Woman Born in 1997 Asks How People “Looked Things Up” Before the Internet
Here’s a TikTok video from a 26 year old woman who had zero clue that we were able to exist in a time before the internet. She asked (seriously, mind…
Gen Zer asks how we found stuff out before the internet.
(Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images)Here's a TikTok video from a 26 year old woman who had zero clue that we were able to exist in a time before the internet. She asked (seriously, mind you) how we found stuff out before the internet. As in, before we could search the internet, how did we answer life's questions or get directions. "You guys, like here's a genuine question. Like genuinely."
Seriously, how did we learn the answers to life's many questions if we couldn't easily just search for the answer on the internet? What if we couldn't remember the name of a movie star? What if we needed directions to someplace and we didn't have a navigation system like Google maps?
OH MY GOD! IT MUST HAVE BEEN MASS HYSTERIA.
People must have been driving around endlessly... bumping into circles and driving to all kinds of places by mistake. "Eeeek! I drove to my grandmas house when I intended to drive myself to the beach!"
"What did you do? Go to the library?! Would you just accept not knowing?"
Indeed, Miss 90's Internet girl. How did we live?! If I needed a set of directions to that specialty store. What if I wanted to bake bread but needed the recipe?
This video is as stunning as it is understandable. It's stunning because everyone who lived in a time before the tech boom knows about paper road maps and grand ma's recipe books. Our modern society has really become so easy thanks to technology. And yet, if you didn't live through that, I can see how you'd ask how we found stuff out before the internet.
We used to have to have a paper map in our car at all times! You had to buy a book of maps from the store! Before any family trip, my dad would spend hours and hours pouring over maps of the states through which we'd be driving. He would make detailed driving instructions.
These days, I barely look at the route before driving off on a mountain bike adventure over 6 hours away. My dad (who would have turned 96 this past August 26th had cancer not taken him in 1989) would have been shocked by that.
For someone with limited experience, it must really be impossible to imagine how we actually survived. Can you imagine this woman being forced to use a paper map?! I'll bet she could hardly fold the damn thing up, let alone actually plan a trip.
But here's the thing. Did this technology make us soft? Were the "old times" somehow better? Aren't there a whole new set of challenges that go hand-in-hand with the post technology living? I think the answer is yes, but I'm going to ask Google to tell me why...
8 Outrageous Tour Rider Demands and Other Requests
Tour riders are often some of the most interesting parts of any artist or band's tour. They often offer an inside look into just how high-maintenance some artists can be. This is often exemplified by how specific their requests might be.
Some rock stars require specific kinds of food and drink, while others clearly want a dressing room that sets a certain mood. Some tour riders feature requests so outrageous they must be a joke. Other tour riders -- like one infamous one at the very end of our list -- feature details that are actually requests to see if you read the rider at all.
And then there are rock stars like Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, who likes to see just what he can get away with. He shared in a recent interview, " ... As the years have gone on, and we had access to more and more outrageous requests being honored, it starts to make you ask for strange things." Homme also claims that asking for strange things is a sign of having a good sense of humor, which he says, "other than injections," keeps you young.
So, what strange things have Homme asked for on his rider? Apparently, it has included chocolate-covered ants and a map of Ireland on his dressing room wall.
Homme said, "People would ask me, ‘Josh, why do you have chocolate-covered ants and a framed map of Ireland?’ and I would say, ‘Wouldn’t you like to know, mind your damn business.'"
Our list below highlights eight tour riders. The first from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band made headlines back in 2023. (Make no mistake: When a tour rider is leaked, it almost always makes headlines. There are at least a few items on it that leave you asking, "Umm...really?!")
Without further ado, keep scrolling and find out which of your favorite rock stars have interesting requests on their tour riders.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Brian Ach/Getty Images for Bob Woodruff FoundationThe tour rider for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that leaked in October 2023 is a whopping 37 pages. It features a wide range of requests. For starters, did you know that The Boss' pre-show meal is chicken soup "with lots of broth"? You do now! Also, his dressing room must have two 99-cent bags of Rold Gold pretzel ("no substitutions"). Interestingly, there needs to be a manicurist on stand-by to "do a man's and a woman's acrylic nail" at every venue. Additionally, there needs to be a massage therapist on stand-by who can perform a "deep tissue/sports massage" if need be.
Mick Jagger
Charles McQuillan/Getty ImagesMick Jagger has a very unique request when it comes to the mattress in his hotel. According to a report from 'The Daily Mail,' Jagger "asks for a new mattress in his room, no matter how posh the hotel. But he insists the plastic wrapping stays on while someone sleeps for one night on the mattress to break it in."
Prince
Cindy Ord/Getty ImagesSpeaking of plastic wrap, Prince had on his 2004 tour rider that “all items in dressing room must be covered by clear plastic wrap until uncovered by main artist. This is absolutely necessary.” This feels a little extra, but honestly, this request wasn't terribly shocking considering how particular the late music icon was.
Paul McCartney
Gustavo Caballero/Getty ImagesPaul McCartney's past tour riders have been lengthy, but considering his legend, they seem rather tame. Many of his requests have to do with his vegan lifestyle, so no furniture backstage made from animal skin (leather) nor is faux leather or animal prints are allowed.
Jack White
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesJack White got a lot of attention for his tour rider when he was out supporting his album 'Lazeretto,' because it included a request for a bowl of "fresh home-made guacamole" and included a very specific recipe that included directions on how to cut the avocado. (FYI: It's "3 or 4 slits down, 3 or 4 slits across.)
Iggy Pop
Neilson Barnard/Getty ImagesIggy Pop's 2006 tour rider was 18 pages, but it clearly wasn't taking itself too seriously. Some of his requests included "somebody dressed as Bob Hope" and "a copy of 'USA Today' that's got a story about morbidly obese people in it." What a legend!
Foo Fighters
Neilson Barnard/Getty ImagesFoo Fighters have taken joke tour riders to another level. In 2011, their tour rider had a coloring book theme complete with a word search and a maze. It also included a list of non-permitted items in the venue which included "light sabers" and "garden gnomes." However, maybe we're wrong. Perhaps, there was a bizarre incident at a past show involving light sabers and garden gnomes.
Van Halen
Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesAh, yes...how could there be a tour rider list without mentioning Van Halen and the whole "no brown M&M's" request? Believe it or not, the band wasn't really being divas back then. The legend of the M&M's has since been cleared up. The reason why that detail was included was to see if promoters actually read the band's performance contract. David Lee Roth said in a 2012 interview, "Van Halen was the first to take 850 par lamp lights — huge lights — around the country. At the time, it was the biggest production ever. If I came backstage, having been one of the architects of this lighting and staging design, and I saw brown M&Ms on the catering table, then I guarantee the promoter had not read the contract rider, and we would have to do a serious line check."
