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The Universe really does work in mysterious ways. No matter if you’re a super-skeptic who only believes what they see with their own two eyes or somebody who checks their horoscope every morning, you can’t deny that it’s spooky how quickly karma sometimes catches up to people. On rare occasions, it’s nearly instantaneous. And karma loves putting evildoers in their rightful place.

To show you what we mean, we’ve collected some of the best posts from the ‘Instant Karma’ subreddit that prove that Justice (yes, with a capital ‘J’) can sometimes strike like a bolt from the blue. As you’re scrolling down, upvote the pics where you agree with how karma dealt with people and let us know in the comments if you’ve ever seen any instant karma moments in your own life. Be sure to give r/instantkarma a follow if you like what they do.

According to Dr. Alex Lickerman on Psychology Today, Nichiren Buddhism teaches that everything that happens to us is “ultimately due to our own influence.” Whether intentional or quite the opposite. Meanwhile, coincidence is considered to be but an illusion. Or, in short, what goes around really does come around—but with everything that you think and do.

Bored Panda reached out to Lickerman, the author of The Ten Worlds and The Undefeated Mind, and spoke to him about humankind's hardwired sense of morality, as well as the benefits of taking responsibility for all of our actions. Read on for his insights.

If we’re to believe the Buddhist perspective on life, it means that at the end of the day we’re all responsible for what happens to us. However, this doesn’t mean we’re to blame.

For example, we’re not to blame for being born into poverty or for having something awful happen to us. However, we’re responsible for how we deal with the situation, how we respond to things, and what our next steps will be. In other words, we have the power to better our situation and not just be flung about by the winds of fate (or, rather, by our own decisions).

Though some people would argue that morality is something that's learned through experience, Lickerman told Bored Panda that "our sense of morality may actually be neurologically wired into us." However, this doesn't mean that acting morally or responsibly is easy or the go-to decision for most of us.

#4

This Subreddit Never Said Bad Or Good Karma!

This Subreddit Never Said Bad Or Good Karma!

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#5

Got What He Deserved

Got What He Deserved

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Lickerman told Bored Panda that we tend to need some sort of push to make us act responsibly. "People, in general, need a motivation to accept responsibility for their actions," he said. That motivation could be pretty much anything, however, Lickerman suggests that accepting responsibility for our actions "may actually make us stronger, more resilient."

He added that it's difficult to say where the limits of our ability to change ourselves to match our own perceptions are. "Research shows our self-perception is a very powerful influencer of our behavior. Can’t say it’s been quantified. It won’t change immutable characteristics, like personality characteristics, but it will change behaviors," he said.

In his first book, The Undefeated Mind, Lickerman explains how research has begun to show that belief in good (what is just and fair) and evil (what is unjust and unfair) may be "far more universal than previously thought." Psychologist Marc Hauser and his colleagues conducted an internet study with 5,000 subjects in 120 countries, asking them to "render moral judgments and to justify them" in moral scenarios. One of them was the infamous trolley problem where you have to choose between killing one person and five.

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#9

Well This Says Something

Well This Says Something

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EA
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not sure if this is funnier cos of the irony, or when he had to either come out to his congregation to not look like a liar, or apologise to his conversation and look like a total TWAT. Sincerely hope those followers left his church and used the donations to help those in need, rather than pay this guy’s wages.

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Lickerman writes: "The subjects agreed about which actions were moral and which weren’t in most of the scenarios, delineating in the process a set of moral principles that seem to be shared by members of all cultures—namely, that it’s less morally permissible to intentionally harm someone than to allow them to be harmed, that it’s less morally permissible to invent a way to cause harm than to cause harm with an existing threat, and that it’s less morally permissible to cause harm directly than to cause it indirectly. Yet the vast majority of subjects couldn’t name these reasons as their underlying justification for judging the actions in each scenario as they did."

He continues: "When we take moral action, we seem to rely not so much on moral reasoning as on moral intuition and then work backward to rationalize the judgments we’ve already made. (Which isn’t to say our moral intuition can’t and shouldn’t be influenced by reason, but rather that our moral intuition remains the primary driver of our moral decision making.)." However, where our moral intuition comes from is still unclear. However, our conception of good, the desire to provide help and prevent harm might be "rooted [...] in the psychological and perhaps even neurological processes of the human mind."

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#11

Got What They Deserved

Got What They Deserved

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#12

Kid Refuses To Move His Legs, Guy Sits On Them Instead

Kid Refuses To Move His Legs, Guy Sits On Them Instead

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Serial pacifist
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If that's the kids mom to his right, she needs disciplining way more than the kid.

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Meanwhile, becoming responsible for our actions can have the added benefit of making us stronger and more resilient. In his book, Lickerman alludes to a study led by psychologist Kurt Gray where participants would hold up a 5-pound weight, would be given a dollar, and half of then would be given the opportunity to donate it to charity. Donating the money made the participants able to hold up the weight 7 seconds longer than the control group.

"Why? According to Gray, because doing good increases our sense of agency, or potency, a phenomenon he terms moral transformation. (Interestingly, this effect wasn’t seen only with acts of charity but also with acts of villainy.) [...] Which all suggests a reason that action in the moral sphere, whether good or evil, makes us strong: it requires us to be. Or, at least, that’s what we think people who take moral action are: research shows that we’re cognitively biased to 'typecast' people who take such action as resilient—-a bias, it turns out, that affects not only our perception of others but also of ourselves," Lickerman writes.

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"And when we perceive ourselves to be endowed with a particular quality, we have a tendency to conform to that perception. All of which implies that performing or even attempting to perform moral action may increase our resilience because it causes us to perceive ourselves as more resilient. This then makes us act, and therefore feel, as if we were."

#13

Amazing. Impeccable

Amazing. Impeccable

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#14

Instant Karma

Instant Karma

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Dr Nostromo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember this one. If I recall correctly, the clerk wasn't sure whether to report it as they didn't know if a crime had been committed.

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#15

Guy Is A Jerk To A Police Officer In An Unmarked Car

Guy Is A Jerk To A Police Officer In An Unmarked Car

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bagladyele avatar
EA
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I LOVE it when a bad driver is caught out. This is a special kind of karma. Overtook me even though I was doing the speed limit? Oh look, speed camera van ahead! What a shaaaame.

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Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey, pass me if you have to, I don’t care, but just go on past. Don’t make a rude gesture, or be menacing, or try to bully me when you do it, or I will memorize your license number, dial 911 on my cellphone, and report you for aggressive driving. I had to do exactly that once before when I was the target of a road bully who decided I wasn’t going fast enough when I was already going a tad over the speed limit myself. Got a callback from the officer assigned to investigate. My record was clean, but turns out the other guy had an extensive record for aggressive driving. The cop believed my report and charged him.

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Nikki Sevven
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I saw karma like this once. I was in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and one guy thought he'd be clever and cut ahead of people by driving in the breakdown lane. None of us would let him into line. He kept trying...until he came face to face with a cop standing in the breakdown lane, who immediately gestured "pull over." We all honked and yelled driving by him while he got his ticket.

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Saoznei
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She should have felt so goooood hitting that button 😁

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CrunChewy McSandybutt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At a coffee shop I used to hang out, there was one obnoxious regular who would screech his tires when he left the parking lot. One day he did that and less than a second later we heard the chirp of a police siren and saw the glow of red and blue lights. The whole friggin cafe erupted in a cheer.

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Rissie
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, I one time slowed down for a family of ducks on an otherwise empty and tight road. Indicating that even if you can't see what I'm slowing down for something, it's better to also slow down and ask questions later. Some idiot behind me thought he could just pass me with high speed (and he would have ran over the duckies), so I honked, janked my steering wheel to totally block the road and made him park in the grass. You're welcome sir. No duckies died at that moment. Maybe I broke someone's ego, but that was just a bonus.

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Rissie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I drive a really boring car that's either used by repair men or old ladies, confusing the hell out of people by doing things like that. It's the best. The car is too.

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Ivana
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was walking across a cross walk on campus. Car stopped for me, the car behind them was pissed, blowing their horn and too busy flipping them off as they drove around to notice me. Ended up hitting me (thankfully at a very slow speed) and I bashed the hood of their car to get their attention because they hadn't even noticed that they were still, in fact, hitting me. I put a dent in that hood and when the driver is sitting there cry and apologizing I was like "This is a college campus, there are a million and one crosswalks, the speed limit is 20mph...I'm not hurt but just stunned that someone could be this stupid. I hope if you are a student you are taking some drivers ed."

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Anna roberts
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

High School where my kid goes. ! girl says to another, go ahead just walk if they hit you it's their fault. I personally printed the law out (all 500+ pages) so all students would be aware that in Az. at least, if you are not in a crosswalk, it is not in fact the drivers fault. School gave a copy to every child (or at least one in every family) Probably won't stop the dumb ones but...

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Carol Emory
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My cousins ex-boyfriend was known for going through Monte Carlos like tissue paper. He'd race around in them all day and was a general jerk to anyone else on the road. One guy, in particular, appeared to be road raging against her boyfriend. He followed the boyfriend down the freeway, on and off exit ramps..etc. When the boyfriend stopped to confront the guy, he was surprised to see a gun stuffed in his face. Turns out it was a cop in an unmarked car. Idiot boyfriend never realized there was a siren blaring and lights flashing. Needless to say he had to be bailed out of jail. And now you know why he's my cousins ex.

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Lu
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Especially if a guy sees a woman, they think they can get away with it and be extra nasty. Because what she do right? Wrong!!!

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Stacy S.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sooo. I like to take a pic of their License Plate and report them for " Reckless driving."

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Diana Jansen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I absolutely love when that happens! I once had someone urging me and my little Hyundai i30 with his expensive luxury Audi to change from the middle lane into a small space between trucks/lorries on the right lane when i was driving the allowed 120 km/h (trucks/lorries are just allowed 80km/h). The whole program with lights, keeping just 2 meters of distance/ sitting literally in your trunk etc. 1 km or so later i passed him while he was escorted out by a non marked police car 😅 Too bad this doesn't happen that often

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Stephanie de Blaauw
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These people are scary, one night I was driving home and stopped for a crossing in town. It was already a 30km zone and like 2 at night. A guy behind me sped around me, I was so glad that the people crossing were still in front of my tiny car. I'd be traumatised if they'd been further

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Eunice Bentley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I stepped up to a walk signal control one day, I usually wait for the first vehicles approaching to go through before pushing the button. Everybody stopped before I pushed the button. I looked and there was a cop car on the other side of the street, when he stopped everyone stopped I pushed the button and walked across.

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Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bet that asshole also now has to pay for the shitstain he left on his driver’s seat when he saw those flashing lights come on.

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Zelcestan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh yes, definetely yes; I would love to see his face 😁

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Ashley Wright
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“#heresyourcoupon”?? Is this something you tell drivers when you give them a ticket/ If so, how condescending, unfunny, and rude of you.

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Mya Lugar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The opposite happened to me. I stopped (hesitated) and flashed my lights to let a police car in a long line of traffic but he waved me on. Looked up almost immediately to see he was behing me and turned on his lights. Ticketed me for "Stopping in front of a fire station" Avondale Estates, Ga. , ya'll.

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Suebee70
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ahhh, Karma. Sometimes you're lucky enough to see it in action.

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Stacy S.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's common. I know. And can be really scary at night when alone, as a woman.

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Stacy S.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's also called intimidation or sexual harassment by a Police Officer.

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Jeremy
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

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Camilla Koutsos
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I once did the opposite. I was being tailgated by an OWM on a single lane highway, and he wouldn't over-take when the lanes doubled at passing areas. I ended up pulling over and letting him go by, and pulled out and continued behind him. It turned out that without me to tailgate he drove well below the speed limit, and I caught up, and when a passing lane eventuated I went to over-take. He raced me. I ended up stuck behind this guy all the way to my turn-off. I had go a good look at him though, and he was in police dress blues. I'd memorised his plate, so I reported him as a dangerous driver to police. They rang me a few days later and asked what I thought would be suitable disciplinary action, and I suggested he be put back through driver training, and they said they agreed and it would be done.

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With nearly 1.9 million members and 8.5 years of getting their show on the road, the ‘Instant Karma’ community is one of the leviathans of Reddit. However, don’t think that they’re just about seeing only unethical people get punished. They also urge their members to post examples of folks getting rewarded for good behavior as well.

Examples of delayed karma or scripted events are, obviously, not permitted on this subreddit. The name of the community is pretty self-explanatory. What’s more, r/instantkarma’s moderators have pointed out that they have no tolerance for calls to violence.

Just because somebody deserves to be punished doesn’t mean that redditors should pour hatred and vile language online. Of course, discussions are encouraged, but they have to be civil. Exactly like people ought to be in real life.

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#16

I Don’t Know If It Belongs Here!

I Don’t Know If It Belongs Here!

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#17

Respect Your Mother

Respect Your Mother

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troufaki13
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Children need discipline, I don't understand why parents just give in and don't set boundaries

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#18

Gave Him The Express Shipping Option For Free

Gave Him The Express Shipping Option For Free

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Dr Nostromo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So glad the driver wasn't charged. As one who was in the delivery business for 30 years, I was in fear of my life on a couple of occasions. Not as easy a job as one my think.

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#22

Mayor Dishes Out Karma On Litterer

Mayor Dishes Out Karma On Litterer

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#24

Reverse Brick

Reverse Brick

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Flowers
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think I would be able to stop laughing if I saw that in person.

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#25

Oh How The Tables Have Turned

Oh How The Tables Have Turned

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#29

Anti-Gay Politician Caught Fleeing A 25-Man Orgy

Anti-Gay Politician Caught Fleeing A 25-Man Orgy

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#32

Politicians Get A Taste Of Their Legislations

Politicians Get A Taste Of Their Legislations

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#34

This Is Venice City Hall Right After The Approval Of A Climate Change Denial Amendment

This Is Venice City Hall Right After The Approval Of A Climate Change Denial Amendment

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#35

Karma

Karma

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Dre Mosley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This jerk and his jerk brother tried to capitalize off the pandemic by buying up all the sanitizer supplies they could find to sell at a profit until Amazon and eBay forbid it.

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#37

Order Them To Stop

Order Them To Stop

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James016
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's becoming more and more apparent that lawmakers think that their laws don't apply to them

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#39

Block An Electric Charging Station... Get Towed

Block An Electric Charging Station... Get Towed

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#40

Firefighters Had To Smash The Window Of This Illegally Parked Vehicle On My Street

Firefighters Had To Smash The Window Of This Illegally Parked Vehicle On My Street

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#45

Woman Tried To Acid Attack Her Former Lover

Woman Tried To Acid Attack Her Former Lover

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#46

Guy Parks On Stripes To Avoid Freezing Rain, Happens To Be Under A Leaky Pipe

Guy Parks On Stripes To Avoid Freezing Rain, Happens To Be Under A Leaky Pipe

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Serial pacifist
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I kinda feel sorry for this one. He just wanted to get out of the rain and didn't really obstruct any free passage.

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#47

Just Remember The Quote, “ If I Get Corona, I Get Corona. It’s Not Gonna Stop Me From Partying”

Just Remember The Quote, “ If I Get Corona, I Get Corona. It’s Not Gonna Stop Me From Partying”

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pusheen buttercup
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it's not even about if you get corona- what about the people around you?!

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#49

Taxi Driver Took A Much Longer Route Than We Agreed To. We Told Him To Stop The Car And Let Us Take Another Taxi. The Police Immediately Saw Him Stop And Fined Him

Taxi Driver Took A Much Longer Route Than We Agreed To. We Told Him To Stop The Car And Let Us Take Another Taxi. The Police Immediately Saw Him Stop And Fined Him

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#50

No Title Needed

No Title Needed

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Note: this post originally had 52 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.