Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
“Drives Me Nuts”: 45 Basic Life Skills That An Oddly Large Amount Of People Don’t Have
While common sense often gets mocked (perhaps, unjustly) as not being common enough, as every now and then, we have encounters where someone has made a decision so astoundingly strange that you almost feel like taking them aside and learning exactly what makes them tick.
Someone asked “What do you consider to be basic knowledge everyone should know (but they don't)?” and netizens listed all the things some folks are simply ignorant of. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own examples in the comments below.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
When you're about to enter an elevator, WAIT FOR THE PEOPLE IN IT TO GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!
RELATED:
#2
There's a profound difference between knowledge and belief.
Beak Hookage 8 months ago (edited)
I'm so sick of people with that mindset of "I believe it, therefore it is an unassailable fact".
Anony Mouse 8 months ago
You are entitled to your own opinions. You are not entitled to your own facts.
The Darkest Timeline 8 months ago
“I’m entitled to my opinion,” is the true last refuge of a scoundrel
Load More Replies...
Paul C. 8 months ago
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, common sense is not putting it in a fruit salad!
keyboardtek 8 months ago
If you are going to believe in something that is not true, at least make it somewhat possible and not a fairy tale of improbability. So at least you don't appear a gullible idiot.
Toothless Feline 8 months ago
There's also a profound difference between knowing something and understanding it.
Sarah 7 months ago (edited)
Absolutely . I know space and spacey things like asteroids , meteors are out there, don’t attempt to ask me to explain . I even bought S Hawkings book that was diluted down from his first edition. My brain was fried and I accepted my limited intelligence
Load More Replies... The Darkest Timeline 8 months ago
There is also a difference between having access to information and knowing things
Sarah 7 months ago
When Jade Goody was on Big Brother in UK, she was only contestant ever ( at her time) to become a millionaire. She was made fun of by media and public for being stupid and having lack of knowledge. There is a HUGE difference between having a low IQ and being uneducated. Jade didn’t have advantage of much schooling if I remember correctly . RIP jade x
Doofnuts 8 months ago
Unfortunately, and I mean that, people just keep getting dumber and dumber. Modern society has removed the death and stress factors that used to drive human evolution. Stupid people are now able to breed,, and their children will survive. Idiocracy will be a real thing in our future.
jim kendzior 8 months ago
You can't know everything, but "experts" should be able to answer questions that they have expertise in - or at least know how to get the "expert" information.
#3
If somebody is helping you, even if it's their job to, say thank you, you p***k!
#4
The difference between "lose" and "loose"
Drives me nuts...
#5
Africa is not a country.
You get better customer service if you're polite.
The sun is a star.
Saltwater fish go in saltwater.
#6
That to one degree or another, evolution exists.
Edit: Just thought I'd add... I'm a Christian, and I know this to be true. There's a difference in faith and ignorance.
#7
How to read analog clocks. It's not rocket science.
StarCrossedFriday 8 months ago (edited)
Also, why is 24 hour time apparently so difficult for so many Americans?
#8
If you're married/in a relationship, don't have affairs/cheat on them. No matter what the situation is, don't do it.
#9
Don't randomly stop walking when you're in front of someone.
MOVE when you're in someones way (like while shopping, or in public in general).
#10
Turn Signal 101.
#11
Eat with you mouth closed and breathe through your nose whilst chewing. Seriously.
#12
In almost 99.9% of the situations you're in, the person you are yelling at isn't to blame. I see it happen on tech support phone calls, restaurants, shops, towards police, teachers, etc.
#13
An understanding of economics. You would think that most people (in the US anyway) vote with their pocketbooks. But at least half of the people consistently vote against their own self-interest because they apparently do not understand economics.
#14
The amount of wasted gasoline caused by people who are constantly braking and accelerating as opposed to coasting as much as possible. If there is a red light/wall of traffic 50 yards ahead, what's the point in accelerating when you know you're just going to brake immediately after? Such a waste of expensive energy.
#15
Common courtesy in public areas. How to be considerate in navigating through a store. Being mindful of your place in an aisle and trying to least obstruct others' way.
#16
Current and past political events in your country. So many politicians would not get elected if people knew what they have done and what they are planning on doing.
#17
Just because you can't disprove it, that does not mean it is true.
#18
How to sew a button back on. It often seems like almost no one still has this skill.
Savannah greenleaf 8 months ago (edited)
I can! Thank you great grandmother for this useful tidbit of knowledge!
#19
F*****g let me off the bus before you try to get on. God d**n it.
Beak Hookage 8 months ago
Around here the bus driver will almost always stop you if you try to get on before people have gotten off, and tell you to stand aside.
#20
Basic math skills. I'm constantly shocked when people can't understand simple mathematics. For example, I used to work at a restaurant that often had X% off your next meal coupons. So many times I had people complain because the percentage was taken off the total "and all the items should have X% off". It's the same f*****g thing. This should not be a new concept.
Rachel Pelz 8 months ago
Math teacher to class: "80% of you will never fully understand the concept of percentages." One of the students: " haha, we aren't even that many in here!"
#21
Et cetera becomes etc. not ect.
#23
The Chinese and Japanese are not the same. They are two distinct groups with different cultures and idea that also happen to hate each other's guts.
Alex Schneider 8 months ago (edited)
can we just talk about humans living in chinese/ spanish/ japanese/canadian culture.. the mean difference lay in the culture the are used to- not in their looks ( yeah I know there are differences in DNS, but they matter only to biologist,since people settle all around the world)
#24
Screaming and freaking out during a bad situation doesn't help a thing. Breathe, calm the hell down. And think about possible solutions with a clear head. Staying calm is the key.
#25
They're, there and their.
#28
That Indian isn't a f*****g language! I get asked this on a regular basis and it pisses me off. There's over 20 languages in India and none of them are called Indian.
#29
That the President of the United States does not have the power that people think he does.
He can't just fix every problem with the snap of his fingers people.
Snackmachine 8 months ago
Currently he seems able to destroy everything with the snap of his fingers
#30
When people choose to be gluten free for weight loss yet don't know what gluten is.
#31
How to merge into traffic properly. Another word for merge is "blend", as in "Blend into existing traffic", not going half the speed and slowing everyone down around you. It's ignorant, really.
#32
"Righty tighty, lefty loosey.".
keyboardtek 8 months ago
Except bicycle pedals. They have opposite threads so the pedals do not unscrew.
#33
Semi trucks take very wide turns and you need to give them room. My girlfriend was about to stop at an intersection and a semi was turning our way. She kept moving forward and I warned her you need to stop so we don't get hit. She didn't listen and luckily backed up in time and she claimed she had no idea of trucks taking such wide turns. It scares me to think that she got her license and knew nothing of such simple rules of the road.
Earthquake903 8 months ago
Also, don't drive beside trucks on a roundabout. Don't pass a truck then get in front and slow down, we can't stop as easily as you and many trucks have collision mitigation systems which will slam on breaks if something is too close to the front radar. Just pass us and goooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Don't hang around near the rear or sides either. Tires blow, wind can cause us to swerved we may need to change lanes suddenly. You don't want to be around when that happens.
#34
Don't stand and talk with people in doorways. Somehow people always meet eachother for the first time in years and are then glued by their shoes to the floor in a doorway.
#35
That you can use the address bar as the search engine...
It annoys me every time I see someone type google into the address bar and click google then search whatever they are looking for.
#36
Basic Googling skills, i.e. if you don't know Google it!
If you ask me and I don't know, that's what I'll do anyways...
#37
If you're an adult and hit someone you can have criminal charges pressed against you. its not like the movies where you can get into a bar fight and walk away like nothing happened.
#38
Now that winter is coming up, i would say that the cold itself doesnt make you sick, but the germs that build up in your home because you neglect to ventilate it
not that the cold doesnt make it worse though.
#39
Hot political issues, like what the Affordable Care act is. This way people can correctly support or disapprove of policies.
#41
Basic cooking skills.
1) Your stove has different temperature settings for a reason. Not everything should be cooked on full heat.
2) Salt is not evil - flavor your food as it is cooking. And as Chef Symon says, "Cook with Kosher, finish with Sea."
3) Fresh herbs and vegetables add flavor without excess salt.
4) If you burned food onto the bottom of a pan / pot, boil water in it for a while to loosen it up.
5) Rest any meat for several minutes after cooking, before cutting.
6) Don't dump water on a grease fire. Drop a lid or towel over it.
Lady Eowyn 8 months ago
Who is Chef Symon, and how many people have Kosher and sea salt in their homes on a regular basis? Don't many people just have good old fashioned table salt?
#42
How to whisper. seriously don't get mad when some people start to "eavesdrop".
Tabitha 8 months ago (edited)
I hate it when I whisper something to someone and they proceed to repeat it, verbatim, loudly. If I wanted everyone to hear it, I wouldn’t have whispered it, ffs. Or when someone makes a disparaging comment about someone they know full well is in earshot—-then they wonder why that person acts rather cold to them.
#43
PEE AFTER S*X. It prevents UTIs. How do some girls not know this?
#44
Hallways are like roads, stay on the right side.
#45
How to eat right. So many behavioral, mental, emotional, and physical problems stem simply from an improper diet.
#46
Basic things like how to jump a car, or hell, even where the battery is located or what it looks like.
I once jumped a McDonald's employee's car off. I got my jumper cables out and handed him the other side so he could connect them to his battery. He just kind of stood there like he didn't know what to do. The jump went successful and he told me my next meal there would be on him. IIRC I think I actually did get a free meal, I can't really remember that well.
Stuff like that and how to check your oil, add oil, etc. Most people should know these things.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 8 months ago
My dad taught me all of this when I was a kid. I've always kept jumper cables in my car, and in more modern times, one of those portable battery jumpers as well. I've jump-started a number of peoples' cars, some of them complete strangers. It's nice to be able to help out! Though I'm always surprised - whenever someone calls out "My car won't start - does anyone have any jumper cables?" I'm usually the only person who says yes. Do most people not carry them these days?
#48
Passing gas is a healthy bodily function that should not be shamed. (unless it's abused like the dutch oven).
Tabitha 8 months ago (edited)
Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you should pass gas wantonly in public. It’s still not socially acceptable when you’re not around your usual, and accepting, group. While you might like your own “perfume”, it can induce the gag reflex, and sometimes vomiting, in others. Just common courtesy to keep such private functions private. Find someplace away from everyone else to do your release.
#49
On stairs/elevators, stand right so people can pass you on the left side.
#51
General first aid. The Boy Scouts of America taught me everything I need to know.
Hell'n Damnation 8 months ago
And that general first aid needs refresher courses every few years.
#52
Just some basics about how traits are inherited, what traits can be inherited, and the probability of spontaneously forming genetic abnormalities. It's amazing what people don't know about this and how it impacts their life. A woman can be terrified to have a baby over 35 and change her whole life based on this because she is convinced that it will be a genetic monster when, in fact, it is only an elevated, but still very low, probability of having a problem. The same woman, however, could have a parent that died of a form of cancer that has a very high probability of being heritable and they never think to get checked.
Lady Eowyn 8 months ago
My mom had me when she was 35, and I'm the oldest. And this was back in the 50s when 35 was considered old to have a child. My youngest sibling is 7 years younger.
#54
How to use a compass.
Panda McPandaface 8 months ago
A large percentage of people will go their entire lives without ever needing to use a compass.
#55
Not all debt is the most evil thing in the world. Sometimes the smartest financial decision is to take out a loan. Ever hear the saying takes money to make money? Well that's a lot easier if you can use other peoples money. Also your time has a value, factor that in when you make decisions. Don't waste several hours just to save a couple bucks.
ABC NrTen FCK CENSORISM 8 months ago
Wait, I could have saved a couple of bucks while browsing BP? Is that what it's saying? /s, but only slightly
#57
Tires need air to do their job, working in the industry, people do not get this and always blame it on the tire, never their lack of maintenance.
Geoffrey Scott 8 months ago
Every so often take a look, if it looks soft? Check it. And don't go by sidewall pressures..those are MAX. I have never had an issue with wear or performance running 35PSI, even if sidewall says 45lb max
#58
This may prove to be a divisive or controversial answer, but:
I think everybody should just "know" how many days are in each month.
It's the calendar. You learn it when you're a kid, and it hasn't changed since you were a kid. There are only four months that are thirty days long. You should just remember which ones they are. It shouldn't require any "tricks".
Knowing that April has 30 days is like knowing that Miami is in Florida or that Edinburgh is in Scotland.
I mentioned this on Facebook once, and my friends were kind of divided. Many of them agreed with me. The fact that June has 30 days and July has 31 are just part of the "personalities" of the months. Those are fundamental facts about the world around you, that you learn when you're a kid, and they ought to just "stick" with you, and you should know them forever.
But some of my friends seemed to think the number of days in each month is an "obscure" fact, like it's just trivia that you don't need to remember. That attitude seems so strange to me.
Clown fish 8 months ago
Thirty days hath September, April, June and November. All the rest have thirty-one, Excepting February alone, And that has twenty-eight days clear And twenty-nine in each leap year.
#59
**How to tie your shoes:** left over right then right over left *or* right over left then left over right. Anything else is a granny knot and won't stay tight as long. Your laces will sit flat against your shoe too.
**How to dry your hands with one sheet (or equivalent) of paper towel, regardless of its quality:** shake as much water off your hands as you reasonably can then fold the sheet in half to increase its tensile strength and rub the remaining water off your hands.
#60
Nutrition. So many people don't realize things they eat are actually unhealthy for them. I don't mean the quarter pounder they choose once or twice a week. I mean the small things that people think are good for you that aren't really bad, but aren't good I.e. A baked potato loaded up for dinner or all the mac and cheese. Those small things are where diets usually get made or get broken.
#62
The difference between storage(HDD or SDD or even flash memory) on a computer and memory(RAM literally being Random Access Memory).
Lady Eowyn 8 months ago
Many people are just not technically inclined, and learn only as much as they need to.
#63
Barilla pasta doesn't come out perfect every time. No. You time that s**t so it comes out al dente.
#64
Good math hygiene or grammar. Don't convert answers to decimals until the very end. It will make your life so much easier!
**Do this!**
(5 / (3 * 2 )) * ((3 * 2)/5) = (5 / 6) * (6 / 5) = (5 * 6) / (6 * 5) = 1
**Not this!**
5 / (3 * 2 ) * (3 * 2)/5 = 0.83 * 1.2 = 0.996.
#65
If you pizza when you're supposed to french fry you're going to have a bad time.
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
Ru Bee 8 months ago
You do NOT have to have your phone on loud speaker in public!... You utter wetwipes!
GhostlySnail (she/her) 8 months ago
Or listen to music or TikTok out loud in public!
Load More Replies...
martin734 8 months ago (edited)
That only 5% of the world's population live in the USA. So US laws, customs and traditions do not apply to 95% of people. Also, that the US constitution is completely meaningless outside of the USA.
Corvus 8 months ago
Mine would be "lunch break exists." It's amazing how often people knock on my door, come in, clearly see that I am eating lunch, and still ask to get a signature or stamp on a document... yeah, would you like some greasy fingerprints as well?
martin734 8 months ago
This is the main reason I always leave work to have lunch, or go to the canteen.
Load More Replies...
Apatheist Account2 8 months ago
Why are they in the Eurovision Song Contest then?
Load More Replies...
Josh Gallant 8 months ago
I'm actually surprised and mildly disgusted that hand washing didn't make the list.
Dirk Daring 8 months ago
Schools in the US should be teaching the NATO Phonetic Alphabet. I'm so tired of hearing, "That's F as in ummmm Frank, U as in unicorn, C as innnnnn candy, K as in Kangaroo..."
Apatheist Account2 8 months ago
C for miles, E for Brick, F for Vescent, I for One, L for Leather, M for sis, Q for a bus, R for minute, V for La France, Y for girlfriend...
Load More Replies...
Ruth Watry 7 months ago
How to read. Almost half of Americans read at a 6th grade level or lower
Hippopotamuses 8 months ago (edited)
When they start off with 'amount' of people, you can't expect that much.
PenguinEmp 8 months ago
You can't just say stuff and it will happen in a split second if you are in gov
Arthur Waite 8 months ago
I notice that there's a version of Jeopardy playing in Australia and the UK, as well as the US one. That's one way to keep informed and 'educated' while keeping the brain active. I play along and try to 'compete', like everybody else who watches. But often, I can get the 77-year old cells to beat the contestants.
Ace 8 months ago
Less than a quarter of these fit with the title of basic knowledge. The rest are just manners, courtesy, basic rules (which are not always universal in countries other than the US). Very disappointing list.
Lady Eowyn 8 months ago
It would be nice if people would share what these are in their country - and tell me the country - as I like learning new things. Keeps the brain active.
Load More Replies... Ru Bee 8 months ago
You do NOT have to have your phone on loud speaker in public!... You utter wetwipes!
GhostlySnail (she/her) 8 months ago
Or listen to music or TikTok out loud in public!
Load More Replies... martin734 8 months ago (edited)
That only 5% of the world's population live in the USA. So US laws, customs and traditions do not apply to 95% of people. Also, that the US constitution is completely meaningless outside of the USA.
Corvus 8 months ago
Mine would be "lunch break exists." It's amazing how often people knock on my door, come in, clearly see that I am eating lunch, and still ask to get a signature or stamp on a document... yeah, would you like some greasy fingerprints as well?
martin734 8 months ago
This is the main reason I always leave work to have lunch, or go to the canteen.
Load More Replies... Apatheist Account2 8 months ago
Why are they in the Eurovision Song Contest then?
Load More Replies... Josh Gallant 8 months ago
I'm actually surprised and mildly disgusted that hand washing didn't make the list.
Dirk Daring 8 months ago
Schools in the US should be teaching the NATO Phonetic Alphabet. I'm so tired of hearing, "That's F as in ummmm Frank, U as in unicorn, C as innnnnn candy, K as in Kangaroo..."
Apatheist Account2 8 months ago
C for miles, E for Brick, F for Vescent, I for One, L for Leather, M for sis, Q for a bus, R for minute, V for La France, Y for girlfriend...
Load More Replies... Ruth Watry 7 months ago
How to read. Almost half of Americans read at a 6th grade level or lower
Hippopotamuses 8 months ago (edited)
When they start off with 'amount' of people, you can't expect that much.
PenguinEmp 8 months ago
You can't just say stuff and it will happen in a split second if you are in gov
Arthur Waite 8 months ago
I notice that there's a version of Jeopardy playing in Australia and the UK, as well as the US one. That's one way to keep informed and 'educated' while keeping the brain active. I play along and try to 'compete', like everybody else who watches. But often, I can get the 77-year old cells to beat the contestants.
Ace 8 months ago
Less than a quarter of these fit with the title of basic knowledge. The rest are just manners, courtesy, basic rules (which are not always universal in countries other than the US). Very disappointing list.
Lady Eowyn 8 months ago
It would be nice if people would share what these are in their country - and tell me the country - as I like learning new things. Keeps the brain active.
Load More Replies... You May Like 60 Interesting Facts That Are Better Than Watching The News 41 Intriguing “Today I Learned” Facts That Show How Little We Actually Know (New Facts) “I Didn’t Know This And Now I Feel Stupid”: 48 Pieces Of Knowledge That Were Supposed To Be Common
Ilona Baliūnaitė
Evelina Šiukšterytė
Jonas Žvilius
Related on Bored Panda
