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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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DEW
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So you're a child trying to be tough and make people think your tough when you really fell off your skateboard and scraped your knuckles! Come on kid.

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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.    

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A Wild Bean
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What kind of insensitive nosy pig would post this about a complete stranger??

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“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. 

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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.”

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Javel!
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1 year ago

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A Wild Bean
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok buddy, calm down and take some time to work on your eyeliner skills

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

This guy is going to regret this in a few years. The internet is forever and it forgets nothing. I'm so glad it wasn't a thing when I was young and dumb.

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

Who the hell do you think you are, a cursed pharao or something?!

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

I won't even come close to you. I'm scared you'll try to do my makeup.

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themusa101
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Looks like someone got to mommy's eyeliner and a James Charles vid

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Lacy the Partypooper
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jake/Half angle/half demon/eyes turn red when mad/ can fly/ singel/prince/rich/bad boy

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

Cute makeup cringe puss.. stupid hair line too.. just give up

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

This is the human equivalent of growling. It's a defensive action, and a lot of times, it comes from anxiety and fear. What this person needs is a little compassion. Mocking them only makes these feelings worse.

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

correct me if im wrong but that kinda looks like Ryan Comedies, he makes like troll content so if this is him i dont think hes serious

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

I bet if you threw a slice of cheese at him, and it landed on his face, he would fall off the table

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

Do not mess with me or I will force my eyeliner techniques on you! Grrrr!

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

I won’t. Wouldn’t wanna mess up the purdy eyeliner 🥰🥰

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

And then when you look back on your past 10 years later, you will regret what you posted on the internet as a edgy emo kid

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Ericthedead
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah cause when you start to cry your mascara will run. Kids these days? Edit: Damnit I thought the mascara joke was funny but everyone had the same joke.

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

I wouldn't say less, maybe just better applied. This is less than I usually wear.

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Ruby Smith
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love the camera angle, that forehead do be looking quite dapper.

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

He will try to do our liner and blind us on purpose if we mess with him!!

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

He doesn’t even have chipped black nail polish. I can’t be scared if he doesn’t even try.

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

He doesn't want to be messed with because it would smear his carefully applied eye makeup.

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Retro Dan™
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

See, if he'd actually showed commitment by painting his nails black as well, I might be a little intimidated. More by the fact that he painted his nails than anything else, because as Ed Byrne pointed out, we both know who you're more likely to harm.

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

He's a young man that's been hurt and he's trying to protect himself by acting tough.

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

Wonder if they give tutorials on how to apply eyeliner like this.

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

oh no! im so scared! mommy! mommy! this man with mascara on and a fake gold chain just threatened me!

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

Looks like that nose has been broken a few times. You might wanna STFU, dumbass.

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Daycare Attendant Sun
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He's wearing more eyeliner than I did when I was a goth as a teenager. Ah, those were the years.

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

Nice try bro but raccoons are ten times scarier than your pathetic attempt. Lol

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

Just take one finger and smear the eyeliner. That’s all it would take.

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Chez2202
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What’s he going to do if you mess with him? If it’s matching eyeliner I’m definitely steering clear of that bad boy.

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

Oooooooh eyeliner and a bad hair cut. Not messing with you, promise

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

If I nudge him too hard I'm afraid he might go tell his mom.

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

Oh scary, that black eyeliner just exuberates scary man vibes.

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

Who's a cute witto scawwy guy? YOU'S a cute witto scawwy guy, yes you is! 🥰

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

Ooh I think I just pulled a muscle from laughing so hard..🤣

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

Those bitten fingernails scare me. The guy liner looks like he’s drawn one straight line with an extra thick marker pen

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

Why???? People like this makes me want just shake the s**t outta somebody

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with a Y and a Z
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

that eyeliner will definitely kill me..it doesn't go with the shape of my eyes =)

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

With the way his hands are angled… what are gonna do? Tickle me?

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

what nails do you plan on scratching me with? oh, are you going to drown me in the 10 pounds of eyeliner on your eyes

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

Am I the only one that wants to poke him in the face to p**s him off and see what happens?

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

wow. poor dude. i don't think our comments are going to help his mental health issues

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

See, when I did stuff like this in from of the family bathroom mirror in 1985 I could not have taken a pic of it nor made it public for all eternity. Thank you, Divine Principle, for giving me such a protected youth

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

Didn't their gothparent make a splash on the internet about a decade ago?

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

Hahaha! I wanna "mess" with him to see what the result is. He might tell me how to badly do my eyeliner

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

I feel like this picture will be its own punishment in time. He will grow up a bit, look back on it and think.. OMG that's still out there in the internet.

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

He could give you a nasty scratch though, if he'd stop biting his nails for a while.

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Old Roadie
Community Member
1 year ago

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Mrs.Pugh
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Idk about this new breed of emos🤔. Im just not feelin them

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

This did such a good job of cracking me up I feel like it HAS to be on purpose

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

He looks like one of those guys that will fall over if I bump into him at the store.

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

Why what you going to do drew sh#t wings on me and run off?

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Mark Karol-Chik
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

BWA-HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! oh man, he probably spends his days silently yelling at his own reflection

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

I. Will. Mess. With. You. And I'll enjoy every second of it, you little power-fantasy-having pseudo-gangster/emo boy. Go clean your room idiot.

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Emma Goudie
Community Member
1 year ago

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Travis Fox
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He's afraid someone will smear his mascara and eyeliner!

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Ozymandias73
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dude would crumble so quick if he was approached by someone wanting to hurt him.

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

Your eyeliner's pretty. Do you feel pretty when you do your makeup in the morning?

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

He probably puts lipstick around his a*****e and tells people to kiss it

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

And then he sees a spider and runs into the corner to cower from its evilness...

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GenericPanda09
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn't it odd how so many school shooters have pictures like this somewhere in their previous social media posts..

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

I thought he might be a Droog, that he's just seen Clockwork Orange? Didn't invest in a bobble hat to complete the costume?

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Karmageddon
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sorry, the guy liner doesn't make you scary, except maybe to the ladies.

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Angeline Shalyn
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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

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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.”

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Alexandra Davis
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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

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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!

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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

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Fat Harry
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And it was all looking so good until the last couple of lines.

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Alexandra Davis
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So he's not your husband, he's not in the armed forces and he never went to that school... wow!

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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!

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Zobi123
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What's really cringe is posting pictures of children on social media without their parents consent.

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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!”

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BenMaharaj
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

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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!

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A Wild Bean
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ew... that's just weird, I hope he at least asked the kids first if this was ok

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Kate Jones
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

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Note: this post originally had 37 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.