‘If we had the internet back in the 19th century, what do you think the clickbait titles would be?’ – 21 articles you would most definitely want to read

Anyone who has ever clicked on a listicle with a title that promises something along the lines of ‘Number five will blow your mind!’ will be aware that clickbait works, despite the the fact we all know that our minds will, in fact, not be blown. It’s just so hard to resist.

But what if they had these kind of misleading headlines in the olden days? They’ve been entertainingly mulling this over on the AskReddit page after user Aerali-s posted this:

If we had the internet back in the 19th century, what do you think the clickbait titles would be?

Here are the things you’d immediately click on if you read them while killing time riding in a pony and trap to your job in the cotton mill.

1.

‘Women near you want to show you their ankles! Click here!’
–Prof-Bit-Wrangler

2.

’10 Signs Your Corset Is Slowly Killing You (Number 7 Is Terrifying)’
–petitegaal

3.

‘Is Your Horse Plotting Against You? Experts Say Yes’
–Hopeful_Durian_8473

4.

‘The Truth Behind the Queen’s Scandal: Why Her Crown Hides a Dark Secret (It’s Not What You Think)’
–MikufanH39

5.

‘Why your bourgeoisie boss hates Karl Marx (And you should too)’
–rusty_mullet

6.

‘Ten ways to hide syphilis! You won’t believe number seven!’
–onetwobucklemyshoooo

7.

‘Arsenic: The miracle chemical in future medicine!’
–Lost_Purpose1899

8.

‘Phrenologists don’t want you to know this one secret!’
–rapiertwit

9.

‘Abraham Lincoln went to watch a play in Ford’s Theatre. You won’t believe what happened next!’
–slimfastdieyoung

10.

‘This one simple trick cures milk leg, dropsy, and the vapours’
–GrandPriapus

11.

‘Lincoln, 54, Slams Confederacy in Late Night Tweets After Rally at Gettysburg’
–RocketCartLtd