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Cringe is as cringe does. Even though the internet is full of wonderful things like cat pics, wholesome local news, and articles written by yours truly, it’s also home to the vast and spooky wilderness where you’ll find the most bizarre and cringe-worthy posts. And it’s the members of the ‘Cringetopia’ subreddit that bears the heavy burden of documenting the cringiest examples to share (and publicly mock!) with the world. These cringetopians have a duty to show us what to never ever do while at the same time providing us with some hilariously weird content.

We’ve collected some of the best recent posts that will make your face contort, your mind reel, and your lips say, “Oh God, why?! Please, no!” Remember to upvote the cringiest pics that hurt you emotionally (and maybe even physically). Oh, and if you haven’t had enough internet for today, then be sure to check out our previous posts about the ‘Cringetopia’ subreddit right over here: Part 1 and Part 2.

What the 1.3-million-strong ‘Cringetopia’ community teaches us is that cringey posts are more common than we might think. And we’ve all no doubt done embarrassing things that we still remember in the shower or late at night when we should be sleeping. However, ignoring these feelings and running away from them is far from healthy.

Bored Panda had a talk with a couple of the subreddit's moderators to learn more about how the massive community is managed, as well as how to live with the cringey things that we've done in the past (spoiler warning: it's to take responsibility for your mistakes and live life with courage). Scroll down for our interviews with them, as well as for our chat about embarrassment with award-winning social psychologist Vanessa Bohns, the author of the forthcoming book 'You Have More Influence Than You Think.'

#1

Dork A** Losers

Dork A** Losers

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#2

W H I T E P E O P L E A M I R I G H T!!!

W H I T E P E O P L E A M I R I G H T!!!

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wifeofweasley
Community Member
2 years ago

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Joonscrab
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's amazing that people adopt regardless of what race the child is, but I hope that they do instil some of the cultures and traditions that would be seen in a child living in normal household for people of that race/nationality /ethnicity... That's the only concern really!! The person above is a sore loser for complaining about people adopting and giving a better life to kids :')

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know parents who are of different skin colors, and their kids struggle a bit with "whose side they're on", but.... I think the problem is that society expects there to be "sides" in all this. Not just "Hi, I'm a person, and my parents love me". And that saddens me beyond words.

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cassiushumanmother
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I took a friend's daughter (french+tunisian) to Disneyland and the poor 5yo said to me "i wish i was not an arab!" because she was traumatized by terrorists attacks who happens to be perpertrated by "arabs" and arabs looking people were really stigmatized after it. I had to explain to her that her gorgeous blond curly hair came from the mix and that she should be proud of having 2 cultures, talking 2 languages, that this was a great asset and not a shame at all... A fu...ing 5YO. Indeed the society has a problem, putting such sad things in kids heads, she was in Disneyland and worried about being "half-terrorist" because society teach her "arabs=terrorists".

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Ozacoter
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It really concerns me how many people seem to consider that blatant anti "white" racism is a good thing. No kind of discrimination based on skin colour is good.

kjorn avatar
kjorn
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i knew a white couple when i was young who only adopt black kids from haiti. they give them a chance to a better live. lovely couple. i think they got like 3 or 4 kids

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lara
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A person is not a color. A child is not a color. Color is not a culture, it is just a color. Children need homes and parents.

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Ryan Deschanel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How can you hate a race so much that you blame their actions of pure love?

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Ivana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People really being d***s about someone adopting kids. Great.

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Mrs. Jan Glass
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know several white people who have adopted nonwhite kids. They are hyper-aware of the potential problems, and belong to all sorts of parenting groups, and make sure their kids grow up known their birth "culture," whether it's Chinese, Black American, or Indian. They were prepared for racism, and while they've gotten crappy comments from white people, it is more often POC who confront them for taking a nonwhite child away from their culture, whitewashing them, and/or claiming this is "just like" residential schools/child abuse/conversion therapy/colonialism. MYOFB.

ollallie avatar
Asking for a Friend
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I find this to be an interesting set of comments. I'm going to guess that most of you are not POC and you can't understand what something like this is like for someone who is. I'm not against anyone adopting anyone, but there are certainly issues being a POC person raised in a white family that people need to consider. For an easy read on the subject, look at Surviving the White Gaze. Now, I wasn't adopted, but I am a 54-year-old Black woman who grew up believing in the ideal of being color blind. This, despite what my parents told me about their experiences being 1) poor and Black in very racist and segregated St. Louis, and 2) the only Black family in a western Kansas town. I thought that those experiences couldn't happen to me because we had come so far as a country. I'm even a biologist and have understood from an early age that race is an evolutionary adaptation. Flash forward to 2020 and I can't unsee how much bias there is in the world and downright hatred for Black people.

ollallie avatar
Asking for a Friend
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can’t unhear my white dude friends complaining about how hard they have it too. Ok, so maybe you have it hard, but it’s not the same as being POC in America. So this is just a missive for people to consider that because they are white in a white-dominated country, they may have blinders on when it comes to race. Oh how I wish we were truly color blind, but the truth is we are not and pretending to be so only benefits white people. Also, calling someone a social justice warrior is ridiculous – who is against social justice? If you are, it says a hell of a lot more about you than the woke crew. I’ll take my downvotes now, please...which also speaks volumes about you and not these comments, but that’s where we are.

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Jo Choto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, but we have a lot of evidence now to show that being raised by a white family when you are not white leads to a lot of issues, because in most cases, the adopted child is given no access to people of their own ethnicity/original culture and they grow up feeling extremely lost and out of place. Better than a lifetime of foster homes, possibly, but if you are going to adopt a child who looks nothing like you, then plan on finding them culture and community where people DO look like them.

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RandomBeing
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I plan on fostering kids eventually and I won't care at all about race. But I will definitely have them be as connected to their culturally as they could possibly wish. Being white I never felt I had much culture (really latched onto vikings and norse mythology) and I'd my kid to have that connection.

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Shea
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Whats wrong with adopting a kid thats a different skin color.. I think its amazing

3loretta979 avatar
Loretta
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sooo... He's saying that a black orphan shouldn't be adopted... because of their skin color? Hmmm...

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Afonso Lima
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My family (Brazilians with Spanish heritage) have adopted 2 black kids and they are as much my little brothers as my other not so little brother and I'd kill and die for any of them

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Brian Irby
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The other side of this moronic statement is the assumption that non-white children are somehow unmanageable. So, both anti-white racism and racism towards people of color in the same ball of slimy cringiness.

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Black Karen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Better to be adopted by a different race than to be abused or abandoned living in an abuive or group home. Every single person has issues adopted or not. Its just a matter of what those issues are. Id rather struggle with transracial identity trauma than the trauama of growing up in an unsafe home just for the sake of living with ppl who match my skin color. Is it a real issue, yes. But child abuse, neglect, abandonement, and the very complex trauma it causes is a much bigger and frankly more important issue.

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Axolotl King
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not trying to start a political fight but to be fair people were getting mad at Amy Coney Barrett for adopting to kids who weren't white

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Crazy Meerkat Lady
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And also, you can't go applying for adopting a child and then specify skin colour! You would probably not even be approved for the process then because it will show what a s**t person you are

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Libstak
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not true, there are many culturally and race specific adoption organisations that ensure a match in those areas often for the sake of the kids and their biological parents wishes especially if orphaned via wishes in the parents will or put up for adoption directly by parents rather than the State.

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Itzel Bastian
Community Member
2 years ago

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Maybe this is why people say this: https://youtu.be/jy_r4LN3bOc

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Pervinca
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can find bad examples for pretty much everything. Biological parents can be awful, people that adopts children of their own ethnicity can be awful. People from every ethnicity can be awful. Plenty of examples. But a bad example shouldn't be taken as the only parameter to consider bad all the cases, otherwise it's just a prejudice.

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Vicky Zar
Community Member
2 years ago

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I am a bit two minded about this. I saw a talk with Kristin Davis (who adopted black kids) and some famous black woman. They talked about different things. One was hair. A white woman would most likely have no idea how to treat her black daughters hair. The texture is so different. And this is just one small thing. Especially in the US, where the divide between white and black is so vast.... why I approve of adopting any parentless child regardless of color, health or whatnot, it can be ... especially challenging for parent and child if there are big differences between them.

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sturmwesen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She can always ask a person with the same hair or a hairdresser who does it. What might be important is getting input on social issues concerning the kids colour (a black person that can give her insights in some struggles she might be aware off but has no experience with)

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Kira Okah
Community Member
2 years ago

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Scarily, the first comment of the post is very common, to the extent that I have seen adopted orphaned kids convinced that they were adopted by a family not to help them or give them a loving home but to wipe out who they are and "purify" them. It's sad.

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Yelena Yardeen
Community Member
2 years ago

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I disagree. Transracial adoptees end up with a loooot of issues due to their adoptive families not being able to guide them through growing up as POC

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Ozacoter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is disgustingly racist. Are you against gay men adopting girls "because they wouldnt be able to guide them through growing up as a woman"?

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#3

The Woman Is The Cringe One Here, In Case Anyone Is Confused

The Woman Is The Cringe One Here, In Case Anyone Is Confused

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Viviane
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I laughed. Let's just open doors out of consideration for others, instead of reading something negative into it. I've held doors for men who were pushing strollers or carrying a lot of stuff.

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#4

Keep Your Neck

Keep Your Neck

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Paul K. Johnson
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So while the world has been trying to explain to everyone that "no" means no, this person is saying, "Well, actually.... if he really loves you then no means yes." She's ruining everything for everybody.

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Fjallmadur told me that the best way to confront embarrassing and cringey situations is to fully admit to them. "A person should own up to their mistakes and embarrassments because it makes them a better person. If you're too concerned about doing something that may make people laugh at you, then you're never going to live," the mod noted to Bored Panda that being afraid of embarrassing ourselves can't have a wider impact on how we tend to live our lives.

"The jocks think the geeks are cringey, and geeks think the jocks are. And everyone thinks bronies and furries are cringey. Someone will always be there to make fun of you," Fjallmadur said, urging people to not mind the critics. "Live your life the best you can."

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Meanwhile, redditor Tejmar, another 'Cringetopia' moderator, told Bored Panda that the people behind the community are absolutely awesome and laid back. "I can say this mod team is one of the friendliest and easy-going groups I've been a part of," they praised their colleagues.

#7

Cultural Appropriation

Cultural Appropriation

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*me*
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don’t be so quick to judge, people. Actually know what you’re complaining about.

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#8

Facepalm

Facepalm

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Nicola Dimigen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah. Its great. You can NEVER roll your ankle, cause we don't have them./s

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#12

She Is Not The Cringe But Those 6k Neck Beards Are! I Freaking Love Her Idea

She Is Not The Cringe But Those 6k Neck Beards Are! I Freaking Love Her Idea

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Earlier, I spoke with social psychologist Vanessa about other aspects of embarrassment as well. She noted that we ought to embrace our embarrassment instead of shying (or running!) away from it. Not only does it help our reputation, it also helps us accept the fact that we can’t always be perfect.

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"We spend a lot of time and effort presenting an ideal version of ourselves to other people. When something happens that contrasts with the image we’ve been projecting—when we say or do something that shows we actually aren’t as graceful or as smart as we’d like people to believe—we feel embarrassed," Vanessa told Bored Panda previously.

#13

Uh

Uh

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Becky Samuel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It may be funny to the person doing it, but it is very disrespectful to the shop staff who deal with this exact same unoriginal nonsense all the time. Nobody condones that person who doesn't reshelve their books after browsing- how about we show the same respect to the staff by not messing up their shelves for a cheap laugh online.

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#15

What The F Is Twitter

What The F Is Twitter

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"Discovering you were wrong about something most everyone else around you has long known to be true is one of those moments. In that moment we learn, 'Wait a minute, maybe I haven’t been presenting the image of being smart or worldly that I thought I was presenting all this time,' which is embarrassing,” the social psychologist noted that embarrassment occurs when reality doesn’t align with our view of ourselves. In short, embarrassment denotes a contrast between our subjectivity and objective reality.

“One thing that’s interesting about embarrassment is that, for as much as we might experience it as painful in the moment, it’s actually very socially adaptive. Being embarrassed signals to other people that you care about what they think. And that actually draws people in to you.”

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#16

When You Just Want A Legitimate Business

When You Just Want A Legitimate Business

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#17

Wow Real Help

Wow Real Help

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#18

That Is A Good Question

That Is A Good Question

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The expert continued: “So blushing, burying your head in your hands, laughing, acknowledging how embarrassing something was, are all totally healthy ways to react.” So while embracing our embarrassment is the healthy (and socially useful) way to react, trying to cover up our own faults and mistakes creates the opposite, negative effect.

“The unhealthy way to react is to pretend you’re not embarrassed, that you didn’t make a mistake, or to get angry. Those things undo the positive effect that embarrassment typically has on other people by conveying insincerity and pushing people away rather than drawing them in.”

#19

Huh

Huh

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Malakai
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So cheating is apparently a trustworthy act now? Got it👍

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#20

Gatekeeping Children’s Names?

Gatekeeping Children’s Names?

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#21

People Who "Fix Art"

People Who "Fix Art"

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Malakai
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Fixing" art is such a stupid f**king trend. You're not "fixing" anything--you're a stupid, useless vain little sh*t with your head so far up your ass trolling for "woke" points that even a doctor can't surgically fix your idiocy. It's not about promoting anything good, it's about bullying others to make yourself feel good and it's so damn toxic I don't even know where to begin

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#26

Classic Twitter

Classic Twitter

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lunar eclipse
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

‘Come back from the horrors of war’ First, who would enlist you? Second, pretty sure you wouldn’t come back lazy git.

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#28

Now Listen Here You Little S**t

Now Listen Here You Little S**t

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Kira Okah
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Doxxing, at least in the UK, comes under cyberstalking laws. Very much illegal.

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#29

47

47

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Michelle M
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

'Who are you to tell us there is no covid?' Ans: I know because I read an article online

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#30

That's Totally How It Works

That's Totally How It Works

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#33

The Future Of Abortion

The Future Of Abortion

V_Lisyanskiy Report

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Malakai
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Then how do they have such lethal death grips, the little monsters

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#34

Entitled

Entitled

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Dre Mosley
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Once you ask me how much I make per year, we're done. That tells me all I need to know.

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#35

Feels So Bad Man

Feels So Bad Man

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BlackestDawn
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In fairness that person could have asked to not be mentioned (so that others don't start begging them for stuff) BUT that should have been explicitly mentioned.

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#37

The Kid Who Never Pays Attention In Class And Blames Everyone Else Made This

The Kid Who Never Pays Attention In Class And Blames Everyone Else Made This

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"My unwillingness to study is entirely to blame on the teacher. And I've got my parents to support me in this." Heard it about 100 000 times during the years I worked at schools. There are quite some delusional people in the world, most of them are parents who think that their child is a genius, while everyone can see it couldn't even figure out how to eat an apple.

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#38

I Want Death

I Want Death

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Nicola Dimigen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

*Starts pack and hunts sheep with a happy family, and forget their human existense.* I made a happy ending.

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#39

That’s A Flex

That’s A Flex

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