50 Embarrassing Posts From People Who Were So Close To The Point And Still Missed It
InterviewWhen the full moon rises, it’s more than just werewolves that start howling in the deep, dark forests of the world. Even rarer still, transforming only underneath the light of a blue moon, are ‘self awarewolves,’ internet users who (almost) become self-aware of their flaws and biases, completely by accident. That’s where the r/SelfAwarewolves subreddit comes in.
It’s an online community of just over 522k members that documents the moments that people (again, almost) become “self-aware creatures,” unknowingly describing themselves in their posts on the internet.
Take a look at some of the best and most on-point posts below, upvote the ones that caught your attention the most, and let us know which of these got you thinking, Pandas. Oh, and don’t forget to go and follow the r/SelfAwarewolves subreddit if you liked their stuff!
Self-awareness is potentially one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal, helping guide us through lies and illusions, towards our potential as better, more empathetic, more capable Pandas.
Redditor u/mangeiri, one of the moderators behind the entire r/SelfAwarewolves community, gave Bored Panda some insights about the subreddit, its history, and the constant challenges the mods have to deal with. It's grueling work being a moderator, but far from everyone knows about this.
This post may include affiliate links.
Who Would Have Guessed Lady, Who Would Have Guessed
As someone not in the US, this was the weirdest argument I saw around the election. 'Nobody went to Biden's rallies!' Well, yeah, because the world was in a pandemic and smart people knew to stay inside. 'Why were all the postal votes for Biden?!' Um, because voting in person during a pandemic is unnecessarily dangerous.
Moderator Mangeiri told Bored Panda that many mods on r/SelfAwarewolves are "almost entirely inactive," and they were kind enough to answer some of my questions about the community.
According to Mangeiri, the subreddit was created on a whim and its founder actually considered pulling the plug several times. "The top moderator, iSluff, created the subreddit some 5 years ago but has said publicly that they did it as a goof, 'hate meme subreddits,' and 'thought about deleting it multiple times.' Near as I've been able to tell, most of the moderators they brought on immediately after were members of an online Minecraft playgroup, I've only actually communicated with a couple of them," Mangeiri explained to Bored Panda.
The subreddit became more active since iSluff invited Mangeiri and a redditor named Drutt to help moderate it. Unfortunately, the community itself isn't as happy-go-lucky as you might think, watching from the outside. Being a mod is tough, there are no two ways about it. "The subreddit is incredibly challenging to moderate, as recent socio-political events in the US along with Reddit's lax account creation policy make it a battleground for trolls and toxic people to come in and harass sensical commenters," Mangeiri said.
Oh Boy, That Was Close
Could It Happen Again
Finding quality moderators to help out in a fairly toxic and troll-filled environment is one of the biggest challenges. "Some of the aggressive individuals we've dealt with have derogatorily called us 'unpaid digital janitors,' and sometimes it feels all of that. We've lost fellow moderators who had to step down due to the toxicity of the experience and try our best to inform potential moderator candidates as to what they're walking into and make sure it's the way they want to shape their Reddit experience going forward. Unsurprisingly, we've had some quality folks tell us, 'no thanks.'"
Mangeiri was candid that they don't know the inspiration behind the name of the subreddit. Meanwhile, the subreddit's 'No Gnomes' rule was already in place when they and Drutt joined r/SelfAwarewolves. "We left it as a nod to our inactive predecessors. Another mod indicated it was a term to describe a specific type of bigotry which slips my mind at the moment, and perhaps it was meant in that context, but none of the earlier mods have ever chimed in to tell us."
Was This Already Posted Here?
Essentially Aware
Liz doesn't seem to understand how surgery or God works. One supposedly works fine at home.
Healthcare Is For The Elite
I saw a news report recently about a pregnant woman and her husband decided to walk to the hospital (about a mile away) after their car broke down instead of calling for an ambulance while in labor. Why??? Because, it cost $1000 for an ambulance. They made it just in time before the baby came. Ridiculous!!!
Only time I had an ambulance, I was unconscious, otherwise I would have refused. Damn thing cost $1500.
When I sliced my finger with a knife and laid on the dining room floor trying not to pass out I had to tell my husband/then boyfriend DO NOT call 911! Just had to elevate my arm and keep pressure on the cut. We live within 4 miles of 3 hospitals and I still have to be dying before I will even let him drive me there.
Load More Replies...This comment had me laughing. But then there is nothing funny about people not being able to afford healthcare.
In the U.S. ambulance companies gladly take every call they get no matter how stupid because it's so hugely profitable. When I was young and the U.S. healthcare system wasn't such a corporate sham, ambulances would not show up for the stupid calls.
An ambulance is not a taxi to the hospital, but for the exact opposite reason. Taking a taxi instead of an ambulance can be deadly. People need to be able to call an ambulance to get medical care on site and during transport without a crushing medical bill. Ambulances should be free.
I had to pay $1000 for an ambulance to drive me 8 minutes to the hospital. I wish I had taken a taxi, it would have been way cheeper.
Only in America will they charge you for something that could save your life. I'm from the UK and I really don't get that.
I have a friend whose doctor told her over the phone to take an AMBULANCE, not a taxi or Uber, to the ER because the doctor was afraid my friend might be having a stroke. Turns out she wasn’t, and insurance refused to pay for it, so my friend is out $1,000. So, yeah, Bernie, I get your point.
It is only if you need urgent care so you can't just take a normal transportation. When I broke my leg, I took the bus, because I could.
I don't know why this was downvoted but maybe i can articulate your point more clearly. An ambulance is indeed preferably used for emergencies. The reason is there are a limited number of them and probably too few for the number of cases that come up. They need to be used as priority vehicles for life-saving scenarios. In our country, we have more cases of emergencies than ambulances can actually meet. So if someone decided to call an ambulance over a broken arm, it would definitely be a waste of scarce resources. Calling an ambulance should really be for things like stabs, heart attacks, etc.
Load More Replies...Yes, I have! I was only 9 years old and split my head open at the local pool, needing 17 stitches. I was with a friend and her mom and refused to go in the ambulance because I was scared my folks couldn't afford it so my friend's mom drove me bleeding all over her car.
We never paid for an ambulance. The Volunteer fire dept provided it. Now we pay for everything that used to be free.
It isn't the ride to the hospital that is out of the question...just try and afford the way back home.
Luckily, the answer is no for me, as our insurance covered such things. Even though our local government may send a bill, they don't go after people who cannot pay. I did once receive an ambulance bill for over $800 to transfer me from one hospital to another even though I was perfectly stable and could have gone by car with my RN husband driving. Insurance paid 90%.
I live in Sweden, with universal healthcare, and have epilepsy. Sometimes I have had to pay 12 euros for the ambulance, and sometimes it has been free. I don't really know the difference and I can well afford it, so I have told all colleagues to just call an ambulance if I have a seizure. I will be unconscious, so I won't be able to make a decision right then.
Almost right on both parts. If you reasonably and safely can avoid taking an ambulance, then do so. No sense in paying for something you don't need and no sense in tying one up that someone else might need. I've known people to call an ambulance out to the backwoods for a lightly twisted ankle just so they could avoid paying the gas to drive (these weren't poor people and they weren't planning to pay the ER or ambulance bills anyway).
Well, no, it's not a taxi. You are supposed to call it when it's an actual emergency. If your condition allows you to get to the doctor yourself - do it. The number of ambulance cars is limited and somebody with a stroke might not receive needed care in time because you called ambulance for your sprained ankle.
But if you're calling an ambulance in an actual emergency (stroke, heart attack, etc), would it not be considered a taxi? You're literally calling it and having it take you to another location, just like a taxi.
Load More Replies...So to give a different non-american case. In our country we are short of ambulances and have high incidents of knife violence etc. So they're often all out fetching stab victims or in upper income areas fetching heart attacks. Calling an ambulance for something that doesn't prevent you from e.g. driving or hailing a taxi is irresponsible because the ambulance is probably needed for emergency collections where a victim needs attention onsite. In my own case I called an uber once. However, that was because nearest hospital was private and an ambulance from them WOULD be too expensive.
The original comment isn't about being responsible, is about being affordable.
Load More Replies...see earlier point about why healthcare is not free anywhere, it is either tax money or paid by people lacking healthcare (meaning americans)
Load More Replies...If you’re planning on being an active member of r/SelfAwarewolves, then you have to know the community’s rules by heart. Obviously, the content that you post has to fit the spirit of the subreddit: if there’s no self-awareness involved, odds are, the screenshot might fit a different part of Reddit better.
Like many other subreddits, r/SelfAwarewolves asks its members to refrain from reposting images too often. The pics might be great, but looking at the same ones over and over all the time can be exhausting.
In tune with the spirit of the subreddit, the moderators also ask its members not to be bigotted, to avoid being ‘edgelords,’ and not to troll anyone. What’s more, you should refrain from any “name-calling and abuse.” Personal attacks won’t be tolerated.
Funnily enough, the ‘Self Awarewolves’ community moderators also have a separate rule that simply states: “No Gnomes.” No additional context. No explanations about why gnomes might be excluded. Simply, “No Gnomes.”
Well S**t Let’s Just Provide Healthcare For Everyone Then!
I Changed The Photos To See If The Impact Was Still The Same
So your friend dies and you can't feel grief or sadness because that's feminine? Sheesh.
Women Everywhere Be Like
A while back, I reached out to Vanessa Bohns from Cornell University to talk about all the embarrassing knowledge blind spots that we have.
"We spend a lot of time and effort presenting an ideal version of ourselves to other people. When something happens that contrasts with the image we’ve been projecting—when we say or do something that shows we actually aren’t as graceful or as smart as we’d like people to believe—we feel embarrassed," she told Bored Panda.
We Like Your Music, Just Not You
Believe In Yourself
I Cannot Believe She Got So Close While Still Completely Missing The Point
"Discovering you were wrong about something most everyone else around you has long known to be true is one of those moments. In that moment we learn, 'Wait a minute, maybe I haven’t been presenting the image of being smart or worldly that I thought I was presenting all this time,' which is embarrassing,” Vanessa explained that we feel mighty embarrassed when our imagined perceptions of ourselves and reality don’t line up as we think they should.
Money-Making Breadwinner
And Go
Jeez Imagine!
If you ever travel to countries in southern Africa you will find out that other vaccinations are indeed required.
Meanwhile, psychotherapist Silva Neves from the United Kingdom told Bored Panda that some people who feel insecure about themselves can lash out at others because they feel like they’re ‘not enough.’ However, self-compassion can help them become more secure, confident, and empathetic toward others.
I Just Don’t Get How They Don’t See It
I Do See Where It’s Going, Thank You Very Much
Choose One
"The floor here isn't made of floor, it is made of material that we stand on and is below us." -Quartz
"Insecurity carries the message: 'I'm not enough', 'I'm not good enough,' or even 'I'm worthless.' These are painful beliefs to have about ourselves but many do have those underlying beliefs," the psychotherapist explained to Bored Panda what lies at the core of insecurity.
Yeah, Let’s
Someone actually thought this was a good come-back? *facepalm* Americans are so used to cops being executioners, especially of Black people, that we forget that's definitely not what they're supposed to be doing.
Under A Bernie Tweet About How Children Should Have Free School Lunches
In all honesty, the parents of these children usually can vote. And they will appreciate it if someone feeds their children.
Does This Fit Here?
Yes. Those are war crimes. Only narcissists think they are not accountable for their actions.
"Insecurity can manifest either by making themselves invisible (If I'm not seen, nobody will notice my flaws), or the opposite, by what we call 'bragging': shouting at everybody about how wonderful they are. This is usually to try to persuade themselves that they are good enough,” the expert noted that sometimes insecurity can manifest in extremely different ways.
Well, Yeah?
Yes, now your getting it. The rich should pay there fair share in taxes for starters.
Correct
Wonderful! Let's help make people feel more accepted and happy, without fearing for their safety :D
Brexiteer Discovers What Brexit Meant For Their Holidays
“Another way to counter the 'I'm not enough' is by pushing others down, sabotaging other people's success, or attacking people as a way to feel powerful so that they can control their inner pain of 'I'm not enough.' All of these strategies don't work because what they do is either internalizing or externalizing the belief 'I'm not enough' rather than changing it," psychotherapist Silva told Bored Panda that certain individuals put down others to feel better about themselves.
Gop Invents Universal Healthcare
That is a laugh out loud moment right there. They are soooooo close
Conservative Journalist Accidentally Admits To Being A Hypocrite
"Don't murder children! Just let them starve to death naturally or get shot to death at school! " /s
Super Political But Still Very Accurate
"The key to becoming more secure is to change the underlying belief 'I'm not enough' to 'I'm enough.’” Learning self-compassion can help unlearn the ‘I’m not enough’ beliefs that we grow during our childhoods. As we mature, these beliefs can become deeply enrooted in us.
Accidentally Arriving At The Right Conclusion
in smart countries police education is years, not months. They teach law and de-escalation of situations. Weapons are seldom drawn and when a police person shoots it's national news. That's what a normal police force looks like.
She Is So, So, So Very Close
Uh Yes That’s Kind Of The Point
"Perhaps parents didn't praise children enough, or they paid more attention to the mistakes rather than the successes. As an adult now, people can give themselves a hug once in a while and tell themselves, gently: 'you're doing good,' 'well done,' 'congratulations.' Eventually, the brain will listen and slowly change the message 'I'm not enough' to 'I'm enough.’ Rather than shouting your praise at other people, it is about speaking to yourself in a loving way. When people are genuinely aware of their successes, they can become genuinely more confident without the need to impose their power onto others."
Spot On
The really scary thought is that if we keep whitewashing American textbooks like publishers have since the Civil War, Trump will probably be noted as some sort of charismatic egalitarian moderate. (He isn't.)
Ridiculous To Suggest We Supply People With Necessities
Don't Ask Them Who Promotes Christianity, Infighting, And Military Over Anything Else
Yep, This Definitely Happened
That's A Great One
Yes Graham, Yes It Does
Yes. It's also why the American public should be able to see Trump's tax returns.
First Time Posting, Saw This And Just Couldn’t Believe It
Not sure where anyone is seeing "justice, wisdom and goodness" in the bible. It's a book written by bronze age people with bronze age morals and according to them sexism, racism, slavery, homophobia and religious intolerance were all fine and dandy things. Those are not the kind of morals we aspire to in 2021.
He Might Be Onto Something Here
Oof
Okay. It's odd between the options of vaccination and death to choose death, but I'm glad you seem to have clearly understand the options. Your choice has been noted.
I’m Glad You Agree, Let’s Get Started
There is nothing wrong with that. The law is the same for everyone, and political transparency is essential.
Just Maybe
“Socialism Helped Me Get Where I Am Today - Trying To Destroy Socialism”
*stares In Feminism*
Imagine Identifying The Issue So Precisely Yet Missing The Point By So Much
When you are so privileged and so full of yourself you can't even see when you are making an ass of yourself... That kind of s**t happens. That will be curling up in a ball and complaining for me.
Ding Ding Ding! You Are Correct!
My Family Doesn't Want To See Me Because Of My Beliefs, But It's Probably Nothing To Do With My Beliefs
BLM isn't cancelling families, your own actions made your family cancel you. That is not the same thing.
I Am Not Sure, How To Feel About This
It's Because Trump Has Made Us Completely Embarrassed When Faced By The World
R/Conservative Post Regarding The Current President’s Approval
Ben Shapiro Gets It
Note: this post originally had 67 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
The fact that these people meant what they wrote does so, too. =/
Load More Replies...hey pandas! it's late in my time zone but I don't have anybody really to share it with other than you-I just came out as bi to my BFF and it went super smoothly! I'm so happy/relieved! :) thx have a good day!
@heyitsfionabtw. Congratulations darling. I'm so happy for you that it went well. Hugs.
Load More Replies...I'd rather be anally probed by space aliens than live on this planet much longer.
Unfortunately America seems to be have a bumper crop every year.
Load More Replies...More like "Stupid conservatives unaware they are making themselves the butt of jokes". Note how I specified it's the stupid ones doing that and not all.
Load More Replies...I totally get their right to bear arms but they really shouldn't shoot their own foot with them.
If you only walk right, you will run in circles, ivan.
Load More Replies..."Well educated" hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha
Load More Replies...The fact that these people meant what they wrote does so, too. =/
Load More Replies...hey pandas! it's late in my time zone but I don't have anybody really to share it with other than you-I just came out as bi to my BFF and it went super smoothly! I'm so happy/relieved! :) thx have a good day!
@heyitsfionabtw. Congratulations darling. I'm so happy for you that it went well. Hugs.
Load More Replies...I'd rather be anally probed by space aliens than live on this planet much longer.
Unfortunately America seems to be have a bumper crop every year.
Load More Replies...More like "Stupid conservatives unaware they are making themselves the butt of jokes". Note how I specified it's the stupid ones doing that and not all.
Load More Replies...I totally get their right to bear arms but they really shouldn't shoot their own foot with them.
If you only walk right, you will run in circles, ivan.
Load More Replies..."Well educated" hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha
Load More Replies...