Mastodon/Fedi is the social network for people who read the encyclopedia for fun as a kid 🤔

[wcbdata@vis.social]

@FlockOfCats Dictionary, but yep. It me.

[elleaster@ohai.social]

@FlockOfCats My mom had a complete OED when I was a kid. It came with a magnifying glass because the text was so small.

[alter_kaker@hachyderm.io]

@aspeed I still read dictionaries sometimes, and I'm 41
@FlockOfCats

[markc568@beige.party]

@FlockOfCats @shansterable I *knew* I was in the right place!

We never had an encyclopedia until 10th grade when my dad remarried and we moved into my stepmom’s house.

My stepbrothers were partying and playing sports and dating girls, but I was no good at those things, and besides, have you seen the encyclopedia???

[barbramon1@mas.to]

@FlockOfCats Back in the day new parents were haunted by pushy salesmen who convinced them that they were neglecting their newborn by not immediately purchasing a set of encyclopedias.

[noplasticshower@infosec.exchange]

@FlockOfCats dies world craft count? I think that is what those were

[jackwilliambell@rustedneuron.com]

@FlockOfCats

Guilty.

[pussreboots@sfba.social]

@aspeed @FlockOfCats There's a book about the making of that dictionary.

True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color—from Azure to Zinc Pink by Kory Stamper

https://pussreboots.com/blog/2026/comments_06/true_color.html

[randomcanuck@cosocial.ca]

@FlockOfCats Pick me! Hard bound 1956 Encyclopedia Brittanica that my parents bought for my much older sibs. I wasn’t even a twinkle in 1956

[pussreboots@sfba.social]

@FlockOfCats Is true for me.

[shansterable@ohai.social]

@markc568
We had a full set of Funk and Wagnalls plus my aunt gave me a full-color illustrated encyclopedia that was about 8 inches thick that I used to peruse at my leisure LOL.

[randomcanuck@cosocial.ca]

@wcbdata @FlockOfCats Me too! (Plus the Brittanicas)

[drwho@masto.hackers.town]

@FlockOfCats I did, now that you mention it.

[clew@ecoevo.social]

My parents kept *three encyclopedia sets* - I think 1911, 1946, 1980? And a one volume attempt from the 1890s.

The lot of them partly to see how What We Know changes, but also they had different good stuff.

@FlockOfCats

[paulditz@todon.eu]

@FlockOfCats it all makes sense now.

[lizzard@mastodon.social]

@FlockOfCats why wouldn't a person though. So juicy!

[dheepsinque@susanklopfertruth.com]

@FlockOfCats How so? Who to follow?

[imrehg@fosstodon.org]

@FlockOfCats I feel seen.

[m@social.tthi.as]

@FlockOfCats I feel attacked.

[edwing@mstdn.moimeme.ca]

@FlockOfCats Sign me up!

Encyclopedia and dictionary…