'I can't find my phone': 30 Things we say in 2023 that would make absolutely no sense to a time traveler from 1970

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Dec 15, 2023 1:00 PM EST

A lot of things have changed in the last 50 years. The nostalgic part of all of us secretly wishes we could go back to the simpler, pre-technology days of our childhood. Back then, we could ride our bike all day around town without checking in with our parents and we didn't get in trouble as long as we got home before the street lights came on. Although, back in the day, it was encouraged to smoke cigarettes during pregnancy too, so maybe we have come a long way as a society. 

But if a time traveler from 1970 were to hop in their machine and land right here in 2023, what would be the most confusing thing? Just imagine the sheer culture shock of enduring 50 years of technological progress in seconds. As someone who grew up with a landline that was hardwired to be 5ft from the kitchen sink, I think there are a lot of things that have changed for the better with the tech age, but also a lot of things we probably could do without. 

Scroll onward to read a list of hilariously confusing sentences that we say all the time in 2023, but would completely bamboozle a 1970's transplant. It really puts the last 50 years into perspective…

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  • 01
    What's a sentence that makes perfect sense in 2023 that would have made zero sense in 1970?
    via u/canva
  • 02
    Com txcowgrrl 15 hr. ago Asking someone "Where are you?" when they answered the phone. ↑ ↓ 5.5k Share Incman 14 hr. ago I like this one. Made me immediately think "I'm standing in the kitchen at my mother-in-law's house, because that's the only place I've seen an actual 'house phone' in the last 20 years or so"
    via u/txcowgrrl
  • 03
    hymie0 17 hr. ago My car won't talk to my phone. ↑ 5.3k Share rubensinclair. 16 hr. ago Something I literally just had to do: My wifi wouldn't reach my Subaru for a software update so I had to use my iPhone hotspot.
    via u/hymie0
  • 04
    brentspar 19 hr. ago Just Google it. 5.4k Share raspberryharbour · 16 hr. ago This would make sense if someone asked you how to make a number 1.0×101⁰0 times bigger, if you said it out loud
    via u/brentspar
  • 05
    Rootraz 17 hr. ago I watched too many tik toks of gym baddies, now my algorithm is all I up 3.3k Share DemiReticent. 14 hr. ago No, it knows what you like.
    via u/Rootraz
  • 06
    John LithgowCummies · 15 hr. ago I forgot to charge my toothbrush. 983 Share Revo63 15 hr. ago. edited 13 hr. ago We had electric toothbrushes, but I don't recall if any were battery powered. And no, in 1970 we didn't have NiCd rechargeables yet.
    via u/JohnLithgowCummies
  • 07
    A987654321. 11 hr. ago Similarly.. What time is it? I dunno, lemme check my phone.
    via u/A987654321
  • 08
    /p> 55 anonymous_subroutine · 17 hr. ago Did you see that the meme I tweeted got 20,000 likes? ↑ 1.3k ↓ Share WaCandor 15 hr. ago The meme you Xed was ok, I guess
    via u/anonymous_subroutine
  • 09
    SlideItIn100- 20 hr. ago I'm gonna Door Dash a Blizzard for my Grindr hookup. not a robot 3.2k Share Rounder057. 18 hr. ago I will totally bottom for a caramel cheesecake blizzard
    via u/SlideItIn100
  • 10
    tourniquet13 - 19 hr. ago This house is only $400,000. 3.1k Share Marina Del Rey1. 15 hr. ago If you add "Not a bad down payment for a starter home!" it still works for California
    via u/tourniquet13
  • 11
    Deep-Signature-3193 · 17 hr. ago Why are you saving things on your hard drive and not the cloud? 1.6k Share TheFluffiest Redditor 12 hr. ago In 1970 not many people had access to a computer let alone one on their desk. I raise you with, "All my computers are in the cloud."
    via u/Deep-Signature-3193
  • 12
    Middle AgedGamer71 19 hr. ago I don't care where you are, when I call your phone you answer, and don't make me leave a voicemail.
    via u/MiddleAgedGamer71
  • 13
    #@!%$ Many_Statistician587 17 hr. ago I can't find my phone. 297 ↓ Share lucky_fin 6 hr. ago As someone who was a teenager pre-cell phones, with a landline phone with a long cord, and a messy room, yes this absolutely could happen
    via u/Many_Statisctician587
  • 14
    Chrome_Armadillo - 17 hr. ago "I need to charge my Tesla for our trip home." (0% 376 Share guilty_bystander. 14 hr. ago Ah yes, the good ol 1880s
    via u/Chrome_Armadillo
  • 15
    TR3BPilot 19 hr. ago My PC bricked due to a flawed update and I'm scouring YouTube videos for a Pakistani fix-it. 522 Share uncre8tv 15 hr. ago I don't think I've ever read the phrase "Pakistani fix-it" before, but I did instantly understand it! (born in '70s)
    via u/TR3BPilot
  • 16
    Hexagonsnsuch · 18 hr. ago Since Netflixs PW sharing I can only watch it on my laptop using a VPN and HDMI that to my TV. 258 258 Share Copenhagan 15 hr. ago • I need to set up my pie hole so that I don't see ads when I stream Korean dramas on YouTube to my phone.
    via u/Hexagonsnsuch
  • 17
    ditchdiggergirl - 16 hr. ago Not original, but I'm fond of "can I unplug your book for a few minutes? I want a nicotine hit but I need to recharge my battery."
    via u/ditchdiggergirl
  • 18
    kylecleansgrills · 17 hr. ago Let me plug my vape pen into your laptop please. ↑ 67 ↓ Share Alortania 9 hr. ago Netbook needs its nicitine fix
    via u/kylescleansgrills
  • 19
    UnderwhelmingAF 11 hr. ago 1970: "Somebody's feeding me Spam" 2023: "Somebody's spamming my feed"
    via u/UnderwhelmingAF
  • 20
    Hubert_Gene 17 hr. ago . The thumb drive that I plugged into my USB port caused my hard drive to crash and I lost two terabytes of data.
    via u/Hubert_Gene
  • 21
    throw123454321purple 18 hr. ago I'll have a double shot half-caf with organic soy. 00 464 Share hypo11 17 hr. ago It's called a Cup- -keeno and wait til you hear what it costs!
    via u/throw123454321purple
  • 22
    Lichruler 19 hr. ago Hey , hop on discord and let's noscope some noobs on cod.
    via u/Lichruler
  • 23
    bookworm1421 17 hr. ago Let me check my front door camera to see if the package arrived. I ordered it on Prime. 154 Share drivelhead 15 hr. ago Let me check my Ring for a Prime package.
    via u/bookworm1421
  • 24
    Icantstopreading. 20 hr. ago Let's have a video call later; I'll set up a Zoom meeting and send you the link.
    via u/Icantstopreading
  • 25
    diavirric 17 hr. ago Pick up a quarter of Obama Kush on your way home, will you? 68 Share . dreamtofalligators · 16 hr. ago TIL the Kush strains didn't make it to the U.S. until the late '70s
    via u/diavirric
  • 26
    NitroCaliber 17 hr. ago My phone is blowing up. ↑ 81 ↓ Share geckos_are_weirdos 16 hr. ago This did/does happen, but not in the way that you mean. Lighting hit the phone line near my friend's cottage and the landline literally blew off the wall and caught on fire. This happened two years ago.
    via u/NitroCaliber
  • 27
    CatOfGrey 16 hr. ago "Oh, you can't smoke cigarettes here, it's illegal. But you can smoke weed next door, no problem!"
    via u/CatofGrey
  • 28
    oxnarder 17 hr. ago Did you try rebooting? ↑ 28 ↓ Share guilty bystander 14 hr. ago Ah yes, my feet are much more comfortable now
    via u/oxnarder
  • 29
    Spare_Ninja2907. 15 hr. ago I can't cast my Netflix to the flatscreen because wifi is off. We suffered a DoS and our paywall has been blacklisted by Google as a malicious website.
    via u/Spare_Ninja2907
  • 30
    66NickS 15 hr. ago My laptop can't charge my book and my cigarette at the same time.
    via u/66Nicks

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crazy relatable 2023 time traveler nostalgia technology interesting nostalgic comedy progress story time machine 1970s time travel Reddit funny
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