Thank you, Captain Obvious!

There are plenty of obvious things that people love to discuss, like how the weather currently is and how soon the holidays are. It’s totally fine to bring up topics like this in a self-aware way: “I know this is obvious, but I just really need to make small talk.” But sometimes, people think they’re being philosophical when they’re really just stating the obvious.

Below, we’ve gathered some of our favorite posts from the That’s How Things Work subreddit, which is dedicated to highlighting people who tried to be deep but failed miserably. From explaining concepts that already have a name to sharing “shower thoughts” that they probably should have kept to themselves, this list is full of funny, facepalm-worthy moments that might make you lose a bit of faith in humanity.

Be sure to upvote the posts that you get a kick out of, and then let us know in the comments: what’s the most obvious thing you’ve ever had explained to you before? Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring obvious things people learned embarrassingly late in life, you can find that right here!

#1

My Cake!

My Cake!

tigbitties888 Report

Rocke-Road
Community Member
3 years ago

"When you have friends"

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RELATED:
    #2

    Thanks I Hate Names

    Thanks I Hate Names

    Exile_The_Fallen Report

    Auntriarch
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Actually I quite like this one

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    #3

    Are You Twins In Real Life?

    Are You Twins In Real Life?

    SalazarRED Report

    Daria
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    🤦‍♀️

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    #4

    Help Me I’m Drowning

    Help Me I’m Drowning

    tigbitties888 , twitter.com Report

    Saggi
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Nah it’s all good, I’ll just pick my favourite lifeguard to save me.

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    #5

    He Blames Pot

    He Blames Pot

    SalazarRED , thereal-obama.tumblr.com Report

    ShyWahine
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    ♫♪♪ Cause I got high, Because I got high, Because I got high ... ♫♪♪

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    #6

    Ah Yes. Evolution Has Nothing To Do With Genetics

    Ah Yes. Evolution Has Nothing To Do With Genetics

    EthanLeEthan Report

    Gregory Mead
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    This is the same kind of person who hated Obamacare but loved the ACA.

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    #7

    Headlines

    Headlines

    _kellythomas_ Report

    Rocke-Road
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    They need to arrest death as soon as possible! They can't keep getting away with it!

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    #8

    Low Battery? Charge Your Phone

    Low Battery? Charge Your Phone

    J_KR Report

    Rocke-Road
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    No water? Melt some ice.

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    #9

    Opinions Must Be Objective

    Opinions Must Be Objective

    reddit.com Report

    Headless Roach
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Everything I say is fully substantiated by my own opinion.

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    #10

    How Stock Photos Work

    How Stock Photos Work

    reddit.com Report

    Rocke-Road
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Yeah Man you can take a pic of us chilling with the hooman, it all good

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    #11

    What A Question

    What A Question

    Regi413 Report

    Auntriarch
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    When you have more hate cells than brain cells

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    #12

    Yes, That’s How Genetics Work

    Yes, That’s How Genetics Work

    kill3r326 , cassjaytuck.tumblr.com Report

    David
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited)

    Not only the obvious of being related in the fictional story but also the Disney "gene pool" is limited due to making their characters fit other formulaic criteria. Like oversized eyes and small noses and such to make them "cute and lovable" or whatever. If you are going to look like Ursula in the Little Mermaid you are going to be a bad person. If you are the 'good' star you have large eyes / small nose like Ariel. Occasional exceptions but for the most part they are all going to look like they might be related.

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    #13

    Amazon Review For A Backpack

    Amazon Review For A Backpack

    salty_llama Report

    Rocke-Road
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Smartest Physics Teacher

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    #14

    That’s Just What It Is

    That’s Just What It Is

    reddit.com Report

    Howl's sleeping castle
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    More like 'slower' thoughts

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    #15

    Yes, Doing Things Have Consequences

    Yes, Doing Things Have Consequences

    PanaceaPlacebo Report

    Rocke-Road
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Mmm, yes, the floor here is made out of floor...

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    Never miss a story that brings joy to the world. Add us on Google

    #16

    Yes That’s How It Usually Works

    Yes That’s How It Usually Works

    reddit.com Report

    Auntriarch
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited)

    This person is in for a surprise if they ever hailsl a taxi

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    #17

    Cecil’s Brother, Jericho, Is Also A Lion, Don’t You Know That!?

    Cecil’s Brother, Jericho, Is Also A Lion, Don’t You Know That!?

    Slomotion321 Report

    Some Random Person
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Humans are so cruel. The wording is kinda funny, but I feel sorry for the lion.

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    #18

    Smh

    Smh

    pastalavista01 , twitter.com Report

    Rocke-Road
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    101% Accurate

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    #19

    Kinda The Goal, Right?

    Kinda The Goal, Right?

    esquared722 Report

    Rocke-Road
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Parents: We want your life to be easier for you! Parents when my life is easier: WELL BACK IN MY DA-

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    #20

    That's Why It's Called A Virus

    That's Why It's Called A Virus

    CouragesPusykat Report

    Saggi
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    I think this thread is running out of ideas. I mean shower thoughts was good i at first, now they just getting a wee bit desperate.

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    #21

    But-

    But-

    otj667887654456655 , twitter.com Report

    Peter Parker
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    He's right. Might be a man elected to congress, hence congressman.

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    #22

    This Is A Fact

    This Is A Fact

    reddit.com , twitter.com Report

    Thorsten Massow
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    He might even be the richest person in the solar system, but this fact can not be derived from the previous statements.

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    #23

    That’s Why Biographies Are Written

    That’s Why Biographies Are Written

    TristanLennon Report

    Jan Eivroc
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Yes, makes sense...

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    #24

    If You Know How Old It Is Then You Know How Old It Is

    If You Know How Old It Is Then You Know How Old It Is

    Sizzox Report

    Lyone Fein
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    This is genius.

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    #25

    R/Showerthoughts At It Again

    R/Showerthoughts At It Again

    emojilover3001 Report

    Saggi
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    And I am pretty sure billboards were made before online ads, it’s like saying, a newspaper is like IRL Google.

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    #26

    Yep, The Wind Can Blow Across State Borders

    Yep, The Wind Can Blow Across State Borders

    hexafraction Report

    Rocke-Road
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Impossible! We have to complain on Twitter about it so air pollution will go away!

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    #27

    Are You High

    Are You High

    reddit.com Report

    Jan Eivroc
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    'Dude you are high' hahahahaha

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    #28

    That's Pretty Much It Yeah

    That's Pretty Much It Yeah

    CoolBoyClarence , twitter.com Report

    Saggi
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    I think in this persons mind it made sense, but then they said it out loud, and it just sounds batshit crazy.

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    #29

    Funny How Things Work

    Funny How Things Work

    Thye204 Report

    OnAFreakingRollercoaster
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    What a bargain

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    #30

    Roses Are Red, I Serve My Master-

    Roses Are Red, I Serve My Master-

    MalbaCato Report

    Nadine Debard
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    I translate : A nuclear explosion so far away from us would be a disaster even for us

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    #31

    That's How Currency Works

    That's How Currency Works

    SuperSlavicBros Report

    OnAFreakingRollercoaster
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Hence, the economy 🤷🏼‍♀️

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    #32

    Yeah, No Sh*t Sherlock

    Yeah, No Sh*t Sherlock

    jp_1896 Report

    Headless Roach
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Oh I thought they were small phones.

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    #33

    I Am Enlightened By Such Powerful Knowledge

    I Am Enlightened By Such Powerful Knowledge

    pootermelon Report

    Rocke-Road
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Nice going, Deccan Herald

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    #34

    I Mean, Yeah

    I Mean, Yeah

    remainoreos Report

    Rod McCabe
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    You never see them making a1974 AMC Gremlin anymore.

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    #35

    Thanks I Didn't Know That

    Thanks I Didn't Know That

    reddit.com Report

    Blurryface
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    That is a cursed hotdog version of Buzz that I have never seen before. Eye bleach Pwease?

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    #36

    Its A Christmas Miracle!

    Its A Christmas Miracle!

    Karim90716 , twitter.com Report

    VikingAbroad
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited)

    Then imagine the 31st of December 1999. The 1st of January 2000 was both the next day, the next month, the next year, the next century and the next millennium. I was there! It was actually not crazy. No IT crash, the TV worked, no aliens, just some mediocre fireworks and then we were sent to bed.

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    #37

    Thats How Humans Work

    Thats How Humans Work

    NateTheNooferNaught Report

    Auntriarch
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Good to know

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    #38

    A Woman Who Looks Like Her Parents

    A Woman Who Looks Like Her Parents

    jmcrljen Report

    Saggi
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Let me introduce you to my little friend called ✨genetics✨

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    #39

    Frenemies

    Frenemies

    cy6nu5 Report

    Mahayana
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    I used to sell Christmas lights that had the disclaimer : only for outside in inside use… what’s the third option?!! To this day, I still don’t know and it keeps me up at night.

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    #40

    Glad They Clarified These

    Glad They Clarified These

    abstractassassin05 Report

    JB
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    a = a, b = b, etc

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    #41

    "You Won't Look At These Things The Same"

    "You Won't Look At These Things The Same"

    killer_pop_chilly Report

    OnAFreakingRollercoaster
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    That's actually a cool way to look at it 💡

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    #42

    How Dare They Ask

    How Dare They Ask

    NothingToSeeHere201 Report

    DrBronxx
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited)

    "Yay, my home country of Ireland is on one of these posts.....ah shite."

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    #43

    Thats How Vaccines Work

    Thats How Vaccines Work

    woodenbroom Report

    Nadine Debard
    Community Member
    3 years ago (edited)

    Covid vaccines don't contain whole covid virus. They contain some mRNA from the virus, which is a molecule, not a germ. Edit: mRNA or DNA or spike protein...

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    #44

    That's What Nostalgia Is

    That's What Nostalgia Is

    reddit.com Report

    Christian Fuller
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Here's an interesting tip-in. One kid is nine years old, but a bunch of them are called nine year olds.

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    #45

    M I N D B L O W I N G

    M I N D B L O W I N G

    OskarSkjold Report

    Stephanie Did It
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    The fewer cells in a brain, the lower the intelligence

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    #46

    Person Wouldn’t Be Famous If They Did Not Do What Made Them Famous

    Person Wouldn’t Be Famous If They Did Not Do What Made Them Famous

    Spaghettiboobin , twitter.com Report

    Daffydillz~
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    She sounds like a genius, lol 😆

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    #47

    Company Wants People To Buy Their Product

    Company Wants People To Buy Their Product

    angery_rowlet Report

    Jensie
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    Been trying to get my hands on one for 3 years

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    #48

    Thanks For The Advice

    Thanks For The Advice

    reddit.com Report

    David
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    TRUE STORY (I'll try to keep it brief). McDonalds drive through. Friend in car has sensitive teeth so drinks warm water because cold water hurts. I order food and a cup of warm water. I s...t you not.. "I'm sorry sir we don't have warm water. We only have cold water and hot water.". Me:... Me: "Well, could you put some hot water and some cold water in the same cup to make it warm water?" Drive through lady: (pause). "I guess we could do that". Me: "Okay, do that please". We were laughing so hard we were crying but we were trying to keep it together at the drive through window because we didn't want to be mean. Maybe she was having a bad day and just had a moment. Or maybe she was dumb AF. Years ago. We still laugh about it if she wants some warm water.

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