This Online Group Shames People Who Think They’re Better Than Everyone Else, Here Are 15 Of The Cringiest Posts

The ‘Not like the other girls’ subreddit has been active since September 2017 and is about people “trying to be unique by defining themselves outside ‘the norm.’” However, the results are usually terrible and prompt internet users to post screenshots and photos on the online community. As a warning to others on how not to behave. As a form of amusement for some.

“Do you think everyone else is trash? Do you think you're the only unique person on the planet? Do you constantly feel the need to press down others in order to define yourself? Then this is the place for you,” the moderators introduce the community full of ‘unique individuals’ (i.e. their members) who are ‘standing out’ (i.e. online at the moment).

According to British psychotherapist Silva, there is a theory that people hate those who embody traits that we’d like to keep secret ourselves. In short, we hate others because we recognize ourselves in them. If society acts as a mirror for us, then hatred is an unhealthy reaction to the truth.

“One psychological theory is that we tend to hate the people who remind us of a part of ourselves that we don't want to acknowledge. For example, if someone has body issues, they are more likely to be hateful towards a large person,” he explained to Bored Panda. This is applicable when analyzing hatred of other groups of people as well.

“Some who represses their sexuality or are uncomfortable with s*x are more likely to be hateful towards people who are open about their sexuality or who look sexual,” the therapist continued.

“If we go by this theory, it would mean that people have to learn to accept the whole of themselves and learn to love themselves fully, and then they won't have to project the hatred of themselves towards others,” he said that only through self-acceptance can we let go of hate.

However, that’s just one theory. Another theory looks at learned behaviors and how our families and environments shape us. “Many people grow up being told to fear those who are different or look different,” Silva said.

“For example, people grow up to believe that black people are dangerous, Asian people are threats, gay people spread disease or sin, etc... These messages can turn people into being racist or homophobic,” the expert explained to Bored Panda that according to this theory, hatred is something that’s learned from one’s environment. Only education and experience can counter this.

“For these people to become less hateful, they will need to be exposed to other realities so that they can stop fearing differences, but they also have to be willing to change their minds. Unfortunately, many of these people are not willing to expose themselves to different realities. So, I suppose, one way to eradicate this kind of hate is by changing society at its core and stopping the mindset of fear at the source.”