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 
“Your Laws Can’t Contain Me”: 67 Times First-World Anarchists Broke The Rules Just For Fun (New Pics)
Some people live by the rules, others completely obliterate them and think absolutely nothing of doing so. These rebels aren't going as far as toppling governments, or burning down buildings. They're doing just enough to go against the grain and make a statement without causing danger or destruction.
It's the pup who rips off a "no dogs" sign and carries it down the road in an act of paw-fect protest, it's the person drinking Pepsi out of a Dr Pepper cup, or the worker who fills the "forks" draw with dozens of plastic spoons. These are the first-world anarchists making life a little more chaotic and a lot more funny for the rest of us.
Their brilliance is often showcased in an online gallery dedicated to celebrating those who dare to scream, "I won't do what you tell me!" The First World Anarchists page is a wall of boldness ranging from petty to baffling to downright clever. Bored Panda has put together a compilation of their best posts to inspire you to treat the rules as simple suggestions every now and again.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Man Who Kept His Boat Beside His House Was Ordered By The City To Put Up A Fence To Hide The Boat From View
RELATED:
#2
Bought The 4th Of July M&ms Specifically To Do This
#3
Love How They Just Don't Care
The world would be pretty chaotic if rules and laws didn't exist. They help to keep us safe, and ensure that things run smoothly. But often, in daily life, it's not the strict regulations that save us. It's the unspoken codes of conduct that we somehow know to follow, even if we aren't told to.
Social norms are unwritten expectations about how people should behave. From standing in a queue, to returning your shopping cart, or putting your litter in the trash can, these seemingly small things help society to function like a well-oiled machine.
#5
He Cant Read
#6
Does Not Follow Directions
Researchers have found that people tend to follow rules even when there is no punishment or reward involved.
In one study involving more than 14,000 participants, up to 70% of them followed an arbitrary rule even if breaking it wouldn't land them in hot water. The researchers concluded that rule-following is largely driven by social expectations and internal respect for the rules. Not fear...
It's a case of doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.
#7
I'm Bringing My Sausages On This Bus
#8
Good Dog !
#9
Merry Christmas Fellow Anarchists
That’s not to say that people respect all the rules. There are some that are often broken by rebels and angels alike.
Let's call them "phantom rules." They’re widely known but inconsistently enforced. Think of things like speeding just a tiny bit, jaywalking, or joining the express checkout aisle with thirteen items instead of ten. People seldom get punished for breaking these rules is rare, so they begin to treat them as “optional.”
#10
In Honor Of The Sun Setting On This Sub, Here's A Picture Of My Cat Using Her Pineapple House However She Pleases
#11
Rejected
#12
Fourth Dimension Shattered
Then there are the rules where punishment is enforced but many break them anyway, just not enough to be labelled criminal or deviant. Psychologists refer to this as primary deviance.
"[It] refers to the everyday rule-breaking that nearly everyone engages in at some point -small, one-time, or harmless acts that don’t lead to serious consequences or identity changes," explains the Simply Psychology site.
In these cases, those breaking the rules don't consider themselves "rule-breakers." They're merely bending the rules to suit their circumstances as and when convenient.
#13
If I Give Her A Cig She’d Be A Bigger First World Anarchist Than Any Of Us
#14
Not What I Expected When I Opened The Drawer
#15
The Club I've Been At Tonight Had A "No Pictures" Sign. So Of Course I Took A Picture Of It
The interesting thing about rule-breaking is that it's like the flu - it can be highly contagious. And that's because people often take their cue from others about what's acceptable and how to behave. If everyone around you follows a rule, you’re more likely to follow it too. But when you see a few people ignoring it, your brain may interpret that as permission.
Think about shopping carts, for example. If one or two people abandon theirs in the middle of the parking lot, instead of returning it to its rightful "parking spot," another person might feel less guilty doing the same thing. Before long, the entire parking lot looks like a cart graveyard.
#16
Do Not Use?
#17
Finally
#18
If Only There Was A Mark So One Could Put It Back On The Same Way It Came Out
Bob Brooce 13 hours ago
A manhole cover has (arguably) 360 possible ways to go back in the hole. This has two. There's no excuse for this.
Interestingly, studies conducted by Harvard Business School have shown that people who break minor social norms (like wearing board shorts in the boardroom) can sometimes be perceived as having higher status or confidence. It's something known as the “Red Sneakers Effect.”
The logic is simple: if someone feels comfortable ignoring a rule, others may assume they’re important enough that the rules don’t apply to them.
“We all have a desire to fit in. What this means, usually, is that we follow social norms and rules of appropriate conduct,” said study co-author of the study Francesca Gino. “Yet, in our research, we show that deviating from the accepted dress code or social norms has surprising benefits: It leads others to think we have greater status.”
#19
I Won't Do What You Tell Me!
LakotaWolf (she/her) 12 hours ago
I was trying to figure out what kind of heinous fake nails this person has, until I realized they are tiny shoes XD
#21
Vending Right Beside A Sign Prohibiting It
TheBadHalfofHel 13 hours ago
He's not 'vending'. He's providing beverages for the low donation price of a few coins in the exact amount he tells you.
#22
Our Postman Is An Anarchist
#23
If It Fits, It Ships
#24
Bird Has More Aura Than My Hair Follicle
#25
I Won't Even Title This Post!
Geoffrey Scott 3 hours ago
Our school librarian was doing inventory and posted a sign like this. "Don't touch the books". I did exactly what's shown here and e-mailed it to her saying "they are just too beautiful"
#26
I Took This Photo With My Cell Phone
#27
Out Of Order? I Think Not
#28
This Car At The Chick Fil A Drive Thru
#29
Coacola Pespi
#31
N O S M O K I N G
#32
This Is Officially A Dog Park Now
#34
No One Tells Us Which Escalator Steps To Use
#35
Taking Down Tesla One Cheese Slice At The Time
#36
You Can’t Tell Me What To Do!
#37
Drinking Diet Pepsi In A Dr Pepper Cup
#40
Out Of Control Over Here
#41
A [sbarro Alcador Roadster] Seen In Berlin
Forrest Hobbs 13 hours ago
Fair enough - that's in Berlin. They used the wrong language. (yes yes of course lots of Berliners understand English - so what? If you're going to put up a sign in Germany, write it in German even if you are going to translate it into English/French/Russian/whatnot for lazy and ignorant foreigners like me)
#42
Absolute Madness
#43
My Wife Just Used This. It’s Wednesday
#44
I'll Remove Whatever The Hell I Want
#46
No Swimming
Forrest Hobbs 13 hours ago
Yeah, only: that's a warning sign put up because it's dangerous to swim there. Ignoring such signs is bad for the health.
#47
Gotta Defeat The Matrix!
Colleen Glim 11 hours ago
Life’s too short to fuss about matching socks. So says my youngest daughter
#48
Swimming Pool Rules
Forrest Hobbs 13 hours ago
Yeah, that's another notice put up for safety. It's generally 'no diving' in such places because it's too shallow for diving to be safe - in this case, 5 feet / 1.52 m deep. Get it wrong, and you'll end up seriously injured, possibly paralysed from the neck down, or d3ad.
#51
This Is Donut Anarchy: My Friend's Co-Worker Cut A Piece Out Of Every Donut In The Box
#52
Anarchy In The EU
#54
I’m Gonna
LakotaWolf (she/her) 12 hours ago
As a retail worker, those are the totes that shipments arrive in XD Depending on whether or not they were checked in by receiving or not, or HOW they were checked in by receiving, you could really mess up some retail worker's day by taking the stock out of the totes and not off of the shelves. Usually the departmental employees are the ones who have to "check in" the totes' contents vs. the shipment list printouts XD
#56
Pepperidge Farm Top Sliced Hot Dog Buns
#57
Be Ungovernable
#59
You’re Not The Boss Of Me, Box
#61
I Eat Lunchables At Night
TheBadHalfofHel 13 hours ago
You know what they say about people like you? Neither do I .... but I bet it's funny.
#62
Drinking Hilo Tap Water With My Portland Water Bottle
Colleen Glim 11 hours ago
It’s a reusable container to put your water in. Does it really matter what is on the container?
#65
I'll Get As Close As I Please
patricia patricia 6 hours ago
Yeah, great. If the vehicle in front has to brake unexpectedly for whatever reason, you'll crash into it. The good part is: you pay. I hate this kind of imbeciles. I usually reduce my speed to the minimum until they keep their distance.
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Related on Bored Panda
