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35 Normal Things That Are Actually Pretty Horrific If You Think About It
Ready to feel a bit mad? The world throws away around 1.3 billion tons of perfectly edible food every single year. That's almost half a trillion worth of items destroyed, which, to add insult to injury, produces over 10% of global greenhouse gases.
Someone asked “What is something that is normalized in society when in reality it is horrific?” and people shared their best examples. So get comfortable as you scroll through, prepare to shake your head, upvote the worst ones and be sure to share your own examples in the comments below.
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#1
Your pug cannot breathe properly. Your poodle has joint pain. You are promoting genetic mutations that cause unbearable suffering to animals because you think its cute.
You drag them around, keep them in tiny apartments and make yourself the center of their lives to the point that they have anxiety every time you leave for work, you do this to validate yourself and yet you are not treating them with the respect they deserve.
Find a healthy breed, give it a home with space, and companions, ideally outside of a cramped noisy city, raise it properly and respect it as sentient being, or don't have a dog.
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#2
Sneering at single mothers instead of the deadbeat dads.
I'm childfree myself, but this infuriates me.
V 11 months ago
Especially when the same people would sneer at them for staying with the deadbeat dad's as well. They can't win.
Vanessa MacKenzie 11 months ago
And constantly putting them down for needing to be on welfare, cause the deadbeat dad took off and left them financially unable to take care of themselves, or accusing them of popping out babies and being of low morals to get on welfare. No little girl grows up dreaming of having lots of babies and struggling to make ends meet on welfare.
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Beak Hookage 11 months ago
"Well she should have better taste in men!" Yeah, f**k off. For all you know the father DIED.
Amy S 11 months ago
My widowed mother used to get sh*t like that all the time.
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Michael Largey 11 months ago
Don't the people who sneer at single mothers also want to ban abortions?
Betsy S 11 months ago
Yes. They are not intelligent enough to recognize the glaring disconnect between the two ideas.
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James King 10 months ago
I've never, EVER met anyone that had anything but contempt for deadbeat dads.
Katchen 8 months ago
I think the point is that it’s easy to identify a single mother but any man on the street could be a deadbeat dad and you’d never know. So people see a single mom and think bad things about her without thinking about the man they’re not seeing.
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Magenta Blu 8 months ago
Yeah. Being a good parent is something people like to shame, because it implies to care about someone else besides themselves and their careers and productivity
Crystalwitch60 10 months ago
I hate this I am a single mother now after my husband left us 13 yrs ago I’m also 60 n disabled now drink drivers truly suck ! kids are 23-20 we haven’t seen him since he left uk is remarried me I choose to stay single bliss lol even being housebound anyone looks down there nose at me they better be prepared to get it broken ! can’t stand people like that
Sand Ers 11 months ago
How about them? There's no evidence that women are more likely to put their children in the middle of an ugly split than men.
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Caia Calabrese 10 months ago
Some single mothers choose fathers at the gates of prisons. Men who never planned to stay with them to begin with. There's too many of those women in social media looking for another impregnator, sadly. Some of them have many kids from different fathers.
Uri Tišlarjev 11 months ago
Most of the time, it's the mothers who drive the father away, leaving him to fight for his children for years. And every time he fails, he drowns in frustration, eventually, and sadly, giving up.
Allen Packard 11 months ago
You evidently aren't from the US. Here men are second class citizens (at best) when it comes to getting custody of their children. Despite all the data that tells us this is terrible. I finally got custody of my sons after multiple issues with child protective services with my ex. I was paying over $1200 a month in child support, her payment per month? $500. After the first 3 months they dropped her from having to pay and I spent the next 7 years raising them with no support. It's a joke of a system on its best day.
#3
Worshipping billionaires as some kind of genius self-made men when they are mostly the reflection of what's worst about modern society.
winterwidow87 11 months ago (edited)
And they almost always aren't "self-made". For example Jeff Bezos' start capital came from his parents, not his own savings, if he didn't have parents who could afford helping him financially he probably wouldn't be where he is (not to mention not paying taxes and exploiting workers, that's really how the uber rich get rich).
#4
Destruction of unsold or unused goods. I've watched some documentaries about it and talked to people who worked at such jobs.
A warehouse full of unsold TVs, computers and other such items - scheduled for destruction. An excavator comes and squishes it, throws everything into trucks and off to the landfill. Friend asked if he could take a TV but the other guy just pointed at guards and told him not to even try.
Unsold shoes, all perfectly fine and wearable. Saw a documentary of trucks full of branded shoes leaving them at landfills. I believe they cut them open in beforehand so no one could take any for themselves.
Food thrown away after the day.
I've read articles of bakeries giving stuff they'd usually throw, for free to homeless. They get hefty fines for that.
I know brands will do it to keep the price up. But how is it for the enviroment? I bet it's way more ridiculous than my plastic straw.
#5
Denial of medical care because of inability to pay
#6
The fact that we possess the medical technology for people to die painlessly (and at the time and manner of their choice) and yet there's some sort of taboo to try to legalize it. I understand why but it is what it is.
Shannon Donnelly 11 months ago
We all agree that it is the compassionate thing to do to euthanize our pets when they are suffering and there is no way to make them better. But when it comes to humans, most refuse to acknowledge the same thing, I think for two reasons. First, religion. I think it’s a power trip by the higher ups in all the major (mainly Christian/Catholic) religions. But mainly I think it’s the health insurance companies & hospitals that have lobbied Congress to not approve legislation for euthanasia in most states because of the amount of money they would lose if people were given the choice of euthanasia instead of being kept alive by machines and endless rounds of brutal “experimental”treatments. I’m not saying people should just give up when given a terminal diagnosis, but too many people are guilt-tripped into believing the quantity of days you have left is more important than the quality of days you have.
#7
That everyone and anyone should procreate. It affects another person's life who can't consent to it. If you can't give a child a good life you shouldn't have children, as they have rights too.
Lyone Fein 11 months ago
My (very unpopular) opinion is that people who want children need to adopt. There are so many parentless children in need of loving families. And they are suffering. If you are truly motivated by love, and not by the desire to photocopy your DNA, there is someone out there right now in need of that love.
#8
Watching or recording as people are being hurt or dying. Instead of someone acting to help you see everyone pulling out their cell phone or walking away. Obviously there are times where helping might [be dangerous] so I understand someone not jumping in at those points. Last year there was a IG post showing this exact scenario.
There was security footage of a man whose wife died in a car accident. While he was on his knees crying and holding her hand people were walking up behind him and taking pics and video. This man is having the worst day of his life and people are taking video to post online. Somewhere society stopped caring about others and it is horrific.
Teachzebra 11 months ago
A few years ago I was at a high profile parade on a very hot day. A member of one of the marching bands was clearly struggling, vomited, and nearly collapsed. Several people helped him to a shaded area, gave him a folding chair, and numerous people walked over and started fanning him and giving him water bottles. One person went to get nearby medical personnel. I felt a little restoration in my faith in humanity since everyone’s first instinct was to help this individual, and even though there was a large crowd I didn’t see anyone filming what was No Doubt a very scary and somewhat embarrassing moment for this individual.
#9
Not horrific, but I hate that drinking alcohol is so normalized that people think something bad happened or something is wrong with you if you don’t drink.
#10
Male victims of domestic violence. A lot of people just think it’s funny.
Black Cat 11 months ago
Domestic Violence is a scourge on society. If you're a violent f****r, prone to jealousy, insecure and so entitled you can't cope with not getting you're own way, do everyone a favour and stay single and DON'T breed! Men or women. Penalties for domestic abusers need to be a helluva lot tougher and there needs to be a register like there is for sex offenders so people know who they are getting involved with.
#11
Referring to humans as illegals and then treating them as if they aren't humans and as if you yourself haven't benefited from immigration even your existence is partly somewhere down your bloodline the result of immigration. The us and them mentality disgusts me.
Shannon Donnelly 11 months ago
The same people who b***h about the US being overrun by immigrants who don’t speak English are the same people who will 1) brag about what countries their grandparents came from to the US not speaking English and only having $50 in their pocket; 2) complain about immigrants taking all the good jobs from hardworking Americans but at the same time claiming they don’t work & are milking the system; 3) Are so proud to take those Ancestry tests to prove that they themselves have as much claim to the US as anyone else, with the exception of the Indigenous Peoples of North America.
#12
People not caring about the poor. Thinking they got where they are because they're lazy, or d**g addicts. In reality, if we made some poor choices we could be in the exact same position.
AtMostAFabulist 11 months ago
You don't even have to make a poor choice. This is my biggest fear, I will have an accident or some sickness and lose my job and then my house.
#13
Women getting iud’s without legit pain meds. F****n barbaric.
Orange Frosting 11 months ago
And uterine biopsies. Absolute agony and definitely not just a "pinch".
#14
In the USA, tying health care to your work / ability to produce at a high level.
Health insurance is not even offered at lower-paying jobs.
Kristy Marion 11 months ago
Mixing health insurance and employment just seems like a bad idea to me. I had a hotel manager in the US who had to work with terminal cancer until her final 2 weeks because her treatment/insurance was tied to her employment. Similarly, a good friend is continuing to work past retirement due to the superior benefits his insurance provides for him and his wife. He is ready to retire but is worried a medical issue could bankrupt them. Crazy.
#15
Child brides, are mortifying to me. I remember one time there was this three year old girl getting married off to a 36 year old man. I thought how horrible to myself and aloud. A guy at work thought I would be comforted by the fact that her husband shouldn't have [intercourse] with her until she was of age. I wasn't because it's not guaranteed he won't consummate the marriage with his toddler bride just because it's frowned upon.
#16
Religion and the indoctrination of children and vulnerable populations (poor, sick, incarcerated, etc)
Teachzebra 11 months ago
And in the most hypocritical way imaginable these are many of the people that accuse public schools of trying to indoctrinate children and demand books be banned and that things like critical race theory, gay pride, etc. never be taught
#17
Forcing kids to show physical affection to anyone.
Lousha 11 months ago
I used to embarass my parents a lot with this when I was very little, because I would protest loudly that I did not want to give a kiss to a bunch of relatives because "auntie is prickly!" (she had some remarkably strong hairs on her chin), "uncle smells!" (he was not averse to a little glass of any alcohol, anytime), etc. I was too little to understand that it's not nice to say things like that, and I saw these relatives maybe once a year, they did not feel like family to my little mind, just weird, unattractive strangers. Up to this day it makes me very uncomfortable when anyone (partner's family, overly friendly new acquaintance etc) comes up to me to greet me with a peck on the cheek and a hug. I have a huge personal space and hate any touching from anyone other than maybe 3 people in this world. I'm 100 percent sure that this would not be the case if I was allowed to choose who to hug/touch/kiss when I was a small child.
#18
For-profit medicine. Doctors don't have to work for free, but selling stock shares based on people seeking medical help is absolutely unethical.
#20
In the us ?
criminalizing not only being homeless, but *helping* people who are homeless. feeding or housing or even just providing respite.
winterwidow87 11 months ago (edited)
Not a very christian behavior coming from the country with the largest christian population in the world.
#21
The abuse of animals in the horse and dog racing business. So many d***s and injuries causing death to innocent animals. Then an abundance of non productive animals to get rid of.
Michael Largey 11 months ago
Winning at the track is just as much luck-based as winning at a casino. So just stick to the roulette table if you must gamble, and leave the animals alone.
#22
The payday lending industry.
Giving out loans at completely unreasonable interest rates to the people least likely to be able to pay them back, leading them further down a path to misery is an evil business model, and that regulators seem so willing to look the other way is disappointing if not surprising.
#23
Paying taxes to a government that doesn't keep you healthy, educated, and provide **guaranteed** security in retirement after spending a lifetime supporting said government.
Susan Bell 11 months ago
Ah, but you get a military, bigger than the next 8 biggest militaries, to protect the 1% richest people’s interests around the globe.
#24
Nudging females to have kids when they clearly don't want them.
General Anaesthesia 11 months ago
Then abandoning any responsibility once the child is born. Important until birth, then mother and child can drop dead.
#25
The way medication is advertised in the US directly to the consumer. "Ask your doctor about...."
Chich the witch 11 months ago
Just saw one of these commercials. They didn't even give a hint what the d**g was supposed to treat, but "it could be right for you"
#27
Treating addicts like they deserve to die
winterwidow87 11 months ago
Addiction is a disease, yet there are so many people who still treat it as a matter of choice and strength of character.
#28
IMO, TV series being made of a serial [criminal]/ evil person being glamorized, played by some hot actor, and dramatized so that people become sort of “fans” of the real life person. Bonus points if not much sympathy or perspective is shown for the direct families/friends impacted by the actions of said evil person.
#29
Circumcision (when they're babies and not due to medical reasons).
#30
Forcing autistic people to hide who they are, because how other people sees you is more important that your own mental health. This leads to anxiety, low self esteem, depression, and s*****e being much more common in the autistic community.
Beak Hookage 11 months ago (edited)
I grew up forced to mask all the time and people did not understand why I would get so exhausted and surly after doing it for hours on end (and would not tolerate it). It's only just a few months ago, after more than twenty years, that I've felt safe openly telling people I will be working or studying with that I'm autistic. Because now I know they won't judge me for it but will show consideration toward my needs. Last year I was asked to give a speech to an audience of children, and for the first time ever I stood up in front of an audience and said "I am an autistic person, so this is really hard for me to do, but I'm doing it anyway". I later learned that a lot of those kids were themselves autistic, and now here was this impressive grown-up telling them "I am like you". And that's not something I will ever fail to give the next generation again.
#31
Housing as a commodity/investment rather than a basic need / shelter.
People need shelter to survive, and suitable shelter is a prerequisite to starting families or just not suffering without access to a basic human need in general.
Imagine if we started limiting access to drinking water and started hoarding to sell it for what the highest bidders are willing to take, even if it leaves behind a large chunk of our society. Imagine ensuring that a majority of people are unable to afford enough water if they were to have kids, just so investors can continue to make a bigger buck in the future. Imagine if we encouraged buying off any remaining available water, allowed corporations to hoard it, and encouraged people to hoard it as a means of storing their wealth, and as their retirement nest egg.
#32
Application fees for apartments
Namea 11 months ago
Yep. Let me pay 150 bucks to be told I didn't get the place even when I meet all of the qualifications. And if I do get it (after proving I make 3x rent) I have to pay 1st month, last month, and a deposit equal to one month immediately. Even knowing I make 3x rent, that's an entire month of salary that can't go to any other bills or food or anything like that. Then there's fees tacked on. My last apartment was listed at 2500 a month but with all of the monthly fees it was almost 2900 every month. Admin fee, package locker fee, mandatory valet trash, electronic payment fee, parking space rent, processing fee, sewage, and electronic lock membership fee. Then water and electricity on top of that were separate. So basic survival without even counting food was over 3500 a month.
#33
That 99% of processed foods have added sugar to help for profit companies to feed addictions
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 11 months ago
Corn syrup is very uncommon here in Australia. I can't believe it's even used in soft drinks in the USA.
#34
The chicken industry is pretty horrific. I eat chicken. But yeah when you really read about it it is sick. Billions of chickens born every year only to be forced to lay eggs for their life or slaughtered after a few days or weeks.
#35
Deaths by motor vehicle. +1 million people worldwide every year
Teachzebra 11 months ago
There was once a philosophical question that was presented like the trolley dilemma. It basically stated that if there were a technology which could greatly improve the lives of almost every person on earth, but would kill more than 1000 people every day, would you want it? Almost every respondent said no. However it was not hypothetical, it was talking about the automobile.
#37
Suffering from deprivation justified by scarcity economics. People think there isn't enough food, enough housing etc. to care for all the people in the world. They justify being horrible to one another because of it but it is patently false and untrue. It's not only the priorities we set for ourselves as societies but also based upon an historical paradigm we have arguably progressed beyond and could be doing more faster. There are ancient empires where God kings justified their rule by showing how they had eradicated hunger or homelessness in their kingdoms. Now a days we just assume it's the way it's always been and never going to change.
Panda Panda Bo Banda 11 months ago
"if I help someone get housing, how am I gonna afford my third pickup truck?" 🙄
#38
Normalized ? Skipping hand washing. And also normalizing low personal hygiene. It’s frightening the things I have read lately.
#39
Police and Family law court accepting immediate accusations in which a male father has to prove innocence and is denied access to children for months to years based on a mothers accusations with little to no merit. All while rewarding the false allegations parent witb extra child support due to lack of father contact due to allegations
#40
The fact that football players and famous golfers make millions upon millions more than paramedics and first responders, NFL cheerleaders being a thing, they are basically in bikinis and knee high boots jumping up and down like morons, while there’s kids and people’s wives present. I don’t care if people call me insecure for saying this either, but I’d like to enjoy a game but I don’t wanna see that s**t, it makes me uncomfortable and I’m shocked that it is still allowed. Wish they’d go away and do their own competitions or something
#41
The dairy industry. Forcibly impregnating cows, taking their babies away the minute they are born to steal their milk, boy baby cows killed for veal, girl baby cows end up like their moms, continue that cycle for a few years until the mom cows can barely walk and are spent and then kill them for their meat. I cannot believe that this is normalized - it is actually horrific.
Oh and gestation crates for pigs.
And the fact that billions of animals are killed for food every week and most people don’t even think twice about where their food came from.
keyboardtek 11 months ago
The first humans began to collect groups of animals for food. At what size herd do you consider is the point where you consider it slavery?
#42
DUIs seem to be something to brag about where I live.
#43
The fact that once they get to Mars most of us will be left behind with no resources, clean water etc. we will be the low class planet
Saint_Zipcodus 11 months ago
What I once read: It's not about colonizing Mars (or building the Hyperloop or whatever). It's about creating an idea and keeping it running to sell stocks. Tech companies don't sell products, they live off the image of being 'interesting' so that people will keep speculating with their company shares.
#44
I hate to be that guy, but some video game and movie violence. like some of this s**t could traumatize a pilgrim
#45
End of life care being at a hospital, not dying at home for the average elderly. Hospitals drag things out and make people less comfortable in their dying days. It's bizarre and looks like a money grab.
P1 No-Name 11 months ago
Not everyone has family to care for them in their dying days, and thankfully not everyone has to pay outrageous sums of money for basic care.
#46
Segregation of generations. Children could benefit from learning and being with grandparents. Grandparents can help the burden of 2 income families and child care.
Multi generation households would make the world a better place. There is always someone at home who LOVES the children versus someone watching them for profit! In this country, we stick our kids in daycare, our elders in homes, and wonder what's going wrong. Many in retirement homes still have a lot to offer, but are going to dining rooms every night versus cooking traditional dishes, etc. It makes our elder age faster.
winterwidow87 11 months ago
This is a generalization, you don't know the stories behind those people. Some elders have been awful to their relatives and that's why they live in isolation now. When i worked in a retirement home there was this elderly man who was nice to everyone and we always felt sad for him because no one ever came to visit him, until we learned why: he SA his own daughter and that's why the whole family abandoned him. Don't judge if you don't know the full story.
#47
Stealing, surprisingly in every store or shop you can think of, there are people who steal, from little things to big things, and its so normal, everyone expects it, but its honestly so disgusting.
winterwidow87 11 months ago
No one thinks stealing is normal, and it's not always "disgusting". Some people have kleptomania, some people are just poor and forced to steal. Of course it's not a good thing and it's not justified, but there are things far more disgusting in this list.
What do you think ?
Mari 11 months ago (edited)
Why do women have to be beautiful or sexy to be accepted in society? And why are there still no rights for women to stay at home when they are having their period? Too much women suffer each month but it is still taboo in society.
Jane Doe 11 months ago
This reminds me of a BP (i think) article titled "Pink Tax is mostly on items for women." It's because people do not connect the dots.
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Heffalump 11 months ago
How come no-one mentioned that it shouldn't be normal that you have the right to expect that, just because you can get in touch with someone instantly, and it's convenient for you at this exact moment, they should drop whatever they are doing to respond, rather than making you wait until it's convenient for them.
Mike Beck 10 months ago
I've often told people that my phone is for my convenience, not yours.
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Hassel Davidhoff 11 months ago
The real problem underlying all of this is that too many people are just stupid, obedient consumers who don't care to learn anything. As far as I can tell this is the big problem in society affecting everything. Incurious people, comfortable in their willful ignorance.
Francisco Benvenuti 10 months ago
awful article, everyone is victim, no solutions. It just serves gratuitous rage for clicks.
Petra brown 11 months ago
To put it in Hagrid's words: Shut up Dursley, you old prune!
Load More Replies... Mari 11 months ago (edited)
Why do women have to be beautiful or sexy to be accepted in society? And why are there still no rights for women to stay at home when they are having their period? Too much women suffer each month but it is still taboo in society.
Jane Doe 11 months ago
This reminds me of a BP (i think) article titled "Pink Tax is mostly on items for women." It's because people do not connect the dots.
Load More Replies... Heffalump 11 months ago
How come no-one mentioned that it shouldn't be normal that you have the right to expect that, just because you can get in touch with someone instantly, and it's convenient for you at this exact moment, they should drop whatever they are doing to respond, rather than making you wait until it's convenient for them.
Mike Beck 10 months ago
I've often told people that my phone is for my convenience, not yours.
Load More Replies... Hassel Davidhoff 11 months ago
The real problem underlying all of this is that too many people are just stupid, obedient consumers who don't care to learn anything. As far as I can tell this is the big problem in society affecting everything. Incurious people, comfortable in their willful ignorance.
Francisco Benvenuti 10 months ago
awful article, everyone is victim, no solutions. It just serves gratuitous rage for clicks.
Petra brown 11 months ago
To put it in Hagrid's words: Shut up Dursley, you old prune!
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