Obsolessons

August 28, 2012 1:56 PM

Obsolessons
Those who refuse to learn from the past… have obviously never read some of the frankly bizarre advice our grandparents thought fit to commit to print. Obsolessons is here to bring you the questionable wisdom of our ancestors, with the occasional useful tip like how to gild a live fish. Because how could that NOT come in handy?

Role: Creator

posted by MsMolly (11 comments total)

This project was posted to MetaFilter by The Whelk on September 14, 2012: "Jumping the rope is not good exercise, for it jars the body too much"

Brava!
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:33 PM on August 28, 2012

Brilliant. More useful and entertaining than most self-help literature.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:38 PM on August 28, 2012

I raised my hand, by the way.
(Trouble of some sort or other, 23 Aug.)
posted by heyho at 5:00 PM on August 28, 2012

Metafilter Projects: always brings trouble of some sort or other as a result
posted by primer_dimer at 1:24 AM on August 31, 2012

Wait, is this supposed to be snarky, or weird advice, or just everything? Because I’m pretty sure the tobacco and ear ringing thing is true for many people, and a lot of people think it effects your hearing negatively (people working in audio).
posted by bongo_x at 11:59 PM on August 31, 2012

Huh. It seems totally nonsensical to me. I hadn't ever heard of it as a thing people actually believed.
posted by MsMolly at 4:57 PM on September 3, 2012

Just search for "tobacco and hearing" and you’ll find plenty.
posted by bongo_x at 7:14 PM on September 3, 2012

Love it! Saw this today (at Mental Floss) and thought of your blog:
posted by trillian at 10:49 AM on September 4, 2012

Obsolessons now has a legal disclaimer. :)

The editors of Obsolessons make no guarantee that all advice provided will be actually unhelpful. While we have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this site has been obtained from unreliable sources, Obsolessons is not responsible for any actual learning, guidance, or assistance obtained from the use of this information. All information in this site is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of the dubiousness of said advice, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of untrustworthiness, danger, or stupidity. In no event will Obsolessons, its related partnerships or corporations, or the partners, agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any beneficial decision made or action taken because of the information in this Site.

posted by MsMolly at 7:48 AM on September 6, 2012 [3 favorites]

I want more!
posted by rmless at 8:11 AM on September 8, 2012

I'm so pleased to see that there are other people who enjoy reading the same sort of old books I do for the same odd reason.
posted by jocelmeow at 1:16 PM on September 14, 2012