Many understand that going to prison poses some drastic changes in people’s lives, given all of the things that happen inside prison walls. However, not many really consider or even understand the “reverse culture shock” that is also a huge factor in the lives of those who return from prison, especially if it was a long sentence.
Reddit user RedditR_Us recently went to r/AskReddit and asked those formerly convicted to longer than 5 years in prison what was their biggest shock in the outside world once they got out of prison. And Reddit delivered with many either telling their own stories or stories of their relatives.
Image credits: Jobs For Felons Hub
Bored Panda has collected some of the most insightful and interesting answers from the post, so check them out in the list below. While you’re there, why not also vote for the ones you liked the most and leave a comment on what you thought about this, or with your own stories.
#21
I had a client ho was fascinated by siri on iphone. He was fascinated that he has a personal assistance at his disposal.He felt bossy
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54points
#22
I did 5 1/2 on a 6 yr sentence. I think my initial shock was how the physical landscape had changed. Places that were once vast swathes of field were now car dealerships and homes. The other one was how people treated and spoke to one another out here. I wanted to fight everyone for about 6 months.
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51points
#23
That i didn't have to ask to use a bathroom. And how many dangerous things people have around them at all times. I slid my knife away from me and under a napkin at a restaurant so i didn't get in trouble.
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51points
#24
A homie of mine found the freedom really obscure. He was so used to the guards telling him what to do that he got accustomed to it. He was really anxious because he had no sense of direction. On a lighter note, he was amazed by Snapchat filters. He kept on posting on his Snapchat story all selfie videos with filters.
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49points
#25
I met a dude who had just gotten out of prison after 15 years, he said that his immediate shock was just seeing color. He said that everything in the joint was Grey looking, he went to Walmart and was overwhelmed by all the colors he had not seen in 15 years
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45points
#26
For my cousin, it was the Gameboy Advance.
This was a while ago (2006 or so). My cousin, who'd been in prison for about 10-15 years, was finally getting out so me and a bunch of the family went to pick him up, then go get breakfast at some diner. I was just a little kid, at the time, so I was playing with my Gameboy Advance, while we were at the restaurant. I'll never forget how much the game I was playing blew my cousin's mind. He saw it and immediately said "Holy crap, what is THAT?! Look at those graphics! Oh my God, that's insane! (His sister) are you seeing this shit?!" To me, it was just some "meh" Star Wars game, but to my cousin, it was the future.
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43points
#27
I spent roughly 9 years in total at a maximum security prison for some dumb decisions I made as a juvenile.
Self checkout stands at stores and wireless headphones were definitely one of those, this can’t be real moments. I questioned reality. Like when you cannot explain an instance and it scares you trying to cope with, did that really happen? That’s how it felt.
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42points
#28
I remember asking a coworker of mine. He said first was that no one had taken his car. It sat for 6 years unmoved in the street. Tires held air and battery was dead but started with a push. Second was how quickly things had gone up in cost. Rent, food, gas, things like that.
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39points
#29
was going to say, I have two family members who did a very decent amount of time... and of all the things that could've blown their mind, Spotify was the biggest.
Even the obscure house artists they were buddies with back in '89 were on there. Not having to burn any cd's or buy records.
They still can't get over it
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35points
#30
I have done 5+ years in prison, i was mostly amazed by smart tvs, with netflix and browsers directly in the tv. And the 4g internet speeds blew my mind aswell.
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31points
