Warning: secondhand embarrassment can cause intense emotional pain, facepalming, and gossiping with your friends about the intensely cringe things you saw.
The beauty of being a human being is that we tend to have far more in common with each other than we think. One of the best examples is that we’ve all done some extremely awkward, embarrassing things that we wish we could take back… or forget entirely! Perhaps it was a social media post we made years and years ago that physically hurts to look at. Or, maybe, you spilled your lunch all over yourself at school or work just last week!
A good antidote for dealing with your own embarrassment (aside from doing the mature thing and, y’know, working through your emotions) is to gently poke fun at someone who’s messed up even worse. That’s where the popular r/cringepics online community comes in. The subreddit is home to some of the most cringeworthy pics to ever be shared online. Check out the worst offenders below. But be careful your cringe-sensors might go haywire!
For some more cringeworthy pics, take a peek at Bored Panda's earlier feature right here.
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Tofu Is Only For Vegans
Just A Post Mom
"Don't Come Over"
The r/cringepics subreddit is home to just over 1.5 million members. It’s a true testament to just how successful the online community really is. As it turns out, internet users really enjoy looking at cringy stuff. Or rather, silently judging them for messing up in public.
That actually makes a lot of sense. We’ve written on Bored Panda before about how judging others is a natural part of who we are as human beings. We do it for a wide range of reasons. Unfortunately, some aren’t as wholesome or beneficial as others.
Just A Normal Guy
Time To Find A New Job
"Judging others is something that we as humans do, both consciously and automatically, and there are a number of reasons why we do it. Comically, we are often told as children not to judge others and have stories shared about how judging others can mean we upset them or lose opportunities to see what really lies behind our perception," a psychologist explained to Bored Panda during an interview a while ago.
Haha Thanks Mom
I Got Four Phone Calls From The Dealership Immediately After This, But Didn't Pick Up
As far as untrustworthy professions go Car Dealers are really way up there on the list. Quite sad.
Not A Single Spanish Player Sang During Their Anthem
"Sometimes, we judge others to feel superior ourselves, finding faults in others, highlighting them, and feeling better about ourselves in the process. Sometimes, we use it to work out where we fit in, recognizing how we want to be, where our aspirations lie, and how we don't want to become," the psychologist explained.
Mistaking A Vietnamese Man For A Child
“Lady” Mone is notable for stealing tens of millions of pounds from the British taxpayer (aided and abetted by the present incumbents the Tory party) using phoney PPE contracts at the beginning of Covid. She is currently being investigated ( although not terribly thoroughly) and she and her husband are in the process of liquidating “their“ assets in preparation to leave the country. What a lovely person she is….
When You Accidentally Make Two Big Announcements In One Photo
Well, That’s One Way To Ruin A Friendship
"Sometimes, it's in response to our own flaws, and we attack others for what we don't like or don't see into ourselves. And on other occasions, it's to fit into a wider group who judge something or someone, and we conform and perform with the same judgment."
My Friend Meant To Text Me, But He Texted The Girl He Had Just Gone On A Date With Instead
Worked out for the best, she got an honest review of the date so she could avoid another.
How To Make Pregnancy Announcements Even More Uncomfortable
What Legs?
However, judging others isn’t all bad. There are certain benefits and upsides when we use it mindfully.
"It can help us to set goals, find alignment with our values, it can help us to build the self-awareness of others and it can boost our self-esteem. Add to that it can also help us to make positive social choices, and it's understanding how and why we judge that gives us the ability to use it for our benefits instead of escaping our flaws or pulling others down,” the psychologist told Bored Panda before.
Jesus Christ What The F**k
*calls platoon of vicious, grumpy alien hedgehogs before morning coffee* BRING IT ON DOOFUS
Just Delete Facebook
This S**t Happens On Linkedin Too
Guys….can we maybe just THINK this s**t instead of typing it out and sending? What do you expect, for her to go, “OMG, I was originally looking for a job before you tainted my feed with that comment but now all I want to do is drop my panties what’s your number love?” Seriously, WHAT response is expected? Honestly curious if anyone knows.
At the time of writing, r/cringepics had been active for over a decade. The subreddit was created all the way back in mid-October 2012. In the years since then, it has documented some of the most powerful cases of awkward and embarrassing situations that hurt to look at.
Anyone with a drop of empathy can feel the secondhand embarrassment radiating from some of these posts. We cringe because we can imagine ourselves in that person’s shoes.
That Went From 0 To 100 Real Quick
I’ve Been Trying To Sell Something On Letgo And All I’m Getting Are Messages Like This, Wth Is Wrong With People?
Don’t Let A Dead Parent Stop You From Trying Fire Pick-Up Lines . .
When we find ourselves in an embarrassing or incredibly awkward situation, many of us might instinctively want to run or shy away from what’s happening. Some people deny that they messed up. Others shut down, completely.
The mature way to deal with these sorts of situations is to ease into it all. Embrace what’s happening instead of running away from those uncomfortable feelings. Admit to your mistakes. Accept that nobody is perfect. At some point in their lives, everyone messes up or does something embarrassing. Usually, repeatedly!
Up Close With Mack
Reasonable request if they were looking to adopt and it wasn't specified. Especially if someone was going to try and adopt the pup with additional needs. We tried to adopt 2 blind dogs. After filling out literally 30 pages of paperwork, interviews, and everything. We gave up after 6 months. They contacted us back at 8 months telling us we passed and could adopt them. Already had adopted one of our pups by then
Guy From High School Got The Same Tattoo As His Dog
Yes, I'd certainly hope this much action on this little forethought doesn't get genetically passed
Load More Replies... Old story. Wasn't a "guy from high school". It was a man who adopted the dog and formed such a bond, that he got a matching tattoo not kn8wing what it really meant i.e he'd been neutered
I find this very sweet and feel sorry for the guy!!! He was trying so hard!
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Sometimes they only snip but don't extract the balls.
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Guess what. He knew it meant "neutered". Story is from 2017 🙄 https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/juliareinstein/neutered-friends-4ever
It was common to tat a number into cats' ears until not very long ago. Chips are more common now to be able to find your cat if she gets lost, but the cat from the cat cafe I hung out with when it was still open is tattoed to be born in 2007 in her ears ... met her in 2016 ... she was said to be the hardest-to-get-through-to of the bunch, but she really really liked me, and we hung out almost every lunch break at that time.
Oh my-- I'm dead this is so funny he actually got the neutered tattoo on his arm-- 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I've never seen this tattoo and I've adopted a lot of dogs. You can tell they are neutered without the tattoo...
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Isn't the lack of balls an easier telltale than having to look on the underside of the dog to find a tattoo?
I dont see this as cringy, i see it as a an owner who loved his dog so much he wanted to stand with his dog, honestly thinking his dog had been abused. Tattooing spade or neutered pets isnt something all vets do, and someone who didnt own a pet or have a vet that did this honestly wouldnt know. It’s an unfortunate, uneducated decision, 😅 but it came from a good owt owner heart.
This really should've been higher on the list. This is hilarious
This means they are neutered... Also if you see feral cats (at least in my area) and one ear has the top of one of their ears cut off it also means they have been caught neutered or spayed. It helps the catch and release folks so they know they have helped that critter and the environment/community too!
Why would a dog need to be tattooed for any reason? Same with de-clawing cats, just not on mate.
I just hope the tattoo artist knew what the symbol meant and told all his friends later what an idiot he had in the chair that day!!
If he just had it done, wouldn't it be all red and swollen? Kinda looks like a giant marker.
Where is this common? There is literally no need for this tattoo on an animal.
I personally don't think it's sad. I'd rather not have another dog's puppies to adopt out. If the dogs gets lost and finds a female dog, there will be puppies out in the wild. Same story with cats. Feral dogs and cats are terrible, terrible for our environment too
Load More Replies...There are very concrete advantages to embracing your embarrassment. For one, you prevent those feelings from growing and enrooting themselves as a deep sense of shame about your past. Shame makes you double-guess everything that you do, it’s vital to fight back against it.
This Physically Hurts
Yikes
It’s My Birthday Today And My Best Friend’s Scumbag Dad Messaged Me This
Moreover, when you demonstrate that you’re actually (mildly) embarrassed rather than hiding this, you improve your reputation with others. People tend to be a lot more sympathetic toward you if you’re being genuine.
Which of these pics did you think were the most cringeworthy, dear Pandas? How deeply did you feel the secondhand embarrassment? What’s the most awkward or embarrassing experience that you’ve ever had? Scroll down to the comment section, and share your thoughts.
* Excessively Starting To Sweat *
Excellent Service
Wow You So Beautiful. Wow Message Didn't Send Separately. Wow Leave Group
Coworkers Brought Binoculars To Work To Perv On Young Beach Goers Today
These Gushy Posts And I'm Offended!
Shapeshifters
Oops…
no-one should be honoured to be followed by that assmunch. Screen-Sho...d138d6.png 
Mlm Forgot To Change Her Recruiting Template While Messaging Strangers On Fb
“Daddy Delivered His Load” Found On Facebook
This Guy Found Me On His Wife’s “Suggested Friends” On Facebook Then Googled Me And Used My Business Number To Text Me. Gross
16 Year Old Me On The Far Left At A Birthday Party I Wasn’t Invited To [2011]
![16 Year Old Me On The Far Left At A Birthday Party I Wasn’t Invited To [2011]](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/63ac0193a1a29_0v7gdpakj1m61__700.jpg "16 Year Old Me On The Far Left At A Birthday Party I Wasn’t Invited To [2011]")
On This Day John Lennon Died, Spotify Didn't Know That
Well, this just could be them trying to be nice and respect the memory of the man on what would have been his birthday, but it definitely didn't come off that way Edit: oh it’s the anniversary of his death sorry I’m stupid
You Would Be Loud Too If I Was Riding You
Note: this post originally had 69 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
I do not know why I looked at this--was I feeling too good about the world? Maybe I was too happy.
I don't normally advocate violence, but in these cases I'll make an exception.
Fortunately most of those who use social media this way will end up not breeding.
I had to go back to see the title because halfway through I was so disgusted I had to make sure it wasn't just me. Thanks BP. My belief in humanity just got scuppered. Happy new year. 🙄
I do not know why I looked at this--was I feeling too good about the world? Maybe I was too happy.
I don't normally advocate violence, but in these cases I'll make an exception.
Fortunately most of those who use social media this way will end up not breeding.
I had to go back to see the title because halfway through I was so disgusted I had to make sure it wasn't just me. Thanks BP. My belief in humanity just got scuppered. Happy new year. 🙄
