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“What Is Something Considered To Be ‘Normal’ By Society That You Refuse To Do?” (40 Answers)
We tend to go through life accepting a lot from society. We use these pieces of paper to buy things? Got it. I must work somewhere to earn more paper to ensure I can eat and have shelter? Yes sir. We must abide by rules the government decided on even if we disagree with them? Okay, sure. If we questioned everything that society considers normal, we’d go crazy. But recently, Reddit users have been discussing some socially acceptable things that upon further reflection, they decided they’ll never do.
2 months ago, Reddit user fuzziblanket asked, “What is something considered to be ‘normal’ by society that you refuse to do?” We’ve gone through the responses and curated this list of some of the most interesting topics that you may have never even questioned before. Whether you commonly do these activities or not, enjoy reading through them and determining if you still consider them normal. Be sure to upvote the answers you’d like other pandas to see, and let us know in the comments what “normal” things you’d never be caught doing.
Then if you’re looking for another Bored Panda piece pointing out odd yet socially acceptable things, look no further than right here.
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recording yourself doing an act of charity or a good deed in general. completely devalues it the second you hit post
What’s considered “normal” is determined by society, but there are many societies around the globe that have their own quirks. In the United States, for example, it’s totally normal to drive your car anywhere you go, even if it’s just a mile away because there might not be decent sidewalks or crosswalks to get to your destination. In many other countries where roads are built to better accommodate pedestrians, this would be considered bizarre. It’s also normal in many European countries for kids to walk or bike to school by themselves, especially when they’re about 8-years-old or older. This would be very rare in the US. Even when in their own neighborhood, American kids are usually expected to have adult supervision at all times. When paying at a restaurant in the US, patrons typically hand the server their card, the server takes it to their computer, and then they return with the receipt. If a server in a European country tried to walk off with someone’s credit card, the customer might assume they were being robbed. Societal norms vary greatly based on where you are, so there's nothing wrong with questioning them. They might be more arbitrary than you think!
Forbidding my (straight male) partner to spend time with female friends. He's a grown-a*s man; he should know how to hold healthy boundaries. It shouldn't be on me to keep him from cheating. If he's really gonna fall into the pants of the first girl I leave him alone with, she can have him.
Similarly, blaming someone else for my partner's failings, and/or trying to "win back" someone who doesn't want me. He's a big boy who can make his own choices (even bad ones), and I want a partner who wants to be with me, not someone I had to talk into staying.
(For the record, my dudeman of 20 years is awesome.)
Anyone that enters into a relationship and starts setting the terms and conditions of their new partners interactions is definitely not a healthy person to be with!
I don't know if it's been mentioned already, but I'll throw in my 5 cents.
The need to be available 24/7, i.e. always having your phone on you.
I like going for long walks and leaving my phone at home. I don't feel guilty for missing texts or calls, it's just stressful being expected to be available all hours of the day.
It's sad times when people are apologizing for not responding within a minute to a text. I have to tell friends to chill out. A text is not going to disappear. We all have other priorities and no one should expect anyone to stop their lives all of a sudden to engage in a conversation out of the blue.
One of the socially acceptable activities mentioned on this list is drinking alcohol. While alcohol has been around for centuries, it’s also the most commonly abused substance. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having a couple drinks, especially in social settings. Alcohol is linked with many cultures, as sharing a bottle of wine with a loved one or enjoying some beers with your best friends can be great ways to bond. Holidays tend to be filled with booze in many places as well.
But regardless of how socially acceptable drinking is, it’s completely fair to question it too. People who have experience with alcoholics in their families or personal lives may decide that drinking will never be for them. Others decide to refrain from drinking for religious or health reasons. Drinking heavily can lead to developing heart, liver, or kidney issues and can even increase an individual's likelihood of developing cancer. It's completely up to individuals whether or not they decide to drink; no one should ever feel pressured to order a drink because its expected by society.
give a s**t about celebs. Sometimes they're fun to talk about for like 5 minutes but other than that? Aren't they just people? I don't get it.
Work myself to death.
Edit: I commented this, passed out, and now it blew up. Thank you for the awards.
Also please use your vacation days. Your sick days. Take your dog out. Hang out with the family. Even if you're alone like me - Go do something you like.
Talk to toxic family members
This!!! Being related to someone does not grant them permanent space in your life. If they are not good people, you DON'T owe them your time, your forgiveness or your love.
Smoking is another habit that’s considered socially acceptable in some places but more taboo in others. We’re all well aware of cigarettes being carcinogens, and most of us have seen terrifying examples of what smoking can do to the body our entire lives. Yet for some reason, smoking is still incredibly common and accepted in many countries. In Greece, for example, about 38% of the population smokes, including 47% of men. According to cardiologist and tobacco control researcher Konstantinos Farsalinos, “Greeks aren’t highly motivated to quit. There is plenty of education, and we have smoking cessation centers, but they are not popular. There is not a lot of social pressure to quit smoking. Although there are laws prohibiting indoor smoking, those laws are not obeyed. So that reduces the social pressure. So, the smoker tends to forget the reasons why smoking is bad for you. Most Greek smokers only quit when they develop disease.” While the culture around smoking is different everywhere, it’s definitely worth questioning if it’s accepted wherever you live.
Push for the removal of homeless. They need help, not further persecution.
Honestly, it depends. We have organized beggar clans, which get driven into the country in spring and back home in autumn. They refuse any and all help, they even refuse to use the toilets specifically installed for them only they have a key for, and instead s**t on sidewalks and p**s in parks and bike parking spaces instead. I get persecution.
Wear makeup. If I can deal with my face, so can everyone else
Similarly to smoking, people around the world have very different views on recreational drugs as well. Marijuana is particularly controversial, as it has been legalized for recreational use in 6 countries, 19 states in the US, and parts of Australia. In places where it is legal, like the state of Oregon for example, it usually is considered socially acceptable. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but it’s legal and harmless, so people tend to mind their own business. However, in other places where it is heavily enforced, like the Philippines where it is considered a "dangerous drug", people are a lot less likely to openly discuss their marijuana use. How socially acceptable recreational drugs are depends greatly on individual cultures, but even in places where marijuana is common, there will always be those who simply have no interest in getting high.
My dad just scolded me because I was unwilling to put in 60+ hrs/week at a new salaried job by saying 'I've worked 70/hr since I was out of college!'
Yeah dad, that's probably why you missed every important life event and smoke a juul at age 57
I don’t drink or do illicit drugs. Alcohol messes with my medication, and pot gives me anxiety. I am a sober person and people often give me s**t about it and call me boring.
I’m sorry to break this to you, but you’re hanging out with the wrong people. Unless everyone is drunk, being with drunk people is really boring!
Hang out in a social setting where the music is so gawdam loud that you have to scream at the person next to you to communicate.
Another thing mentioned on this list that some people swear they’ll never experience is dating apps. Online dating originally began in 1995 when Match.com launched, but as our culture has become increasingly obsessed with the internet since then, finding love online has only become more and more common. In 2020, the Pew Research Center found that 30% of Americans had ever used a dating site or app, including 48% of people between the ages of 18-29. These numbers have likely only gone up since the onset of the pandemic, though, and online dating is even more common among members of the LGBT+ community. Pew found that 55% of LGBT respondents had experience on a dating site or app, with 21% of them saying they had even been in a serious relationship with someone they met online.
Two months ago, my dad died. He had cancer and had had it for like a year.
I told my work over and over again that he was really sick. I work in an office and am on a computer all day. I have a company-supplied laptop. I have the ability to work from home, but I was not allowed to do so because I was an hourly employee.
I told them that his condition was worsening. I live five hours from my parents. They refused to accommodate me, even when I offered to work every day from my parents house, just so I could be with him.
They said 'well maybe when the situation gets more dire.'
I tried to apply for FMLA (I think that’s the right acronym) and I wasn’t eligible because I was hourly and hadn’t been there for a year yet, despite the circumstances. A week before he died I told my boss that it was almost time and I might have to take off work.
They were not concerned and told me as long as I got my work done and didn’t miss deadlines. I took the day he died off work—I just had a bad feeling, and was packing to go see him when he passed.
I told my work and they don’t have bereavement leave. So I offered to work remotely during this period and again they refused. Again, I have a 'good job' working at a huge corporation, in an office; my job requires a degree.
I was forced to use all of my sick time and some of my PTO so I could attend his funeral and help my mother with arrangements.
And I'm stuck here because I can't afford to quit without something else lined up. I've been looking. They obviously don't see us as humans.
You don’t owe your company anything. I would give anything to go back and time and quit, just to spend the last few weeks with my dad.
Whatever company you work for doesn’t care about you, only about how much you make them. Don’t worry about screwing them over or anything because at the end of the day, you could die and they would consider it a small inconvenience.
This. Companies think they're the most important s**t on the planet over humans. Idc if it's business or what. They're run by humans who've forgotten where they came from and the meaning of what's important. We're not slaves to corporations. We're brainwashed into believing we need them.
Come on, America and other countries like this if there are any! Rise up and fight this BS! You're worth more than your job.
I was between jobs when my mom told me she was dying. Later that same year, my father was in organ failure. Nothing like telling your boss you need to have some time off then hearing, "But he isn't dead yet, is he?" in response. Luckily my husband and I were financially secure enough to tell them I AM taking time off and they can find a new teacher. I'm not as easy to replace as they wanted me to believe and backed down fast
This is such a sad story. But strangely it seems to be unique to America; can someone from the USA explain what's happened to your country or has it always been like this?
This is so sad but I'll put in my 2 personal cents in here. I live and work in the U.S. for a very large bank. They have PTO, sick time, 5 days bereavement, community service and Family leave. My manager has always said that family life comes first and he has always stood by his word. Depends on the company and their managers.
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Loyalty is what you feel towards a person or a small group of people. It is not possible to have loyalty to an organization. Learn to recognize the difference. The problem is we are wired to want to "belong" somewhere. Even the most introverted of us do. Find people outside of work to be your "people", family, tribe, gang, whatever or your brain will default to your work group. You spend a majority of your time with those people. Basically your brain will betray you with the best of intentions. But it is the people around you. And choose wisely who they are inside and outside of work as they'll influence you for better or worse no matter how hard you fight or deny it. Show loyalty to those who are loyal to you. Be purposeful about it and consciously make the choice. Otherwise, you'll live by default and get suckered. Yes, even if you need the money make the change.
Good points. Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to know what a corporate culture is like until you have worked there for a while. If you live paycheck to paycheck, you can't just quit a bad job. I've been stuck in horrible situations for years at a time.
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Attended my father's funeral yesterday. Work didn't keep me from spending time with him, but other things did. Looking back on it, I wish I had spent more time with him. Don't let work get in the way, there will always be work of some kind, there won't always be loved ones around.
Bro... The fact this person DIDN'T quit... I say this as an American with a pretty good job: there are moments in your life that are worth walking out on a "good" job, and no job is worth a lifetime of regret. These companies treat people like this because people let them. This a sad story, yes, but this person made the decision to allow a job that apparently doesn't pay them enough to take precedence over their father's end of life.
This is a terribly sad story. I recently left a good paying job for a job that doesn't pay as well. My 79 year old mother lives with me. She's on the early stages of dementia. My new job is really close to my house. I also raise my 12 year old great-niece. If she calls he while I'm at work and tells me there's an issue with my mom, my boss allows me to run home and take care if things.
That's great. In today's times it certainly isn't easy to leave a job for one that pays less. Bravo to you sir.
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They don't have bereavement leave? I'm so very sorry you work for such a s**t company. In my country its a. egal requirement that all employers give bereavement leave when required.
I am so so sorry that you work someplace that treats employees so poorly. I am sorry for your loss.
You need a new employer. You dad and you deserved more care and respect.
I’m so sorry you didn’t get to see him before he passed. Every state is different, but call your state labor board. You may have a solid case against the boss.
I quit my job. I did get FMLA for my mom, but it wasn't enough. So, here I am, taking care of my mom, and my dad really.
So sorry for your loss. But they clearly were terrible. I didn't think FMLA was based on time at work.
Damn, that's inhumane. They literally treat people as cogs in a machine. I don't understand, especially after 2020-2021, that proved working from home is possible for some companies, why they force people to work at an office. Working from home, in my opinion, is worse for the worker - you're in your home, so working longer hours isn't viewed as arduous, as when you need to commute. I wouldn't be surprised, if people worked more, than what they were payed for. How little sick leave this person had, for him to need PTO to help his mother in their time of loss. I hope they find a new job soon, with better treatment.
Sorry for you and your dad. Work sucks for so many people that people leave. If they don't value you. Try to find someone who does. Consider moving in with mom maybe? Just til you find someone values your work. You have experience. And are a hard worker.
As a retail manager I couldn't get time off when my brother went for surgery for malignant throat cancer (he is special needs and we are very close). I'm so glad my circumstances allowed me to quit my job so that I was able to fly out to my dad when he had a heart attack. It shouldn't be a privilege to be with terminal family. It's a matter of compassion
I can sympathize, my father died on a Sunday and we only get 3 days bereavement, I had zero f*cks to give at that point and said "Write me up, I don't give a damn at this point!"
360 interviews. Before choosing a company with which to work (notice "with" not "for"), ask some tough questions. It's not wrong to expect kindness, humanity, basic decency.
Reminds me of a song by Bread.; I would give everything's I own... just to have you back again
After my dad died on a Friday night, I texted my boss on Sunday morning to tell her and say that I wanted to take a day or two off work to help with arrangements and phone calls ... and to grieve. I wasn't going to fly to his town, since I'd been to see him a week before. Hours later I got a text back saying the three-day bereavement leave was to be used only to go out of town for a funeral. I went to work Monday, miserable, and had to deal with my boss's father coming in for a visit. In the afternoon, the boss and her husband (they owned the company) walked by my desk and tossed a sympathy card on my desk.
Suggestion, when you quit make it your boss have the worst day of his life, he probably deserves it.
Sorry for your loss. Let this be a lesson for everyone reading this. Your company doesn't care about you as much as you may do for it.
A similar thing happened to me. I was basically told it’s your mother or your job.
I'd give anything to spend more time with my dad. Companies like these only care about the bottom line, they don't care about the people working for them.
Horrible situation indeed. And quite possibly the norm. I'm so glad (lucky) I work for an organization that has high expectations of employee output.AND respects that employees are real people with real lives who sometimes need time off. and that having the time to take care of family makes us better employees. I am in the USA.
I was a home health nurse when my father was diagnosed with end stage cancer and died less than a month later. Work really didn't care.
Sorry to hear that but guess what? Now you know how every full time employee feels at McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's and all the other countless employers who offer nothing to their employees.
Please look for a new job, hard, until you find one. I wok for a University. When I told my boss my mom was dying and I might have to leave for 2 weeks at any moment he said I'mso sorry, do what you need to do. 2 days later I was on a plane home. They sent my FMLA paperwork to her house. No repercussions, no questions asked, just total support despite our being short staffed. There are good employers out there. Please, please, don't stay with a toxic employer one second longer than you have to. Don't even give them 2 weeks notice, eff them for what they did to you.
Damn man..... I don't know if you'll ever see this, but I'm so sorry. I saw where this was headed while reading and was so hoping I would be wrong. Try not beat yourself up... You did what you felt you had to do. I get it. I've been stuck being a corporate slave cause I had bills to pay. I was the only breadwinner between my disabled husband and myself and only made $8.65/hr in a management position. But I wasn't in a position to just leave, and only made enough to get by (not have any left over for savings to plan my escape). So I know the fear of just walking away. I'm positive your dad knew that you would have been there if you could have. I'm so sorry you were put in that position.
You should have quit in the first place and you should have had an emergency fund in place for situations like that. It's always best to think ahead or that happens to you. I already know corporations don't give a f**k about their workers. This is s**t I already know and you should have been better prepared for it. Expect the unexpected.
I am so so sorry for your loss and for the time you lost with your dad. You Are so right about employers, they don't care about us.
I am so sorry that your company was unwilling to let you work remotely. Some people/companies have no empathy for employees who need to be with their family. One day they will need time away for an emergency. I am so sorry for your loss.
I'm so sorry you had to endure this. Do your research and make your move, there are employers who will treat you with the respect you deserve. I work at a major university in the US and they have very generous vacation, sick, bereavement, FMLA, etc., packages available when needed. Long-term employees like myself can even donate accumulated hours to newer employees who may not have accrued them yet in the case of emergencies. I say look at a university because people from every professional background are needed in some capacity. You were treated horribly, you deserve better. Go get it.
I'm sorry for your loss. But some companies do care about its employees. You sadly happen to work in one that doesn't. I hope you'll find better companies.
Sorry for your loss. I fully understand the situation and completely agree with you. Life is too short, companies think of you as replaceable, don't waste your prescious time for people who don't give a f**k about you
My Mom passed the night I was packing to go stay with her. We knew her time near.. She was living with my sister, thank goodness, and I had taken a leave to live with Mom before we moved her in with my sis. I also worked hourly, but my company was incredibly generous with leave. I was covered after three months. I truly hope you find a company that appreciates you. I'm blessed because I got to spend time with her, though I wasn't there when she passed. I hope many folks read your post and understand the wisdom in your words. Condolences.
So sorry for your loss. It is beyond inhumane that no one at your company was willing to give you a break. Totally heartless. I hope you find a way better job very soon. And make sure to post about this one you leave them. With the company name(Glassdoor takes company reviews from employees, fyi)
Every job I've had and given notice to (but one) screwed me over before the two weeks was out. They'd usually ask me to stay and train my replacement and I would, and at some point come up and say, "we don't need you anymore. You can finish out the day or leave now". I was a salaried manager at FedEx and worked 70 hrs/week. After two years I gave two week's notice. They begged and pleaded, swore to make the place better so I could work closer to 50 hours and even go home early some days. After 5 months nothing had changed and I quit. They told my buddy who called for a fake 'referral' that I was not re-hireable because I didn't give notice. 5 months wasn't enough, I guess. So , yeah, you don't owe the employer anything because they will screw you if they can.
I am so very sorry for your loss. I have gone through something similar but with my husband who passed. What you went through was awful, you should have been given leave. The ability to work off site. Minimally, you should have been given her bereavement time.... Please make sure that when you are off, you are taking care of yourself and getting plenty of rest. Give yourself time, it will get better, but it takes a long time to get over the physical loss of someone who is very important in your life.... And start looking for new job. It may take a while, it may take several years, but you deserve to work in a better place, with people who actually have concern and care about your well-being. The workplace that you were describing is incredibly toxic, and I worked for one like that, keep looking and find a better spot. Spot. Sending you lots of love and light.
You could die at your desk and they'd scream at you to get back to work before checking to see if you were alive. My condolences for your father. May he rest in peace, and may you find a place that treats their employees as humans at the very least
There was a time when companies valued their employees. You could spend 30 years at the same company or even if that company sold your benefits were carried by the new owner. One could look forward to a pension and retirement. That changed in the 80's. Companies began caring more about profits and less about the people that were making it possible. If the company sold the new owners would lay everyone off with often nothing to show for years of service. Today it's very different. You must CYA at all times. Providing for your own retirement, use your sick time to care for loved ones, ect. Today companies don't expect their employees to stay much past 5 yrs. Nor due employees plan to stay more than 5 yrs. People are all looking for the next best opportunity. No one is content. No one is at peace. Sorry for my rant. It just seems that people used to care more about each other. I am sorry that you weren't able to be there with your father.
I was unable to say goodbye to my Grandma when she was dying because my employer had me on a horrible made-up deadline to create 400 software manuals and I had been awake for 48 hours working on them and could not drive to her bedside because I was passing out from exhaustion. I will NEVER give that much of myself to a job ever again.
You should have started looking when they didn't let you off when he was sick. That is not the way things should be, and there are too many job openings right now to be stuck someplace toxic. I personally took a week and a half off, not to mention multiple days in the months leading up to it, paid and not from my sick or vacation days, when my mom died. They understood I could not function during that period.
I am sick to my bone reading this story. Sorry excuse for humans at that company!
This is part of why I have no real motivation to even try to get a "good job". I might live in poverty. But I enjoy doing my freelance work. And when i do pick up regular jobs on the side, i feel pretty satisfied when i quit without any warning or anything the second management gets disrespectful, makes ultimatums, or acts like entitled bullies in general. You can tell they are so unused to anyone standing up to them that they start scrambling and ranting and crying about it. Especially once COVID hit and they started acting like paying slightly above minimum wage is near enough to put up with their nonsense and unnecessary health and safety risks both. In part because many people (especially with kids) can't do so and unionization around here is low. So management feels pretty comfortable treating people however they want. It's the little bit of praxis i can do to give them a sense of fear or like they should maybe treat workers a bit better.
U are right i was nurse night shift at rural nursing home was told their best they never had to worry when my father became ill died while iwas working my elderly mother was home i called boss asking to leave to tell mom of death iwas mom& dads caretaker on a farm took 90 min for DON to cover no one else would come in after all id covered for.. the day i went back to work after burying dad was called in office to force me to days as i was "unreliable" the night dad died. ( i needed nights had 2 boys in school mòm was with them at night but needed to be home waking hours for kids & farm. I took a long breath looked at administrator whom id orientated at previous job & director ( "your father only dies once..) silence I now learned to live sparinglyused clothes tools etc u are nothing but a number to remember that learn to live on less we makie billionares richer buying new while forever struggling reduse ur dependency on walmart& amazon. They need us worse then we need them
Again, Murikuh (I assume, I know other countries are bastards, but ours just seems to be the loudest about it)
SAME HERE they didn't want to let me go to my father. Small, private company. @$$holes.
Have kids.
I'm a 38 year old woman with lots of experience with kids - I like kids! - but people think that is a reason to birth them.
Being able to opt in or opt out of hanging out with munchkins is great! I love being Aunt Mary Rose and not Mommy!
Ironing. Life is too short. I don't even own an iron and my clothes are just fine.
I may be weird, but I love ironing. The best part is when you watch the transformation of a shirt, from a wrinkled to a smooth one. I love it!
When it comes to apps specifically, they did begin as a way for same-sex couples to meet. Grindr, a location-based app geared towards gay and bisexual men, launched in 2009 and started somewhat of a sexual revolution in the gay community. Since then, dating apps have become the norm for everyone regardless of sexual orientation. Tinder launched in 2012, and now has over 50,000,000 users. But just because dating apps are now socially acceptable doesn’t mean everyone has to use them. In fact, about half of Americans say that online dating has had neither a positive or negative effect on their love lives. If you prefer to meet people the old fashion way, there’s no reason to feel pressured into using the internet.
Don't follow sports
I get really annoyed when people don't understand "I don't care it is boring to me" as an excuse to explain it to me in minute detail, as I just don't understand it. My usual response is to start explaining software development to them. Strangely they aren't interested and don't want to talk about it.. and yet don't get the link.
Yes. People are flabbergasted when I’m not informed on the latest celebrity news and honestly I just don’t see a reason to keep up with it
Smoking. I can't stand cigarette smell.
I'm a smoker (down from 30/day to 10/day and on my way to quitting completely), and I always ensure I'm well away from everyone when I light up. No one wants to breathe my smoke or even get it on their clothes. It absolutely is a disgusting habit, and I wish my parents hadn't smoked, because I probably would never have started.
Social media is another thing that has become socially acceptable, but still doesn’t appeal to everyone. Since social media began in the early 2000s, it has dominated the internet. In 2004, MySpace was the first site of its kind to reach over 1 million monthly active users, but today, Facebook has 2.89 billion active users. Facebook has been the most popular social media site globally for over a decade now, but Youtube is quickly catching up, with 2.29 billion active users. Among the other most successful sites are Instagram, which currently has 2 billion active users, and TikTok, which has only been around since 2016 and already has 1 billion active monthly users.
Walk in the house with shoes.
Why people want to track all the junk from the outside and smear it over the floors , bed, and couch?! No thanks
Here in Finland that's considered VERY rude and it makes sense to take the shoes off.
Call my coffee something other than small, medium & large.
Bore other people with photos of everyday stuff they see all the time anyway. For example, the meal I am going to eat, the shoes I bought, the place I am at.
If it's on social media people have the choice to just scroll past it.
Despite how popular social media sites are, it’s understandable why some people would want to avoid them. One of the biggest reasons people cite for staying off these apps is because they can be a huge waste of time. The average global user spends about 2 hours and 27 minutes on social media per day, with average users in Nigeria and the Philippines spending over 4 hours per day. It’s easy to rack up hours on these sites though, as they are typically designed to be addictive. With features like “likes” and feeds designed to constantly show users new content, these websites are aimed at getting users hooked.
Do “lives” on social media. Since when did vanity and narcissism become so acceptable?
No one cares about your dining experience or “get ready with me” moments.
Text while hanging with friends, or out to dinner, or driving, or in a movie theater.
I'll text my man to update him on if I plan on being home soon, as a courtesy, but otherwise my phone is out of sight. Texting around others is rude.
One Night Stands
Sex doesn't mean anything to me if I can't build a connection first
Social media is also notorious for causing users to compare themselves to others, which can negatively impact their self esteem. One study from the University of Pennsylvania even found that reducing social media use to only 30 minutes a day resulted in a reduction in anxiety levels, depression, loneliness, sleep problems and FOMO (fear of missing out). Like everything else, there’s nothing wrong with using social media in moderation. But just because it’s considered “normal” to spend hours a day on these sites does not mean you need to create an account today. If your life is perfectly fine without social media, I’m sure it won’t be any better with it.
Going in debt $30k-$70k for a vehicle.
Which begins to depreciate the minute you drive it out of the lot. I've always bought used cars, and I've never regretted it.
Shave/wax my pubes. I actually really like having pubic hair. It doesn't bother me or my partner, and I find waxing and/or shaving extremely uncomfortable and not at all worth it.
Buy fast fashion (or pretty much any fashion whose supply chain is questionable). I used to. Then I found out not only how and where those clothes begin their lives, but also how and where those clothes end their lives.
It was so horrific, I decided I was done. I now buy secondhand, or I save and buy pieces from independent tailors from sites like Etsy. And I research the tailor too.
I also took some of the money I saved from clothes shopping and got a sewing machine. I am learning to sew and make my own summer dresses (I'm not good enough yet to take on complex clothing, but I'm learning)
My grandmother made most of my clothes for me when I was a child, and she had an old treadle machine that she eventually replaced with something more in keeping with the times. After my poor grandfather died after living on without my grandmother for 11 years, my aunt had all of the grandchildren—who were all adults—had each of us walk through my grandparents’ home of 60+ year (a home my grandfather built) and put a Post-It with our name on anything we wanted to take home with us. I chose a small number of things, all of which were made by one or the other of my grandparents, and I took home everything I asked for.
I think this list has taught us that just because something is considered "normal" does not mean we have to go along with it. We all have the right to make our own choices, and what's socially acceptable totally depends on where we end up living. Enjoy the rest of this list, and remember to upvote the answers you most agree with. Then let us know in the comments if you think of any other "normal" activities you would never do that didn't make it onto this list.
My wife and I had a very small wedding on a beach with only our parents there. Then, we drove to a mountain and hiked to the top with our photographer for our first dance.
It was incredible and people keep telling us they wish they could’ve done something that simple but social pressures made them spend more.
Now, we’ve just had to spend more than the entire cost of our wedding just to buy the plane tickets to attend my sister’s big wedding.
Treat it as a nice holiday, but seriously; I wouldn't go into debt to go to my own wedding much less anyone else. If I couldn't afford it I wouldn't go sister or no sister
Have tons of social media accounts where I'm constantly posting pictures of what I'm doing every day. Remember, if it's not photographed and posted online, it didn't happen.
Didn’t see it here so figured I’d share. Live in a city. I was born in a large city, lived there until I was 11. Then moved to the woods. I’ve lived in the woods since then and although I have visited cities since, I could never live there. Too many people, too much noise and I just don’t feel comfortable. I feel more comfortable taking walks at night in the woods than I would in a city.
I lived in San Francisco for most of my adult life (40 of my now 66 years), and my last apartment there was the best one I’d ever had, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life there. Alas, once I was no longer working, I had to move, and after a year (minus two days) of living with my favorite brother and his wife on their farm in rural Oregon, I ended up with a job in a small town on the Mendocino coast of Northern California. I have come to love small-town life in a way I would never have anticipated. I just wish I weren’t so far from my dearest friends, who all live in the Bay Area.
Have never and will never use a dating app.
Sometimes that is the only way people can get to know new people. Haven't used one in a while, but i def would again if i needed to.
This might be oddly specific, it's wearing flip flops.
I grew up in a tourist beach town, I have never owned a pair of flip flops in my life. I find them wildly uncomfortable and people in my hometown look at me like a crazy person when I tell them I don't own a pair.
brushing before breakfast:
doing that is basically wiping before you s**t and i refuse to do that
Buy copious amounts of dishes, Why the f**k do you need 27 plates for the two people in your household. Im looking at you mom.
Do you never have guests over? I also have a dumber reason for it - so I can use my dishwasher. I wouldn't run it for just two or three plates (it's wasting water and energy) and I hate washing dishes, so I have enough to use until the dishwasher is full.
The Hustle Culture. Although I like the idea of bettering your life but always thinking of doing something or the other will leave you with burnout. Taking a break regularly is nessecary
Edit: It's good if you are in a bad place. But it's not always about working your a*s off. What's important is taking a break and keep it from becoming toxic
What does this even mean? To me, hustling means coercing or tricking people into doing something or buying something. I don't think that's generally accepted though is it?
Play wordle
Note: this post originally had 57 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
Businesses bending to please customers no matter what. This whole 'the customer is always right' mentality. It is soul destroying for the workers that have to deal with these kinds of customers and it's about time businesses start standing up for themselves against entitled baby adults who act like it's the end of the world when they have to cover their own return postage costs. Humans should not be treat so badly by other humans while trying to provide them with a service!
Agreed. Be the customer who gets awesome service because you are polite, respectful, and worth helping to have a good outcome.
Load More Replies... Smart phone obsession. I know people who seemingly can't put their phone down for more than a few minutes at a time.
My mother is like that. I have the tendency to forget about the existence of my phone for days at a time though, which isn't really great for communication either.
Load More Replies... I don't have a Twitter account and deleted my Facebook account. I got tired of the constant you need more friends shtick.
This! I didn't delete my accounts but simply stopped logging in at one point without saying anything to anyone (I'm sure there are ppl thinking I'm no longer alive lol). That was several years ago, I haven't regret it a single moment.
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Didn't read the entire list, but to me it seems many were just "getting older and more relaxed and less caring about what other thinks" things. Could also be titled "Things you stop worrying about when you are growing older".
Some of them were definitely like that, others were just pretentious (like the ones that refuse to say "grande" or "venti")
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Use Alexa. Not only are there privacy issues, I do not talk to inanimate objects.
I'd like to say I'm the same, although I did cuss a tree limb when I tripped over it yesterday. Falling, at my age, is not funny. F*****g tree limb.
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Why is wearing tall heels not on this list? I refuse to wear things that causes pain in my feet and cause disfigurement in toes over time. I just don't get it.
I can't believe that wearing high heels is still a thing. They feel horrible and they deform your toes. I haven't worn heels in years and my toes are all perfectly straight and smooth.
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Thinking my way is the only way... I'm so tired of people thinking that what is right to them/for them is right for everyone. Especially now that the government is making decisions for everyone based on their own private/religious beliefs.
I'm of two minds on this. I can see your point of view, for sure, but humans wouldn't have succeeded as a species without cooperation, and without thinking of the group as a whole. We're social animals because alone, we're not that great. We're fragile, we're weak (compared to other animals that are similarly sized), we're slow...if a human and a chimp had a fight, the chimp would eat the human's face off. If 50 humans fought the chimp, they would win. If 49 humans sat back and did nothing while one fought it, then the chimp would win and move on to the next person. And the next. And the next. Now imagine that chimp is covid and you can see why vaccines and masking and social distancing are so important
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People downvoting your comments when they are on subject, then getting a ban because BP refuses to even have a person check first!
Yeah, getting your comments hidden because it's an unpopular opinion is a bummer
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The obsession with hero worshipping the military. It's overdone and ridiculous.
Always having your phone out during concerts. Live in the moment people, why do you need to record a whole darn song and block the view for others?! The amount of phones in the air filming nowadays when the band gets on stage, it's crazy.
That one seems weird to me too - like, you aren't doing a better job of recording the concert than the professional videographers are doing (probably at that same concert), all you'll hear on the phone is the screaming of the people around you (because phone microphones work different than human ears), and all you'll see is a distant blur of lights because the camera can't pick out what the human eye focuses on...it's really just a waste of time
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For me, it's watching gory movies. Like the Saw franchise, or Final Destination, or any other movies where they viscerally show people getting killed. There's something really wrong with a culture that has movie theatres full of people watching human bodies being torn apart, but showing people having sex is still considered to be pretty taboo.
Fvck late-stage capitalism and all of its fans. I refuse to put corporations over humans.
Acting like the customer is always right. Not true AT ALL. The saying is just a way for rude people to manipulate employees and get what they want most times.
Celebrating my birthday or congratulate people on theirs... i absolutelly see no reason.
I don't understand why there are paragraphs on not drinking and not smoking and about dating apps between the numbered points. This website is hard to read.
I never had any interest in downloading TikTok, but my mom always likes sending me TikToks she likes, so I finally downloaded the app just so I can watch what my mom sends me but I just don’t bother with it otherwise 🤷🏼♀️
Taking a cruise ferry. More over taking a car in the ferry so one can drive around. I live in Sweden.for all the ecofriendly people, somehow Swedes think it is their birthright to take those polluting cruises.
Having friends. I don't have friends, I don't want friends. I have my husband a d that's often more social interaction than I can handle or want.
This is a "just do you" post, I like it people shouldn't feel pressured to do thing they just don't want to do
This may not be totally the norm, but using the insanely hard-to-read cApItAl AnD sMaLl letter typing. I HATE it. Please stop it, people!!! I know, I did it there, just for effect so you could see what I meant. 🤬
I get the reasoning for it though - it's meant to denote mockery and sarcasm, which is inherently VERY tricky to get across with the written word. It's meant to be read the way a kid would repeat back something you said to make fun of you: "I said to go clean your room!" "I sAid tO go cLeAn YoUr rOoooOmM"
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I will never drink coffee. I find it equal to alcohol and cigarettes and pot, it's addictive and it irks me that caffeine addiction is so normalized.
I gave up by #7. Nothing on that list is stuff I consider people are "normally" doing anyway. Except the posting their good deeds, which is fine by me. It does no harm, and if it's the only reason someone does a good deed, who cares. The recipient of the deed still receives.
It's the only reason I read this article because it's 100% on the dot. Nobody cares about your pride or your mental illnesses. Just fix yourself and work on building a better family and stop caring what the world thinks.
Load More Replies... The idea that you NEED to respect your parents. They brought you into this world, but you can take yourself out. Not only that, but don't you think the ones WITH EXPERIENCE should be working for the respect, not the other way around? Doing the bare minimum is not earning respect. That's doing your due diligence for bringing a life into this world.
I hate the media-centric displays of who is gay today. I dont care who you do, you do you! I just dont need it taking my news feed. Not my business.
Down voted for SURE. This is SUCH a hetero-centric point of view. Nobody asked for your input. But you know who does care about celebrities coming out? Gay people. People who are still in the closet. People who still have to fear for their LIVES when they consider coming out. People who worry about being attacked, having their lives on the line, for walking or talking "too gay". When gay is normalized, people like me won't have to worry as much. When people like Lil Nas X, Elliott Page, and Kristen Stewart come out, and talk about it, and share it, they are making life immeasurably better for people like them. But sure, they should STFU because it annoys your breeder a*s.
Load More Replies... Having a pet. For me, it doesn't make any sense. Why would you breed and slave an animal, remove all their wild instinct for absolute no use other than serve humans' lack of affection.
Dogs have been domesticated for thousands and thousands of years, humans love companionship - and animals are nonjudgemental and loyal
Load More Replies... Out of all the topics that are glamourized in pop culture and music, you chose to make polygamy your example? Not like, rape, child molestation, murder? Polygamy is your hill to die on? Weird.
Load More Replies...
Businesses bending to please customers no matter what. This whole 'the customer is always right' mentality. It is soul destroying for the workers that have to deal with these kinds of customers and it's about time businesses start standing up for themselves against entitled baby adults who act like it's the end of the world when they have to cover their own return postage costs. Humans should not be treat so badly by other humans while trying to provide them with a service!
Agreed. Be the customer who gets awesome service because you are polite, respectful, and worth helping to have a good outcome.
Load More Replies... Smart phone obsession. I know people who seemingly can't put their phone down for more than a few minutes at a time.
My mother is like that. I have the tendency to forget about the existence of my phone for days at a time though, which isn't really great for communication either.
Load More Replies... I don't have a Twitter account and deleted my Facebook account. I got tired of the constant you need more friends shtick.
This! I didn't delete my accounts but simply stopped logging in at one point without saying anything to anyone (I'm sure there are ppl thinking I'm no longer alive lol). That was several years ago, I haven't regret it a single moment.
Load More Replies... Didn't read the entire list, but to me it seems many were just "getting older and more relaxed and less caring about what other thinks" things. Could also be titled "Things you stop worrying about when you are growing older".
Some of them were definitely like that, others were just pretentious (like the ones that refuse to say "grande" or "venti")
Load More Replies... Use Alexa. Not only are there privacy issues, I do not talk to inanimate objects.
I'd like to say I'm the same, although I did cuss a tree limb when I tripped over it yesterday. Falling, at my age, is not funny. F*****g tree limb.
Load More Replies... Why is wearing tall heels not on this list? I refuse to wear things that causes pain in my feet and cause disfigurement in toes over time. I just don't get it.
I can't believe that wearing high heels is still a thing. They feel horrible and they deform your toes. I haven't worn heels in years and my toes are all perfectly straight and smooth.
Load More Replies... Thinking my way is the only way... I'm so tired of people thinking that what is right to them/for them is right for everyone. Especially now that the government is making decisions for everyone based on their own private/religious beliefs.
I'm of two minds on this. I can see your point of view, for sure, but humans wouldn't have succeeded as a species without cooperation, and without thinking of the group as a whole. We're social animals because alone, we're not that great. We're fragile, we're weak (compared to other animals that are similarly sized), we're slow...if a human and a chimp had a fight, the chimp would eat the human's face off. If 50 humans fought the chimp, they would win. If 49 humans sat back and did nothing while one fought it, then the chimp would win and move on to the next person. And the next. And the next. Now imagine that chimp is covid and you can see why vaccines and masking and social distancing are so important
Load More Replies... People downvoting your comments when they are on subject, then getting a ban because BP refuses to even have a person check first!
Yeah, getting your comments hidden because it's an unpopular opinion is a bummer
Load More Replies... The obsession with hero worshipping the military. It's overdone and ridiculous.
Always having your phone out during concerts. Live in the moment people, why do you need to record a whole darn song and block the view for others?! The amount of phones in the air filming nowadays when the band gets on stage, it's crazy.
That one seems weird to me too - like, you aren't doing a better job of recording the concert than the professional videographers are doing (probably at that same concert), all you'll hear on the phone is the screaming of the people around you (because phone microphones work different than human ears), and all you'll see is a distant blur of lights because the camera can't pick out what the human eye focuses on...it's really just a waste of time
Load More Replies... For me, it's watching gory movies. Like the Saw franchise, or Final Destination, or any other movies where they viscerally show people getting killed. There's something really wrong with a culture that has movie theatres full of people watching human bodies being torn apart, but showing people having sex is still considered to be pretty taboo.
Fvck late-stage capitalism and all of its fans. I refuse to put corporations over humans.
Acting like the customer is always right. Not true AT ALL. The saying is just a way for rude people to manipulate employees and get what they want most times.
Celebrating my birthday or congratulate people on theirs... i absolutelly see no reason.
I don't understand why there are paragraphs on not drinking and not smoking and about dating apps between the numbered points. This website is hard to read.
I never had any interest in downloading TikTok, but my mom always likes sending me TikToks she likes, so I finally downloaded the app just so I can watch what my mom sends me but I just don’t bother with it otherwise 🤷🏼♀️
Taking a cruise ferry. More over taking a car in the ferry so one can drive around. I live in Sweden.for all the ecofriendly people, somehow Swedes think it is their birthright to take those polluting cruises.
Having friends. I don't have friends, I don't want friends. I have my husband a d that's often more social interaction than I can handle or want.
This is a "just do you" post, I like it people shouldn't feel pressured to do thing they just don't want to do
This may not be totally the norm, but using the insanely hard-to-read cApItAl AnD sMaLl letter typing. I HATE it. Please stop it, people!!! I know, I did it there, just for effect so you could see what I meant. 🤬
I get the reasoning for it though - it's meant to denote mockery and sarcasm, which is inherently VERY tricky to get across with the written word. It's meant to be read the way a kid would repeat back something you said to make fun of you: "I said to go clean your room!" "I sAid tO go cLeAn YoUr rOoooOmM"
Load More Replies... I will never drink coffee. I find it equal to alcohol and cigarettes and pot, it's addictive and it irks me that caffeine addiction is so normalized.
I gave up by #7. Nothing on that list is stuff I consider people are "normally" doing anyway. Except the posting their good deeds, which is fine by me. It does no harm, and if it's the only reason someone does a good deed, who cares. The recipient of the deed still receives.
It's the only reason I read this article because it's 100% on the dot. Nobody cares about your pride or your mental illnesses. Just fix yourself and work on building a better family and stop caring what the world thinks.
Load More Replies... The idea that you NEED to respect your parents. They brought you into this world, but you can take yourself out. Not only that, but don't you think the ones WITH EXPERIENCE should be working for the respect, not the other way around? Doing the bare minimum is not earning respect. That's doing your due diligence for bringing a life into this world.
I hate the media-centric displays of who is gay today. I dont care who you do, you do you! I just dont need it taking my news feed. Not my business.
Down voted for SURE. This is SUCH a hetero-centric point of view. Nobody asked for your input. But you know who does care about celebrities coming out? Gay people. People who are still in the closet. People who still have to fear for their LIVES when they consider coming out. People who worry about being attacked, having their lives on the line, for walking or talking "too gay". When gay is normalized, people like me won't have to worry as much. When people like Lil Nas X, Elliott Page, and Kristen Stewart come out, and talk about it, and share it, they are making life immeasurably better for people like them. But sure, they should STFU because it annoys your breeder a*s.
Load More Replies... Having a pet. For me, it doesn't make any sense. Why would you breed and slave an animal, remove all their wild instinct for absolute no use other than serve humans' lack of affection.
Dogs have been domesticated for thousands and thousands of years, humans love companionship - and animals are nonjudgemental and loyal
Load More Replies... Out of all the topics that are glamourized in pop culture and music, you chose to make polygamy your example? Not like, rape, child molestation, murder? Polygamy is your hill to die on? Weird.
Load More Replies... 