30 People Share Social Norms That They Find Weird, Make A Lot Of Hilariously Valid Points
Social norms are informal rules that govern behavior in groups and societies. They touch almost every aspect of our lives.
Academics like to use this comparison to explain the concept: just as grammar is a set of regulations that governs the structure and organization of language, social norms regulate the structure and organization of people, and, again, just as grammar shapes how we communicate and understand language, social norms shape how we behave and interact with others.
Sociologists talk about social norms motivating people to act, economists explore how they influence market behavior, and legal scholars view them as alternatives to laws, and while their words make sense, if we deconstruct these systems enough, they can begin to look silly.
Recently, Reddit user Irish-Springs made a post on the platform, asking people to share what social norm they find pretty weird when they think about it, and it has already received over 5,300 comments, many of which raise some hilariously valid points.
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People's absolute horror about women breastfeeding in public.
Oh, I am sorry, Karen. I am giving my baby substance, not trying to attract your 12 year old son.
Paying tens of thousands of dollars to bury corpses in the ground.
My wife knows my wishes: dig a hole, toss me in, bury me with a young oak tree on top. Done.
People expect you to get along with family (parents, siblings) even if they treat you like s**t.
The expectation of tipping for certain jobs, as a substitute for paying employees a higher wage.
When I was a kid tipping was meant only for for waiters/waitresses and petrol attendants (we don't 'pump our own gas' - now it's drivers, delivery peers, shop assistants, hair dressing assistants, literally any assistant, any service provider, and their mom. It's crazy. I can't afford to tip everyone damn.
Showing excessive gratuitous violence is fine, and will get you at most a PG-13 rating, which most people will think is too strict anyways. But show even one uncovered booby and people will lose their minds.
Circumcision is pretty wild. Cosmetic surgery on the genitals of a baby is pretty weird.
The absurd obsession the US has with the flag and the "reverence" surrounding it. It's a godsdammed piece of fabric. Actually, US patriotism as a whole.
Grand gesture marriage proposals in public are embarrassing and weird.
It can be quite romantic and memorable. But if you're going to go big, you DEFINITELY need to know how your partner will respond beforehand to save yourself from being shot down on the spot because of embarassment.
Working your a*s off for 65 years to then live for 10 years.
Sending hungry kids to school and not feeding them for free.
The topic of sex being generally taboo despite the fact that it is the reason we’re all here and that a majority of people love it.
It is quite acceptable to see pple getting gunned down or stabbed to death, but show one female nipple and the movie is for 16 years and older cause apperantly kids minds are too frail to deal with that.
Bikinis vs bras. If you bra is made out of swimwear fabric, suddenly new social rules apply.
It's about intent and consent. In a bikini you're intending to be outside and consenting to be seen in that manner of dress. Bras, besides sports bras, are generally worn with the intent of not being seen, and unless the wearer reveals it themselves, they are not consenting to be seen in that article of clothing.
Forcing people in their teens to decide on a career with the implication that they'll do it for the rest of their life and sealing the deal by putting them into so much debt studying for said career that they're pretty much enslaved to it.
Working 40 hours a week. It’s actually insane that we all put up with it.
Education should be fully free across the board. It makes 0 sense that a country would impoverish their own people rather than invest in a strong, educated and healthy population.
The ONLY reason that university costs money is to perpetuate social stratification. You could probably take 5% of the military budget and it would more than cover it.
Also, isn’t that what “free market” people always b***h about? That once people are rich they will give back and trickle down? Tax the 1% sell slightly more and you would have it paid for.
Germany has free education. It works just fine.
If you are smart and ambitious enough to attend a university, it should be fully state sponsored. The only reason people are against this, is that some kids who grew up rich and didn’t have to take out a mortgage to enter the rat race are jealous they don’t get to keep their advantage.
Women can show their whole breast just not the nipples.
Women can't show nippels, because MEN could get "inpure thoughts", according to fundamentalist "Christian" leaders. They like to spout their disapproval all over the internet, which is full of pørn. And the most watched pørn in the US is GAY pørn...
Encouraging people to drink more alcohol. I'm guilty of it myself, 'go on, just one more!' Or I've bought shots for people who have said no, which then pressures them to drink it.
I didn't see a problem with it until I saw a guy taking the p**s out of another guy for drinking alcohol free beer. Imagine being ok with being pressured to take drugs? It's madness when I think about it.
Forcing or encouraging a child to hug a family member that has known them since their birth but the child doesn't have any sort of bond with said family member.
Asking a grown woman's father for her hand in marriage. What?
I didn't ask my father in law for his permission, I asked for her parents blessing. I thought that was a good way to show her parents respect. She'd of married me either way but I thought the gesture was important.
This - you are in a way asking to join their family. While they shouldn’t have the right to veto anything, it is a good way to find out if they approve or not. If not, it is a good opportunity to try and mend fences or smooth differences. Obviously sometimes they aren’t reasonable people and that isn’t what I’m talking about.
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Having a man walk a woman down the aisle to **give her away** same thing. Give yourself, you aren't anyone's property
I asked my wife's father for her hand in marriage. He said, "what's wrong with the rest of her."
Asking for them to “bless” the marriage is understandable, but honestly it didn’t matter what my wife’s parents said we were getting married
I wonder how much this ties in historically with the expectation of the bride's parents paying for the wedding. Which in itself seems like a carry over from the bride's parents paying a dowry. If you practice that system - then the father agreeing for you to get married is kind of important. -- I'm not saying I agree with that system. Just thinking about where it (maybe) came from.
At this point asking my parents blessing was not really needed,,, We'd been together over 10 years and they pretty much fully adopted him as one of their own lol. Heck my dad became ordained so he could be the one to marry us! Though personally I think he just anted to tick " wear Darth Vader Costume to a wedding" off his bucket list roflmao.
If any man ever asks that of my daughter, I'll punch the fückers lights out. It says to me that you see her as my property and marriage as transferring ownership. You can fück right off!
That's not at all what it means to most people. I don't think it should be necessary. In fact it does seem a little outdated, but this seems quite the overreaction.
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I asked my wife if she would like us to marry each other. Then we told all our parents.
In my culture we ask permission for bothy peoples parents. Like the man and the woman, but more like to see if they approve
Does this actually still happen in many places? None of my friend's partners did this
My SO asked my father and my kids permission to have a relationship with me to show respect.
Wrong wrong wrong.Your parents do own you. They had to pay and pay ALL your li*e because o one small mistake .
Her hand? Do you get the rest of her as well or does the father just chop off her hand and it give it to you?
But what if you want just the hand? "She got nice hands man and I want to marry them" it's funny to think about.
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A good father would see if a man who wants to marry his daughter is worthy. Is he educated? Is he hard working? Is he honest, kind, stand up guy? If a guy is lauzy, drug user, drunk, jobless or any kind of not family material, a father may say so and not agree of mariage. A good father do not want to see his precious daughter beaten left in poverty with many children by a shiitty guy. A girl still can marry a guy but then consequences are on her
But isn't there any way for a father to make sure his daughter is aware of his opinion without implying she's his property? Like, maybe just saying what he thinks if and when she asks him about it?
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My girlfriend & I were both 19 when I proposed to her one Saturday night. She agreed & told her parents the next morning. Her Dad said "He didn't ask me!", so she rang me & asked me to come over that afternoon. When I arrived sweating buckets & before I could say anything, he said "It's all right by me". Geeze Louise, thanks Reg
This whole f*****g app is just a bunch of liberals conjoined together to where no Republican can have an opinion. If it's freedom of speech, then why can't I share my political beliefs? You all say that we oppress Democrats, but whenever a Republican has something to say, they get downvoted into oblivion and I'm sick and tired of it.
This has nothing to do with politics, just the fact that we pandas share some basic human decency views, like not treating people like property, and treating everyone like equals. Just like we treat you like an equal. We talk to you, we have a civilised discussion. No one is threatening you, telling you you can't share an opinion or saying you are less than anyone else. The downvotes aren't meant to convey you can't say what you say, just that a lot of people don't agree. And actually, downvotes should be reserved for actual bad behaviour, like personal insults, racism, sexism, etc. Or spreading wrong information. Back up your statements with research if you claim to speak the truth. But I agree with you that you shouldn't be downvoted as long as you are respectful in your opinions.
Load More Replies... So it’s wrong to ask permission from the parents to ask for their daughters hand in marriage buts it ok to ask/expect them to pay for it? Nowadays it’s a meaningless custom that means nothing but showing a bit of respect and is done just because it’s traditional, it doesn’t hurt anyone.
1 - this isnt normal, i cant remember the last time I meta couple who went through this, 2 - this is seeped in historical culture. Dating/courting is an idea around 50 yrs old (circa 70's). The issue I have is that we are willing to forsake all traditions so readilly
Not all traditions, just the ones that oppose our modern views on humanity, like personal freedom and equality.
Load More Replies... Exactly! And it's extremely disrespectful to women to follow a tradition from the times when women were considered property rather than actual human beings.
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It has everything to do with the daughter being property. That's literally the reason that it's a thing.
Load More Replies... Traditions can still be disrespectful. History doesn't have to be repeated.
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Everybody hates being sung happy birthday and everybody hates singing happy birthday, so what the hell are we doing here?
I like it, it's sweet. I moved to another country by myself and the people I thought were friends never visited or anything. My best friend (not nearby at all) facetimes me with her kid and sing me happy birthday, then her husband pops his head in and says happy birthday. I truly felt love when they did that and I haven't felt that in a long while. To respond to other commenters: it's not always about being the center of attention.
Fireworks on the 4th of July. We celebrate independence by showering our land with expensive toxic chemicals from China.
You can't use swear words on TV, radio, or in movies under PG-13; but you learn most of the swear words that exist by middle school. What's the point?
Caring what another person wears or what they look like.
I have a medical condition called lipoedema, which means that although I'm not overweight going by BMI, my legs are disproportionately large compared to the rest of me. I can guarantee that a total stranger will comment on it about 50% of the time I'm out and about. Its usually in the supermarket, and its usually some ignorant old woman telling me my ankles are swollen, or asking me directly about it, or making a rude comment about me needing to lose weight so my legs aren't so fat. What makes people think a rude comment about someone's appearance will be welcome? Do they think before opening their ignorant mouths? The next old biddy who comments is getting shoved in the freezer with the fish fingers.
Not going to a restaurant by yourself.
I am on a business trip, I want to eat somewhere nice, drink some wine, dine nice since the company is paying for that stuff, I didn't bring anyone because its my arrival night or I just want to have a moment for myself.
And then I get treated like I have a leprosy, or the waiter tries to strong-arm me to go to the communal area or patio to eat because then I would have some company from the random patrons.
Ex Hotelier and Michelin Chef here ; If any of my staff (or me, when I was training) treated a lone diner with anything less than the utmost courtesy and kindness, they would have (and have) been taken to one side and told the error of their ways. For example, I used to have a delightful chap used to come in probably once a month with his wife for a couple of years, then started coming in by himself as his Wife had died of Cancer ; one of my new waiters made a comment along the lines of 'what a sad old git, coming in by himself ...etc'. My Sous Chef made him see the error of his ways (basically gave him a light thumping) and he left the next day. The elderly gentleman ate there regularly for the next 3 years before succumbing to Alzheimers.
Asking people how they're doing as a matter of courtesy when you truly don't care and are hoping they just say "good hbu" in response.
This is mostly just an American thing. Many of my Euro friends hear about this and are confused when they hear this and then actually start to say how they are or what's going on.
Note: this post originally had 72 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
If I took everything I read on this website seriously I'd lock myself in the house and never come out.
That's very unhealthy for you. Better to run away to a hut in the forest and never turn back, building a community of fairies and forest animals. /s
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Lol!! Call it what is BP. Another America bashing page. I could at least have a modicum of respect if you owned it.
Is this considered social media? Yea, a lot of useless content on here as well :)
European countries claiming they have free education, why can’t the US? “It’s just not that hard!” Texas alone is twice the size of Germany. How should the US do that, Germany? How do you do it Germany? Oh, and how did Great Britain and Europeans rebuild after WWI and WWII? Oh, the US did it? Loans? Or what? Ever pay it back? Y’all BPs so ready to bash the US, but have no clue how you got to where you are and we got to where we are.
Best thread. These are all different, not rehashes, all correct, and not anti-American despite claims to the contrary.
If I took everything I read on this website seriously I'd lock myself in the house and never come out.
That's very unhealthy for you. Better to run away to a hut in the forest and never turn back, building a community of fairies and forest animals. /s
Load More Replies... Lol!! Call it what is BP. Another America bashing page. I could at least have a modicum of respect if you owned it.
Is this considered social media? Yea, a lot of useless content on here as well :)
European countries claiming they have free education, why can’t the US? “It’s just not that hard!” Texas alone is twice the size of Germany. How should the US do that, Germany? How do you do it Germany? Oh, and how did Great Britain and Europeans rebuild after WWI and WWII? Oh, the US did it? Loans? Or what? Ever pay it back? Y’all BPs so ready to bash the US, but have no clue how you got to where you are and we got to where we are.
Best thread. These are all different, not rehashes, all correct, and not anti-American despite claims to the contrary.
