheese noodles. This isn't even a joke it's a true story."
"They were done cooking and I didn't rinse them off. And yes this was a break up waiting to happen I guess lol."
– Ohlookavulture
"It says right on the box not to rinse them."
– Strong-Solution-7492
"The starch is good for the sauce. Dodged a bullet, I'd rather die alone than eat sh*tty mac & cheese."
– pleachchapel
The Past Is Not The Past
"Didn't happen to me, but a guy I knew married a girl I knew (both a bit older than me) and everything seemed great. However, they were at a party and someone mentioned that the guy used to smoke weed in high school (he admitted it, didn't think it was a big deal). She divorced him a month later, claiming that she couldn't forgive him for smoking weed. 😳"
– bomland10
"There had to be something else going on with her because this is so ridiculous. It's not even something he was currently doing."
– woodenmittens
But Faaaamily
"I didn’t want us to move in together with 6 other relatives."
– Ne0nGalax-E
Three Words, Eight Letters
"I believe it was "I love you.""
– AssistantManagerMan
"How f**king dare you!"
– Illustrious_Cancel83
"Oh yeah, I was out of line."
– AssistantManagerMan
And She Communicated
"I wanted better communication sooo she broke up with me."
– Plus-Bunch-4265
"I mean….."
– Outrageous_Egg6340
"Loud and clear."
– EchtGeenSpanjool
Run!
"I said, while crying because he got angry with me at a restaurant, that “I am sometimes afraid to tell you how I feel because I’m afraid of how you’ll react.” And he said, “well, thats f**king pathetic.”"
– internetgoth
"My partner had a habit of starting a convo by asking how I felt about something, then would criticize me for feeling what I felt. It always ended up being a debate about why I felt the way I did. It was never okay for me to feel sad, worried, scared, etc."
"Over time I started to feel anxious when he’d ask questions, and purposely responded vaguely, or just straight up said that I didn’t feel comfortable sharing (which would incite anger or more judgment)."
"Eventually my response became exactly that. A teary “I don’t know if I want to share because I’m worried about how you’ll react/respond” and his responses were along the lines of “that’s stupid” “you’re ridiculous” “don’t be an idiot” “seriously?”"
"I don’t know if it’s because I got so used to it, or from being distracted by all the other bigger things in the relationship…but for some reason I didn’t even notice that this was another bad thing until reading this comment. It was just…normal."
– alexanteros
Looks Always Matter
"It’s not necessarily what I confessed, but I showed him my picture from 8th grade and he couldn’t handle that I used to look like I did in 8th grade."
"If I knew that I had to peak in middle school I would have at least plucked my eyebrows 🥴"
– aero_love
""Sorry babe, you just weren't hot as a middle schooler. Gotta end it here.""
– bobbitdobbit
Happy Ending
"True story. I confessed that I wanted to do more for her. I thought I was neglecting her and working too much."
"That next week, she sat me down and told me that I was threatening her independence and that she needed a week to think about us. The week after that, she broke up with me."
"I later got the real reason from her former best friend. She never had a guy who wanted “all in” like I did and panicked."
"At the time I was destroyed. LOL I thought I was going to marry that woman. Turns out I was one woman off and my next relationship would turn into my current family. So all’s well that ends well."
– Salty-Technology8912
Better This Way
"Broke down crying during a more realistic war movie. She told me to suck it up."
"After she confronted me for drinking too much I finally sought VA disability. Diagnosed with depression, PTSD, anxiety, among other things. Bills started pouring in and I told her we can’t afford certain luxury things because I was the sole breadwinner. I said I felt like I was drowning and my head is slowly slipping under the surface. She told me to “figure it out.”"
""So, I did. We divorced. And I’m much more happy and no longer on the train of “be a man and tighten your boot straps.” I got help and know that it’s okay to do so."
– NyetRifleIsFine47
"So much easier to keep your head above water without the anchor around your neck."
– Probably_Not_Evil
The Cards Don't Lie
"That I didn’t believe in astrology and tarot cards. She then said her tarot cards told her to break up with me. Sure dodged a bullet there."
– Zenith_21
"The tarot cards were right! And still you don’t believe!"
– TDLMTH
Let's Hear It For The Boy
"I didn’t confess, I just went to a couple bars with her to dance. She left me because “YOU CAN’T DANCE!” Of all the things that she could’ve said that was the weirdest reason ever. Like, I had no response. I was 28. I’m happily married for 22 years now to someone who I constantly do bad dancing for because she thinks it’s hilarious. I mean, since I was told I can’t dance, I developed a habit of dancing badly when celebrating ANYTHING. It’s a real crowd pleaser. I am loved for my bad dancing now."
– generic230
I can't dance either! But this is exactly why we all need to find someone who loves us for our quirks, not despite them.
I have been left utterly bewildered by what some people believe is acceptable thought, conversation, and behavior.
Like... "Do YOU hear you?"
It shows when a person lacks life experience and/or brain cells.
Words expose everything.
And sometimes shock is all that is left to grapple with.
Redditor nlwfty wanted to hear about all the things people have overheard that left them utterly stunned, so they asked:
"What's the most out-of-touch thing you've heard someone say?"
I once a friend's friend moan about how she and her husband were nearly destitute.
Almost penniless.
All while she was straightening up the house for the new au pair they had just gotten from Columbia.
The Who?
Over It Maid GIFGiphy"My boss once told me to have 'the maid' drop my car at the shop. WTF!!"
amboomernotkaren
Be Happy
"'You won't be happier at work if we pay you more, but we need to figure out why workplace happiness is so low.' This coming from a guy that made 10x what I did and was born into old money."
Dirac_comb
"I had a job that was paying below market rates and 'expected' daily overtime (unpaid, natch) and was trying to figure out how to improve morale. They were considering bringing in consoles and having video game nights after work... as if we weren't stuck there too long already."
"I did have the fun of leaving, then being asked to come back as a contractor to help out, and taking advantage of being on a short-term contract and giving no f**ks to suggest that maybe they should consider at least TRACKING the overtime people were working, even if they weren't going to pay for it since there was probably a whole extra job's worth of hours in there and maybe hiring another person might improve morale and reduce the risk of the kind of errors tired people make."
"Didn't stay long as a temp. Apparently telling the truth and discussing facts with your co-workers isn't good for morale >_< They told everyone I was leaving because I got a better offer (!), but I told everyone exactly what was really happening when they asked XD."
princess_ferocious
It hasn't?
"My dad (who is now the Director of Accounting for the school district I teach for) was talking about how my starting pay was way more than his starting pay."
"I said, 'Well, yeah... The cost of living has increased a ton since then.' This motherf**ker straight up said, 'No it hasn't.'"
"He started working there in 1992. This conversation happened in like 2017 (about a year after I started working there). Again, he is the director of accounting."
pjsans
Move On
"'You seem sad.'"
"My mother to my sister, at her husband's funeral."
blarg-zilla
"My sister's son was murdered. Two weeks later my mom asked her if she was over it yet."
NeverCallMeFifi
"One of my sons was murdered 12 years ago. Many people started telling me that I needed to 'move on' after 4-6 weeks. My brother refuses to say my son's name, so I no longer speak to him. Sending my deepest condolences to your family from a mom who understands losing a child to homicide."
PDXer328
Good Idea!
New Girl Facepalm GIF by HULUGiphy“'I don’t know why people get big mortgages. Just save up for a few months and pay cash for a starter home!'"
Hopeful-Moose87
People with money always seem to have a plan, unless the plan is sharing.
FInd the Treasure
Dragons Den Television GIF by CBCGiphy"When people were complaining about not being able to afford housing/food/living in general, one of the Dutch ministers (I think he was a minister or at least the leader of a party) said something along the line of 'well, find a rich boyfriend then'. ah, yes, that will solve the crisis!"
pastelchannl
Dumbfounded
"I went to an Ivy League college with lots of children of extraordinarily wealthy families. When discussing inequality and its effects on housing, my professor briefly mentioned how mortgages are out of reach for a growing number of Americans. The girl next to me stopped the class, and with a confused face asked the professor why people don’t just buy their homes in cash outright because 'surely the interest means it will cost them more over time.' The professor was dumbfounded. I found out later that she is the heiress to a major luxury brand that you have all heard of."
wildblue2
The Increase
"My former landlord and his wife dropped by to tell me and my financially struggling 20-something roommates that they were raising the rent, by nearly 25%. They said, 'We noticed on Craigslist that neighbors had higher rent so we’re doing the same.' The wife then earnestly reminded us that we’ve been great tenants but maybe we just needed to find some higher-paying jobs. 🙃."
agingcatmom
Not Me
"I was waxing a woman’s eyebrows once and she was complaining that sometimes after she gets a massage the pillow leaves a circular indent on her face and she can’t go out to lunch after. She then asked me if that ever happened to me? I was like ma'am I wax people for eleven bucks an hour; I’m not going out to lunch lol, let alone getting massages."
lomi08
Investments
Money Invest GIF by ProBit GlobalGiphy"Something like: Give a rich person $500 and they will invest it into $1000. Give it to a poor person and they will spend it in a week."
"Yeah exactly give it to someone who’s needs are met and they can save… give it to someone who needs to eat/pay rent etc they will spend it to survive!"
ExaminationLucky6082
You need money to make money.
One of life's biggest lessons apparently.
So someone give me some money.
When we thing of something being gross, or nasty, or cruel, there are certain examples that we can all think of, like bullying or an uncleaned bathroom.
But there are other things in our lives that are actually much nastier than we would expect them to be, and we can only really uncover the truth by taking a closer look at them.
Cringing already, Redditor Strawberry_no_cake asked:
"What is nastier than people realize?"
Not So Sweet Now
"Ice machines in restaurants."
- Goodygumdrops
"I worked at a golf course after I lost my law firm internship during the pandemic. I basically just cooked people easy food (burgers, hot dogs, fries, BLTs, etc.) and tended bar in the clubhouse."
"I can confirm that the ice machine can get gross. I’d always do a quick wipe down clean if I saw anything on the ice, but it was typically on parts of the machine that never touched the actual ice we’d use."
- S**tfacedGrizzlyBear
Unexpected, but Makes Sense
"RN here: Hospital floors!"
"Seems obvious, but apparently it isn’t. I can’t believe how many folks will allow their CHILDREN to sit or play on the floors, or just generally treat them like they are sterile. I don’t even wear my work shoes into my own house."
"The other day I spilled a few drops of tea on the floor where I work… gave it a very light wipe with a cloth and the cloth was BLACK."
"I think people assume that since it’s a hospital the floors are in mint condition… absolutely no way, lol (laughing out loud)."
- gracebloome
Secondary Symptoms in Autoimmune Diseases
"Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis."
"Thanks to drug company ads, most people think it's just about going to the bathroom a few times a day. There's never any mention of fissures, fistulas, fevers, extreme pain, extreme fatigue, depression, anemia, drug side effects, joint pain, painful and horrific surgeries, mouth sores, skin disorders, etc."
- reddy_kil0watt
Our Enemies Don't Even Deserve This
"Dementia, especially advanced dementia. It's not just quirky memory problems, your brain controls every bodily function."
- youngboomergal
Carer Fatigue is Real
"Being a caregiver. Again, people know it might be nasty, but I think they still overlook the awful experience it is for people who are caring for an elder."
"My mom took care of my bedridden grandmother for three years. The amount of s**t everywhere (she had chronic diarrhea, and I don't know if it's just me, but old people's s**t smells like something of another realm), awful body odor (even when we were cleaning her constantly), the difficulty of changing diapers/sheets/covers as constantly as she needed (at least two times during the night)."
"So what I meant is that sometimes people think is 'nice' of a certain daughter/son to take care of their old parents (at least in my country where putting your parents in facilities is not common). But it's just such an intense, nerve-wracking, hard, and disgusting job, with no breaks, with little rewards (because at least my grandma was not in her right mind), and almost no social recognition that it blows my mind how underappreciated it is."
- FuelSelect
One Word: Cancer
"Cancer. People know it’s nasty. People know it’s nasty as all h**l. But here’s the thing. Going through it myself, I could have never imagined how nasty it truly is."
"I watched my mom fight stage four ovarian cancer 18 years ago (I’m 40 right now for reference). She was so far along, and so riddled with the cancer that she was given weeks to live, and sent away from three oncologists who told her to check into hospice and prepare for the end."
"Thankfully she found an oncologist (who is mine now) who took her in, and went to war with her. They cut her open from the chest down, and spent hours plucking tumors out of her while rearranging her internal organs. Taking out the bad stuff and building what he could with what was left. Then two long rounds of chemo. Hospital visits. Illness left and right. Side effects. Recovery. It was h**l for her, but she beat the odds and lived."
"Watching this, I understood what I could. I saw the pain, but now, going through it myself, couldn’t possibly comprehend how bad it truly was. I saw the illness, the nausea, the neuropathy, all the stupid side effects that hit you for no reason at all."
"So yeah, cancer. Everyone knows it’s nasty, but man is it even worse than that!"
- jdizzle161
Travel Luggage
"Luggage. It gets rolled throughout the world, often in gross airport bathrooms where floors are literally wet with pee, and then when people get to their destination, the first thing they do is toss it on the bed to unpack."
"Come to think of it, this also makes hotel comforters that never get washed even more disgusting."
- jgilbs
That One Article of Clothing
"Your belt. Think about it, it´s basically the only piece of clothing you never wash. And you always have to touch it after you pooped and before you wash your hands."
- KeplerFinn
Dusty Keyboard Keys
"Your keyboard."
"Seriously man, wash that thing. I can see the dirt from your window!"
- BowlOfJello___
A World of Germs in Your Pocket
"Phones."
"One time I was in line at a food service place, think Chipotle style where you tell them what you want and they make it behind the counter."
"There was this sweaty Door Dasher guy who couldn’t really articulate the order so he handed his phone to the kid behind the counter. The kid proceeds to take his phone, starts swiping and touching it WITHOUT GLOVES ON, and goes right back to touching people’s food."
"Disgusting."
- white_cyclosa
Where Has That Been?
"The top of a soda can. People buy them from a store and put it right onto their mouth without hesitation."
- fuzzynavel5
Far Beyond the Stereotypes
"OCD. It's not some goofy personality quirk. It's h**l on earth."
- MERT-x123
"'Oh, you have OCD? Well, how come your house is a mess?'"
"Oh, I dunno, maybe because I'm so consumed with intrusive thoughts I can't function?"
"'lol (laughing out loud), I get those too! They're normal, just ignore them.'"
"ha-ha-ha-ha sob."
- SerakTheRegallian
What We Wear Everywhere
"Shoes. They are filled with sweaty feet and go everywhere. Think about the gas station and airport bathrooms. The bathrooms you can feel the ick in."
- golamas1992
Also, Watch Straps
"Your watch strap: mine is white and the notches for the buckle go all the way around and every week I have to clean out all the lint and build up to stop it going funky. Makes me shudder at the idea of other watch straps where it may not be as obvious."
- durkbot
Kids Who Don't Know Better
"Speaking as a teacher of four- to five-year-olds:"
"Kids with colds who do not know how to blow their noses or cover their coughs and sneezes. Sometimes they just leave the snot on their faces, or wipe it on their clothes. They can produce a mind-boggling amount of snot!"
"The awful gross things kids will willingly put in their mouths, and then share with others!"
"I love them regardless!"
- CreepyCandidate4449
We're absolutely squirming at the thought of all of these situations, mostly because we haven't thought about them to this degree before, or perhaps even considered it (we're looking at you, belts).
Take this as a reminder to clean the things you haven't in a while, and perhaps take some extra health precautions in public spaces where other people may not be.
People Describe The Most Historically Significant Event They've Ever Witnessed In Person
Do you ever wonder what it must've been like to experience major events throughout world history when reading about them in text books?
But if you take pause and actually think about it, we're living through many newsworthy current events that succeeding generations will be talking about long after we're gone.
Reading about them online or in newspapers is one thing. But seeing them happen unfold before our eyes is another.
"What is the most historically significant event you witnessed IN PERSON?"
People recall the natural disaster events they've witnessed.
Tremors
"1964 Good Friday Earthquake 9.2 Richter. Was a boy in Cordova, Alaska at the time."
– KitchenLab2536
"My father was skipper of the USCG cutter stationed there. He was inport, and when the quake struck shortly before 5:30pm, he and my mom gathered me and my three siblings on the front porch. At first, it felt like the house was crumbling at the foundation, but on the porch we could plainly see our whole world was shaking. I remember watching telephone poles swaying, and the wires snapping and crackling in the street. The quake lasted about five minutes initially. My dad got his ship underway to avoid the tidal wave which was sure to come. We had several aftershocks in the coming weeks, some of which were quite strong, though nowhere near as strong or as long as the quake itself. I was seven at the time."
– KitchenLab2536
Collapsing Freeway
"October 17th, 1989. I watched the 880 Nimitz freeway collapse during the San Francisco earthquake. The Honda in front of me had the upper deck crush her front-end engine compartment. The mother and her daughter were shaken up but completely fine."
"I was driving a convertible Triumph Spitfire, which was scratched up slightly from debris. However, I walked away unscathed. Aside from the fact I pissed my pants, which I didn't notice until much later."
– CatDaddyWhisper
Thar She Blows
"I sat on the roof of our house and watched Mt. St. Helens erupt less than 100 miles away."
– stinkykitty71
"This must have been fascinating and terryfing in equal measure. What a thing to witness."
– runrossyrun
"It was amazing! The ash that covered everything like snow was interesting to kid me, but less so to my parents."
– stinkykitty71
People recall seeing major catastrophes as a result of malfunctions or judgement errors.
Bomber Crash
"The b-52 crash that led to changing what large military aircraft are allowed to do for airshows."
"I didn't see the plane, but immediately saw the fireball. It was just a perfect, bright red turning to black mushroom cloud."
"Fairchild is a nuclear air base and there were a few minutes there where I was sure the world was about to end."
"A few years before a KC-135 doing the same thing crashed near the school while we were in class."
– goffstock
Tragic Takeoff
"I was standing on my front porch watching the launch of the Challenger."
– StarChaser_Tyger
"Was riding in my parents car to a basketball game in the next town over in north texas when we saw a shooting star and thought that was neat."
"It was the Columbia..."
– Misdirected_Colors
Demolition Gone Wrong
"The failed implosion of the Zip feed mill in Sioux Falls, SD in 2005."
"They hyped it up, sold tickets to it, had a big 'BOOM' marketing thing, and broadcast it live on TV."
"The explosives took out the main supports on the first floor, and the rest of the building above it just plopped down 10ft or so and came to a rest. It was a massive failure, and was a funny little blurb on news stations around the world that day. Definitely not major news, just the rest of the world taking 20 seconds to laugh at us."
"The building sat like that (the leaning tower of SuFu) for quite a while until they figured out how to safely demolish it."
"Here's a clip of the failed demolition."
– KitchenBandicoots
These well-known historical events were seen by very few who are alive today.
Historical Remnant
"The tumbling of the Wall in Germany… along with people selling bits and pieces of it on tables in lobby in front of commissary and px in the following weeks and months. I had picked up a chunk about the size of an oreo and kept it… has blue spray paint on the flat side. Wonder if anyone is buying them now?"
– SingedPenguin13
Major Upheaval
"I would have to say the LA riots. I lived about two blocks from where it started. I was on my way home from school and saw someone throw a brick through a window. I didn’t even wait. I just started running the whole way home."
– Scarlaymama0721
Day Of Infamy
"9/11, I could SMELL the collapse of the towers."
– go4tli
"A friend of mine was there. One day in the warehouse we worked in together there was an odd electrical burning smell. He stopped in his tracks and went 'this is what 9/11 smelled like.'"
– mantistoboggan287
I didn't physically witness the fall of the World Trade Center but I was living in New York City at the time.
However, I did see the smoke.
I was living up north in Washington Heights at the time and knowing what happened, uncertain of what was to come, and seeing the plumes of smoke from the attack site was the most ominous sight I've ever seen in my life to date.
Have you ever lived through a historic moment or witnessed something sure to be noted in history books? Let us know in the comments below.