Social media is the land of unsolicited advice. Post about your new dog and you’ll have three friends provide three brands of dog food that are each supposed to be the best. Share news about your search for a vehicle and everyone has an opinion about which model is for you. Post photos of your beach vacation and you’ll get dieting tips… which probably weren’t supposed to be as insulting as they felt.

We’ve all felt it—we’re out in public, minding our own business, when suddenly we come face to face with one of Them. Instantly our heartrate speeds up, we get a flood of adrenaline, and our breathing quickens. We didn’t expect to see one of Them here, but here They are, and now we have to be in the same room with Them.

Readers who were around in the 1960s, or who were parented by folks who were growing up in the 60s, may be familiar with the concept of “stranger danger.” Similar to the fears of satanic ritual abuse in the 1980’s, stranger danger was a form of moral panic—a widespread fear spreading through a population that may or may not be based on reality.

The advancement of LGBTQ rights in Canada has been a steady, if slow, progression. Once same-sex relationships were legalized in 1969—with Trudeau Sr. acknowledging that the state had “no place in the bedrooms of the nation”—the expansion towards equal rights was inevitable.

Years ago, when cell phones were relatively new, people grew concerned that using them might cause harm to our brains. Specifically, the fear was that cell phones might emit deadly radiation, such as microwaves that killed brain cells or caused cancer.

There are few human rites of passage that are truly universal. Every culture is different and holds to unique conventions. Some cultures have ceremonies for children reaching a certain age, many have traditions involving certain foods, and some celebrate thanksgiving or other harvest festivals.