Immersed in our universe whose standards seem stable, it does not seem conceivable to us that other humans in the past could have considered certain practices that we repress as completely natural. We are wrong ; 35 years ago, people were still being guillotined and smoking on planes. And yeah, guys, knock.
1. Arranged marriages
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His family has money and we have a title of nobility but no longer a round. Of course if you’re going to marry Hortensia de Mocherie. Whether you want it or not.
2. Kingship by Divine Right
Nobody questioned too much the fact that the guy was directly appointed by God. However, it still raises a bit of a question, a guy appointed by a great leader that no one has ever seen.
3. Public executions
And come on, it was a rite of passage to take your kids to see people get their heads chopped off or set on fire. I believe that today, parents would at least take funny looks.
4. Name your children after their grandparents
And that gives us generations of Claude giving birth to generations of François, themselves giving birth to generations of… It’s onomastic consanguinity, guys.
5. Non-stop booze
Until the 19th century, we drank an average of 3 liters of wine a day. So good. Risky behavior, all that, all that, it’s true that we live longer, but hey.
6. Fat people were seen the best
The fat ones were rich. The fat ones were rich. Overweight people were therefore considered beautiful. Unfortunately, life is much less fun for them today.
7. Child labor
Until the 1920s, we didn’t really see the problem of sending an 8-year-old kid to the mine. After all, it’s the minimum to earn an ecu per hour.
8. Wear hats all the time
When did people consider it necessary to stop wearing hats suddenly, after spending a lifetime wearing them? When did people start to think of people who wore hats as losers or Craig David fans?
9. Never having traveled outside the 50 km surrounding his village
In Years, Annie Ernaux describes well how most people born in small towns had never gone further than the nearest town before the liberation. Paris was the end of the world. We didn’t know anything about the world.
10. Pregnant 14-year-old girls
Today, a 14-year-old girl is considered a child; until the 18th century, it was not uncommon for her to have her first daughter at that age. Yes it is creepy.
11. Wear horrible corsets
A girl who would prevent herself from breathing by getting stuck in an ugly corset would now be considered an Arielle Dombasle impersonator or a Marilyn Manson fan. In the 17th century, she passed in the street and people said hello to her, Madame.
12. Aristocracy
Even if, today, the aristocracy of birth has given way to a form of economic aristocracy, the idea that one can transmit a title of nobility which opens doors almost everywhere is simply meaningless.
13. Smoking on the plane
It was not until the 90s that the last smoking flights disappeared. Before, a Paris-Sydney had to look like a very, very long trip through the fragrant mist.
14. Shit Anywhere
Before the sewer, you had to shit every day. Until late, we did that in the corners, behind the stairs, what, or in the street, lowering our pants. Today, it is inconceivable.
15. Burning Witches
Witch ! Witch ! DIE! DIE!