Assumed Behaviors

Online citizens are good about sharing a variety of memes, images, and other things from “back in the day.”

Recently it was some sort of make up.

People were saying “Oh everyone’s Grandma had that.” And on and on and on.

No everyone’s Grandma did not have that. Mine had an old container of powder of some sort that she must have had since well before my father was ever born. She rarely wore it and I’m not certain I can ever remember her actually wearing it. Grandma was a farm wife, did not drive, wore house dresses everywhere (except when going to town), and shoes were optional a fair portion of the time.

Be careful assuming something about a deceased relative just because someone shared a common practice “from the old days” on the internet. Avoid ancestral generalizations as well–because they are generalizations and many of us had ancestors who were exceptions in one way shape or form.