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30 Things Which Are In Fact Big Scams, Yet Most People Don’t Realize It, As Shared By Members Of This Online Group
Life, as you perhaps know, is an unfair thing, but not everyone really agrees with this. Many people believe that accepting individual problems and inconveniences, taking them for granted, is a kind of social contract, enshrined in years of human silence.
Indeed, there are a huge number of strange things in our life that we just get used to and take them for granted. However, if you look at the situation from a different angle, certain facts, traditions, things or services will turn out to be simply ridiculous or even absurd. Or, let's call a spade a spade - a total scam.
There is a thread on Reddit whose authors collect opinions about the biggest scam in life that no one wants to admit. To date, the thread has already gained more than 52.1K upvotes and gathered around 36.8K comments. Some of the comments look pretty ridiculous too, but many of them just have a kernel of truth.
Bored Panda created a special curated list of the most popular comments for you, so feel free to scroll to the very end. You will definitely agree with something, object clearly to something, and by the way, we will be glad to read comments of both kinds - after all, truth, as you know, is born in disputes.
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How the f**k does *HEALTH* insurance not cover dental and vision?what kind of shenanigans is that?
Tipping culture. It’s how businesses scammed the general public into paying additional costs so they could avoid paying their staff a living wage.
Religion
Not up to speed on other religions' history, but the way the Catholic church sold tickets to heaven in medieval days, just wow
The entire wedding industry.
To be clear, not marriage but weddings specifically.
I’m happily married to my wife and we were content to do something special just the two of us, maybe spend a couple of grand and treat ourselves a little bit to something amazing.
Cue the families getting involved and before you know it we’re spending closer to twenty grand on one day and feeding a bunch of people I’ve not heard of before or since the wedding.
We work the majority of our lives, during our fittest years of health, for the promise of a golden retirement, when we will probably too old and ill to enjoy it properly.
Exactly and our government wants to increase the retirement age to 70. I don't know anyone at the age of 70+ that is fit and healthy enough to work. Especially in the building industry. We get a few years fun until we start school and then we spend most of our lives as government drones.
Mega Churches on TV and elsewhere.
Always ends with the masses supporting the leaders extravagant lifestyles while they dodge taxes and commit crimes.
The easy-to-join, difficult-to-cancel subscription model.
A lot of us have been convinced that we are selling our labour to companies at the correct price, in reality we're selling it too cheaply.
That climate change is up to each individual to go green. It was a campaign by BP that pushed the solution as each individual going green instead of the dozen massive corporations that account for the lions share of greenhouse gases.
Going green is good, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to oil companies, industrial farming, and cargo ships.
Edit: lots of "yet you participate in society, curious" type comments from the usual contrarians. Your hot air is adding to the problem.
That getting older gives wisdom. I'm older and I'm just a cranky old f**k.
Insurance!!!! My great grandfather was a doctor, and there were stories of him treating people, often for free. He and his wife helped an entire family with scarlet fever in exchange for a jar of blackberry jam
Life.
Like, why is it so damn expensive? I didn’t even ask to be here!
It's only getting worse. I was gonna buy a lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes yesterday but was gonna cost me approx $12. Which is insane.
That the Fashion Industry is anything other than planned obsolescence, designed simply to get people to spend money for no reason.
Online convenience fees
Ticketmaster
I watched John Oliver (gem) talk about this. It's really crazy. Like I've said before everywhere you look it's f*ck people, give me more and more money.
Needing a college degree for most high-level jobs when there is rarely any relevant knowledge gained from the degree relevant to the job.
It's often a substitute for direct discrimination. Since disadvantaged groups are less likely to have degrees, if you want to discriminate without breaking the law, a degree requirement makes it easier.
I might have to disagree with this. Sure, you don’t use everything. But higher education opens your mind to learning new things. I went in for Psych. And ended up also earning degrees in Economics and Anthropology…because I had to take one required course on both subjects. I found out I was good at history, my math skills sharpened, I have financial understanding and know when to implement it. I’m more culturally aware, understanding global politics, and have an idea of what needs to change. And a lot of what you learn “in depth” at university helps you understand things you would have never thought to learn. I just think student loans are a damn rip off.
I'll co-sign this. I'm a college prof. Not everyone is a great match for university education, which is fine. But because the human brain is still going through one of its biggests development stages during 15-25, people need education after high school to help their brains learn how to assess information, learn problem-solving, develop critical thinking skills. Whether you go on to a traditional program, or something more centered on training/technology, your brain will benefit. Just don't stop learning with high school! Almost everyone can benefit from a few classes in the humanities, or a basic biology lab, and we need more access other than traditional universities for these resources. There is a ton of great stuff online now.
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THIS. It doesn't make any sense. I do not have a college degree. I did not attend college. But I'm fluent in 4 languages, I can program, I can code, I can use most software and I'm excellent at math. Can I get the job? No.
I know from experience that positions that make use of programming/coding may call for a 4-year degree, but being self-taught and experienced can get a person very far and very well paid.
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I loved my physics degree (mostly) but the key thing I got out of it career wise was how to use Excel. Oh, and a leg up in some jobs cos everyone thinks that you must be a rocket scientist.....
The problem has become that corporations don't give a damn about what the degree is for. They, for some reason, believe that having a four year degree is the only way to measure whether or not someone has that special quality called "sticktoitiveness"
Note they usually ask about the degree. Not the grades. Know what you call a student who graduated with a 1.5? A B.A.
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Or “x” amount of years experience, when the only way you can get the experience is by being an unpaid intern
Yes and no. College (especially the humanities) does (or should) teach valuable skills: mainly how to learn things, but also how to vet your sources, gather relevant information, put disparate facts together to come up with a conclusion/solution, and write well and persuasively.
hmm... let's think about this one... do you really want a surgeon working on you without an advanced degree? Do you really want an engineer designing the nuclear power plant across town without an advanced degree and a P.E. license? Do you really want an electrical engineer designing the hospital's power distribution system with a diesel backup generator when the man does not have anything but a regular electrician's license (needed for installing ceiling fans and spare electrical outlets)??? .... no, I didn't think so...
It depends on the field, the skill set, and accessibility. There are countless variable to consider. Then again, I'm guessing based on your post history, dude, that if I told you something or provided data about, say, Critical Race Theory or gender performativity, despite my multiple advanced degrees in the field ("dreaming spires" and all) and years of teaching at the university level, you'd probably find a way to dismiss that, too.
Load More Replies... For management positions (in fast food for instance)its required, and it merely means you have something those below you do not. Similar to the division between enlisted personnel and commissioned officers in the military. There comes a time when your authority may be questioned and subordinates ask "why do I have to do that?" and "because I said so." has to mean something. Without belittling higher education, it might be argued some take 16 years to learn what others might learn in 12. :-)
1. You CAN learn a LOT of useful things in university: math, economics, computer science. You can learn organizational and team skills (depending on the university). A lot of liberal arts stuff that seems like fluff can actually help with things like business and marketing, if you know how to use it. 2. That said, skills training and vocational training are not valued enough. Vocational training can often get you a better salary than a lot of college jobs these days, and there are a lot of trades that are really suffering from not having enough people.
The most ridiculous thing is that people are currently dismissing "liberal arts" because of the word "liberal." It has nothing at all to do with politics or parties. It predates that. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you don't need access to studies that don't have a single, definitive answer, but, rather, allow you to construct ideas and opinions around a thing -- a historical event, a piece of literature, an artistic movement -- that will differ from others. Anyone who tells me "I don't need to know about art!" or "Reading is a waste of time!" is missing a crucial element of brain development and critical thinking skills. This is how we end up with a bunch of loud, ignorant assholes who insist there is only one right answer or right way to do things, and everyone else is wrong.
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Receiving a college degree for high-level jobs but working as a cashier.
That's how it goes. I've worked IT, tech support, customer service, shipping and distribution, and accounting. I've been doing these things for over 20 years. My degree is in art My buddy has been the director of customer operations at several companies for about 20 years. Before that, he sold fine art and was a perfume distributer. His degree is in psychology. College is a joke. Go to trade school. Welders never lack for work.
The lobby around requiring **[MOST]** Americans to file their taxes with the IRS; while the IRS already has all the relevant information.
Edit: Yes we know there's benefits for you tiny percentage of self-employed individuals and business owners.
The prices of anything baby related. Toys, food, clothes, etc. Was in a store on Saturday to get a cot mattress and cover. I cried.
We bought a lot second hand, and resold after they've grown out of stuff. At the moment were part of a "hand me down chain" 🤣 It saves money and a lot of waste
Normal television, paying to watch ads!
Advertising in general always seems to sneak its way into ad-free formats. Cable TV was like network TV except no ads....until they added ads. Youtube was finally like TV except no ads...until they added ads. Then you can always block the ads and just watch the video...until their paid promotional segments.
Recycling
In remote communities recyclables collected go to the dump with the rest of the garbage, because it’s not feasible to transport it thousands of km where it could potentially get used.
Also for instance here where I live in Florida the recycling center used to accept glass and then quit. I spoke with an attendant and they said the state quit taking it because there wasn't enough profit. That's not the point!
The fact that airlines have X amount of seats per flight, but almost always sell X+10 seats and then refund you about 80% of your ticket cost. Do that to the 10 people and suddenly you have about 2 tickets worth of profits seemingly out of nowhere, and everyone still has a flight. Just an unbelievably immoral way to gain a few bucks, but everyone just goes with it since the airplanes aren't exactly a train that comes every 10 minutes.
About a month after I bought plane tickets I got a message that they had to change my flights. My new return flight was a day later. I asked if they could change it back to the day prior as planned - these tickets were a good 9 months in advance so I know they had seats. They told me yea, they could change back - and the difference in ticket price is $750 please. I argued for a day and finally heard back sorry that was a mistake, it’s only $375 more. I said no - and they finally agreed to change my flight back to the original day free of (additional) charge.
Hustle culture
Note: this post originally had 40 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
More of these need details. I click on this expecting to be informed on how these dubious plots work and then it's just "Unsubscribe button." No elaboration on wether or not they work, or if there's another hidden functionality in there to screw people over.
They're so vague it's driving me crazy, what's the point of this list? Disappointing.
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As one of my old friends once said, "Everything is a scam to some extent"
scam noun: A fraudulent or deceptive act or operation. scam verb: 1 : to deceive and defraud (someone). 2 : to obtain (something, such as money) by a scam. Whoever wrote this list didn't spend much time on it, there are so many false statements here it's not even funny.
Another Big Scam Would Be Internet, Paying To Get A Select Speed But Getting Ripped Of. Also Harassing Mail Wanting You To Pay For Things You Have Already Paid For.
I have a scammer debt collector trying to make me pay for an ATT bill from 2021. Our service ended in 2019! They say we owe them a certain amount of money... except we do not. Unbeknownst to them, i have. ALL the documentation and proof that our account was closed and we owed no money to ATT. Even the email account info that stated there is no monies owed!! Lol. Then after I ignored them for a month they wanted me to pay a percentage of the bill.. then a fi al notice of a little more off the bill and it will be done. Hahahahahahaha! When they say ok we will take you to court, and i say sure, but you will need to pay all court costs even mine. Because I have all, and I do mean all the documentation I need to discredit your suit and what not. They are well k own for their scam emails and stuff. I really wonder if they have even contacted ATT for any client information. And if ATT is part of it, well then I already know the FBI would love to be in on this!!! I know! Brat I am!
I had to pay to get it off my credit. It sucks but I think it's worth it for that
Load More Replies... Yes, i love scam talking the scammers! scammers do not like questions. And when you get personal they really hate it! But it is so fun! Always mention their mammas.
US democracy/government, US college tuition, US civil rights, [fill in the blanks]
More of these need details. I click on this expecting to be informed on how these dubious plots work and then it's just "Unsubscribe button." No elaboration on wether or not they work, or if there's another hidden functionality in there to screw people over.
They're so vague it's driving me crazy, what's the point of this list? Disappointing.
Load More Replies... As one of my old friends once said, "Everything is a scam to some extent"
scam noun: A fraudulent or deceptive act or operation. scam verb: 1 : to deceive and defraud (someone). 2 : to obtain (something, such as money) by a scam. Whoever wrote this list didn't spend much time on it, there are so many false statements here it's not even funny.
Another Big Scam Would Be Internet, Paying To Get A Select Speed But Getting Ripped Of. Also Harassing Mail Wanting You To Pay For Things You Have Already Paid For.
I have a scammer debt collector trying to make me pay for an ATT bill from 2021. Our service ended in 2019! They say we owe them a certain amount of money... except we do not. Unbeknownst to them, i have. ALL the documentation and proof that our account was closed and we owed no money to ATT. Even the email account info that stated there is no monies owed!! Lol. Then after I ignored them for a month they wanted me to pay a percentage of the bill.. then a fi al notice of a little more off the bill and it will be done. Hahahahahahaha! When they say ok we will take you to court, and i say sure, but you will need to pay all court costs even mine. Because I have all, and I do mean all the documentation I need to discredit your suit and what not. They are well k own for their scam emails and stuff. I really wonder if they have even contacted ATT for any client information. And if ATT is part of it, well then I already know the FBI would love to be in on this!!! I know! Brat I am!
I had to pay to get it off my credit. It sucks but I think it's worth it for that
Load More Replies... Yes, i love scam talking the scammers! scammers do not like questions. And when you get personal they really hate it! But it is so fun! Always mention their mammas.
US democracy/government, US college tuition, US civil rights, [fill in the blanks]
