What makes you cringe? Is it witnessing someone try to flirt in the most awkward way? Or maybe looking at photos of yourself from middle school does it? Contrary to what your parents told you, that combination of bangs and braces did not look amazing! We’re all capable of engaging in some cringey behavior, whether it’s forgetting to mute yourself in a Zoom meeting with all of your colleagues or participating in TikTok trends that should probably be left to teenagers. But there’s something about the internet that seems to make individuals even more prone to engaging in full-on cringe.
And no one knows that better than the followers of Cringetopia on Twitter. Below, we’ve gathered some of the most painful tweets from this account dedicated to documenting “the worst of the worst on the internet”, so you’ve been warned: you might be cringing incredibly hard by the end.
Keep reading to also find an interview with an expert on the topic: host of the Watch Cringe podcast, Brendan, and try to enjoy this list (despite the fact that it might end up causing you physical pain). Be sure to upvote all of the pics that you couldn’t help but get a kick out of, and then, if you can somehow handle even more second-hand embarrassment, you can find another Bored Panda article featuring similar content right here!
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The Cringetopia Twitter account has only been around since January 2021, but it has already amassed an impressive 105k followers. Despite the pain that it must cause those individuals, apparently, they can’t get enough of this embarrassing content. So we decided to do some investigating into what exactly “cringe” is and why the internet so obsessed with it. According to Wiktionary, the word “cringe” is derived from a combination of the Middle English word ‘crengen’, which means “to bend in a haughty manner” or to condescend, the Proto-Germanic word ‘krangijaną’, which means “to cause to fall” or “to cause to turn”, and several other Danish, Dutch, Scottish and West Frisian words essentially all meaning to turn away.
The way that we use cringe today, however, is an almost inexplicable experience or feeling, according to Saumya Kalia, a writer at The Swaddle. She describes cringing as “a curled upper lip, a wrinkle on the nose, a weighted sneer, a shake of the head from side to side. To the assault on grammar, excessive displays of human emotions, fashion that was meant to die, any and every behavior that forgets social norms.” She explains that we’re all prone to experiencing and feeling cringe, so perhaps, it’s best to just embrace it.
What kind of insensitive nosy pig would post this about a complete stranger??
“The history of cringe is rooted in social submission,” Kalia writes for The Swaddle. “What reached its peak through the internet culture first originated in the Old English; cringan was the word to describe ‘to fall, to yield in battle, to give way, to become bent, to curl up.’ Cringan became cringe sometime in the 16th century when it introduced the feelings of fear and embarrassment to ‘bending’ or ‘crouching.’ Finally, by the 19th century, the meaning had cemented itself; cringe meant to ‘recoil in embarrassment, shame, or fear’.”
And over the past couple decades, cringe content has become increasingly popular, with hit shows like The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Nathan For You gaining massive popularity. We watch these programs and laugh, partially from discomfort and partially because the situations the characters put themselves in are just too hilarious. But as Kalia explains in her article discussing the cultural history of cringe, “Watching train wrecks in fictionalized worlds spilled into a desire to mock those in real life.” Today, there are countless accounts like Cringetopia on Instagram, Reddit and TikTok calling out the lack of self-awareness so many people seem to exhibit in real life and online. There is certainly no shortage of cringe content to be found.
To learn even more about the painful and elusive topic of cringe, we reached out to Brendan, host of the podcast Watch Cringe, and he was kind enough to have a chat with us. First, we wanted to know what inspired Brendan, and his co-host Jay, to start a show dedicated to this topic. “We started the podcast because it’s highly entertaining and has a few lessons to teach the audience,” he told Bored Panda. “We want to normalize the cringe, so people can realize to not take life too seriously, but also to learn how to be better.”
Oh my ! I was wondering why this was a "bad" one, I didn't realize the bottom was before and the top is now, I thought it was the opposite way around
Cringe can be a subjective topic, so we were curious how Brendan likes to define it. “Cringe equals ‘shared embarrassment’. When someone does something ‘cringe’, it usually highlights that person's inability to be socially appropriate,” he explained. “Meaning it’s usually when someone [messes] up or is just really uncool. For example, uncool dad jokes make you cringe because you feel embarrassed for the dad and everyone in the room. Or let’s say a dude is showing off a Venus fist (feminist) tattoo at a bar to pick up babes. That’s cringe because it’s obvious he didn’t get that tattoo out of sincerity; he’s basically acting like a tool bag.”
It's not just $3k or $2k though, it's holiday time at work, it's child care, it's that amount per person, it's all the extra costs on top like insurance, spending money, vaccinations for Thailand etc (including an expensive registry by the sounds of it!) Most people can only have one holiday a year and don't want to spend it at your wedding, especially as you sound insufferable
With that attitude, I wouldn't want to go even if they were paying me to attend!
Load More Replies...All those poor people, not being able to keep uo with this person's life. Whatever will they do? Live their own?
My stepdaughter was going to have a destination wedding. I reminded her that most of her friends couldn't afford it and it was selfish to do that to people. She said she wanted what she wanted. I then told her to take lots of pictures so I could see it. I don't think me not going changed her mind, but I hope my advice helped. She got married locally with all her friends and family there...
My best friend of 33yrs had a destination wedding. My wife and I didn't own passports, we had to pay a fortune in the end. The couple to be were very demanding and rude about the whole thing. In the end it cost me more than 6k AUD to attend.
I live in a very small country (the Netherlands), so I can't imagine not having a passport. Where do you live? And, I am sorry for the bad experience. It sucks to pay so much and then not get appreciated.
Load More Replies...Good grief alive!!! Get married in a church in your hometown with all your family and friends and then got to Thailand or Hawaii for your honeymoon!! Problem solved!!
"Sir or madam, The response may have nothing to do with the locations, the travel expense, or the cost of the gifts. It's because people can't stand you. You would't get 20 RSVP if you held the wedding at a site within a block of every invitee's house. Thank you for marrying each other and creating two miserable people, instead of marrying others and creating four."
"Entitled" would be a very generous term, honey. Where I come from the usual gift is about 50 to 100 €. I realize this varies a lot depending on local customs, how formal/grand the party is, budget, whatever, but to expect dozens (I guess) of people to sacrifice several thousand dollars on the altar of your ego for the dubious benefit of...what? Being allowed to worship you?
I'd rather throw the 2000 down the toilet than spending it to attend a wedding of an obnoxious couple
Just get married in town and travel for your honeymoon like normal people. And then eat s**t and have a nice life.
Apart from the horrible entitlement: she says she’d do the same for all her guests. If there are 150 people, assuming most of them in a couple (probably not though), could OR would anyone but the richest and most generous people pay 75x $3k for destination celebrations, not even counting gifts, outfits, vacation days? Yeah no. So don’t expect to be the exception.
My best friend is getting married at a cabin in the Alps, the invitation said you can dress however you want (they specifically stated that even a clown's costume or naked is fine 😄), we're spending a weekend there, no cost whatsoever, you just bring your sleeping bag. And they don't want any presents or money just help with decoration etc. I offered to babysit their son so they can have some couple time over the weekend. The itinerary includes swimming, hiking and campfires. Best and most relaxed bride ever ❤️
I sometimes feel like "wedding" is a social virus that infects certain people - kinda like that fungus that zombifies bugs - and turns otherwise sensible people into stark raving lunatics.
You want me to spend 2-3k plus a gift and all I got was an evite? And I'm the cheap one.
Ha! No one else caught that! No engraved invitations with a reply card enclosed?! How gauche!
Load More Replies...I feel sad for people who *need* any kind of wedding (in order to be together) regardless of cost etc.
You want us to reconsider? I'm reconsidering our friendship! Not even; we're done.
"Good luck keeping up with our lives"? Does she really think she's that important? It would probably shock her to know how few people actually give a shít about her morning latte pics, phoney "inspirational" yoga quotes, horrible Pinterest-imitation decorations, and filtered-and-phototshopped-into-unrecognizability "candids"? NOBODY CARES. Nobody cares about you, as much as you yourself-and that goes for everyone. You're not special, Poppet. Get over yourself. Oh, and $2k?? That's a month and a half, almost 2 months salary for me. And she expects someone to pay that for the honor of being present for her "happiest day"?? And that's the cost BEFORE buying a gift that isn't "cheap"?? (But she probably wouldn't be friends with a "poor" person like me anyway. Heavenly Father, help me cope with my devastation.) Again, no one cares much about, or will really remember much about, your wedding, but you. And YOU are not the center of ANYONE ELSE'S world. No matter how much you believe it so.
This is a lot of energy and very specific... I'm guessing you are on the outs with someone who likes lattes. Anyway, it could also be a guy posting this, just saying.
Load More Replies...Speaking as someone who only brings home about $2100 a month, I can promise you that I would not choose to attend a wedding that would keep me from getting groceries,meds, or paying any of my other bills. For many of us, $2000 is a LOT of money!
Look, if you'd spend that for theirs, then spend it to get them there and tell them if they do a destination wedding they need to pay for your ticket in return!
He took the risk, so yes- he is entitled! And it should be, "fewer of you...," not "less of you...,"
My boyfriend's brother is getting married in Turks in Caicos. They didn't even give a year's notice to any one they invited. Most expensive resort on the island. More than half of his side can't afford to go and just stay somewhere cheaper. It's just a big disgusting show of wealth. And the people are the jerks for not going? Yeah, bite me.
Mummy and daddy clearly had a problem, they just couldn't say no. I'm amazed you even got a single RSVP elope so the only person that your vapidness needs to concern yourself with is you and of course the poor sap you're marrying may give you everything you little heart desires but that will only last until the next Shiney thing that you see. But take it from on who knows that green grass on the other side is fake grass. Reality check ✔
I've reconsidered and since you're a greedy entitled b*tch we no longer wish to be friends with either of you.
"Good luck keeping up with our lives then" wow what are they are gonna do with their own lives after that, huh? You showed them good.
Wow- this person’s such a catch. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with them?
How did this a*s get any friends to invited in the first place?
I'm sure they will all be more than thrilled for you to elope and unfriend them from FB. I know that I would. Who needs "friends" like this?
Please elope and save us all bunches of money. Did you ask your proposed guests to give you money so you to pay for your honeymoon?
She sounds like as arrogant, snobby, whiny, immature, selfish, demanding witch anyway. I can't imagine anyone who would want a friend like her. Hope she enjoys being alone. Because the longer she acts like this, the more alone she will end up. Oh well. She'll only have herself to blame. Although SHE will always blame everybody else. 🙄
bro what? im 14 and "oh you guys can just give up 3k for a wedding is terrible" bruv thats more than my life savings added up.
Starts off with, "At the risk of sounding entitled...." I have some news for you......
“Good luck keeping up with our lives then” i dont want to keep up with your life
OP would pay $3k per wedding to go to the weddings of 150 people? if we assume everyone of those people is in a relationship with someone else of the 150 people that's at least 75 weddings, or $225,000 this person claims they are willing to spend to go to other people's weddings.
"evites" and "less [sic] of you want to come?" Also you think friends are "better" if they spend more money on you? Sorry I couldn't afford the Ferrari! Please feel free to elope!
"At the risk of sounding entitled"... Ummmm... Trust me, you took the risk away the rest of your rant.
LMAO, I'm thinking instead of "I thought I had better friends" it should read "I thought I had better ATMs"
Yes audacity! She also asked people to spend $2K-$3K but she can't even spent money and efforts on a nice and decent invitation, she sent e-invite instead? What a douchebagette!
People that are getting married or people have children just go on and on about it like the whole world was meant to stop for it.
I have a friend who had a destination wedding. She pretty much announced it and said if you plan to attend let me know by and I'll tell you all the details. She did not tell anyone her registery unless asked. As she pointed out, they had been living on their own for years and didn't need stuff to start their life together.
What a**holes. They should do the world a favour and elope to Antarctica.
At the risk of sounding entitled... Haha.... OMG, ooooooo gonna get FB blocked. Ouch forever.
For me, it's not so much the money, but the attitude. I probably would have been one of the people who RSVP'd (Thailand!) But once I read this post I would have been like "dueces ✌️ I'm out."..........And who are those 11 gross people who actually "liked" this?
My niece was the first to get married in all 6 grandchildren and decided to do a destination wedding. First, yes it would have cost us ~$2500 CAD, then a week off (not when we wanted to), everyone in my family was upset because they didn't do it locally so it was not accessible to the ones with less $, but the worse was having to spend a week with my family when I only visit for less than 24 hours when I come to town. Apparently they invited 250 people and 23 went (parents only - my sister was the mother of the bride, and the rest were friends).
This is disgusting. If the other party is NOT like this, RUN! If they are, oh well.
Can't think of anyone I like well enough to fork over $3k ... to hang out with 'em on their HONEYMOON.
LOL. Unfriending entitled douchebags first. I don't want to "keep up with your lives."
How many hints does this girl need - you aren't that popular honey!
Yes, definitely elope…… nobody wants to spend a fortune to be held hostage by a bridezilla
It sounds like everyone who refused to spend thousands to attend your destination wedding, pay for expensive gifts, and lost your friendship - aren't missing a thing!
I hate spoiled people. They think it will extend to getting married? NOPE. I don't want to know what was on that registry...
All of my friends and family know me. If you have a wedding that's even just out of state, I'm not going.
Brendan was also willing to share one of his own personal moments of cringe with us. “On one of my first dates with a girl, I asked her if she was on the spectrum because I thought she was like me,” he told Bored Panda. “She didn’t like that line of questioning, but guess what: she’s my fiancé now! This type of cringe is because the cringer is unaware of how their words can affect other people’s feelings.” That may have been cringey in the moment, but I’m glad to hear the story had a happy ending!
Show of hands; Who would bet he "kissed" a man posing as a girl on Reddit?
And lucky for all of us (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it), Brendan says no one is immune to being cringey. “The cringe is unavoidable,” he told Bored Panda. “It’s a part of human ancestry. Look to our past, present, and future, and you will find that entire countries are cringe. France stole a 3,000 year old obelisk from Egypt, shipped it to France on a boat, and set it up in the middle of a traffic circle!” It’s true. It’s called the Luxor Obelisk, and you can read about it right here.
So he's not your husband, he's not in the armed forces and he never went to that school... wow!
Finally, Brendan left us with some wise words about our cringey behavior. “The world needs to highlight it and embrace it,” he shared. “It’s like having a big pimple on your face. It’s worse if you try to hide it. Just own it, and be better next time.”
If you’d like to hear some painfully cringey stories, accompanied by hilarious commentary, be sure to check out Brendan’s podcast Watch Cringe right here or follow the show on Instagram right here!
According to Melissa Dahl, a senior editor at The Cut and author of Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness, indulging in cringe content for fun is actually similar to experiencing nightmares, as far as our brains are concerned. “It’s our brains giving us a dose of exposure therapy,” she told Vox. “Maybe the same thing is happening for people who are drawn to cringey content, [maybe they’re] people whose deepest fear is being ostracized or made to look like a fool.”
“I think [cringe content] is a controlled way of facing this really deep fear. It’s funny to talk about being embarrassed during the year 2020 when there’s such scary things going on,” Dahl continued, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic. “But, like, there’s nothing scarier than being cast out on your own and laughed out of the group!”
One of the beauties of the written word is you can elucidate your thoughts far more effectively than with speech. I don’t understand why anyone would give up that advantage.
Are you feeling a little better about all of the cringey things you’ve ever done? Because clearly, it can always get worse! We hope you’re getting a kick out of these photos pandas, but remember, none of us are immune to the cringe. So don't get too cocky... Keep upvoting your favorite photos, and then if you want to experience even more second-hand embarrassment, you can find another Bored Panda article featuring painfully cringey content right here!
Ew... that's just weird, I hope he at least asked the kids first if this was ok
I feel like I know exactly what this guy looks like and everything he owns is probably sticky and there's a lot of axe bodyspray everywhere.
Fun fact, the actual Cringetopia subreddit went private (aka got shut down) because it eventually devolved into a racist, homophobic cesspool.
Didn't someone hack it and make it so you couldn't type? Just use emojis?
Load More Replies...most of these people should suffer from their shame! except nikado he needs therapy and a salad
Someone commented that it's watching slow motion self (unalived). That's hauntingly accurate 😖
Load More Replies...I have been stuck on the highway for the past 2 hours because of 2 accidents literally 1 car ahead of me. Semi on fire, and another in pieces. On the plus side, the city of Beloit, WI firefighters are very nice. They have come and checked on me 5 times. I think this is the only time it is okay to be on your phone on the highway lol.
***How's it going now, Zephyr? Just looked at the news. You're in the middle of that mess? Can you walk to exit and have family bring blankets and food?
Load More Replies...Fun fact, the actual Cringetopia subreddit went private (aka got shut down) because it eventually devolved into a racist, homophobic cesspool.
Didn't someone hack it and make it so you couldn't type? Just use emojis?
Load More Replies...most of these people should suffer from their shame! except nikado he needs therapy and a salad
Someone commented that it's watching slow motion self (unalived). That's hauntingly accurate 😖
Load More Replies...I have been stuck on the highway for the past 2 hours because of 2 accidents literally 1 car ahead of me. Semi on fire, and another in pieces. On the plus side, the city of Beloit, WI firefighters are very nice. They have come and checked on me 5 times. I think this is the only time it is okay to be on your phone on the highway lol.
***How's it going now, Zephyr? Just looked at the news. You're in the middle of that mess? Can you walk to exit and have family bring blankets and food?
Load More Replies...