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We all know very well that things in this world tend to backfire. Call it a law of nature, a frequent twist of fate, or destiny. “Look who’s laughing now” is a phenomenon that has happened to virtually every one of us, and no matter what you do, it repeats again and again, and again.

The Reddit community “There Was An Attempt” is dedicated to precisely the comic absurdity of all the attempts in life that went against the plan, or turned in the wrong direction. Created in August 2015, the subreddit now has 1.9m members that are not immune to the funny attempts that “were there.”

“People enjoy the slapstick comedy of it. At the end of the day, everyone is laughing,” the subreddit’s moderator told Bored Panda in the interview that you can read in full below. And now we leave the stage to the ensued hilarity.

#2

To Complain About A Child Selling Hot Dogs

To Complain About A Child Selling Hot Dogs

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Bored Panda spoke to redditor u/F4T4-M0RG4N4, the moderator of the r/ThereWasAnAttempt subreddit, who said that the community has evolved a lot since it was created 5 years ago.

“When I first joined the team, it was mostly a screenshot sub. A few months back, there was some drama about how there were only three mods who ran the subreddit (which at the time had around a million members).” As a result, they invited more people to join the moderator team and removed the screenshot posts.

#5

To Make Speaking 2 Languages Sophisticated

To Make Speaking 2 Languages Sophisticated

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#6

To Sound Literate

To Sound Literate

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For those who’re wondering what, precisely, “there was an attempt” refers to, u/F4T4-M0RG4N4 explained that it’s basically about “someone attempting something but ultimately failing.”

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Conceptually, it’s similar to “if someone tried jumping off a trampoline into a pool but when they tried to jump, the trampoline tore. In that case, you could say, 'Well... there was an attempt, at least' and that’s where our subreddit comes into play.”

The posts are mainly about “some people having a dumb idea, trying out that idea, and failing.” This misery is what makes it so funny. 

#7

To Prevent The Homeless From Sleeping Here

To Prevent The Homeless From Sleeping Here

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#8

To Start Cat Racing

To Start Cat Racing

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

That is just adorable 🤣 Also: why would you think a cat would get out of a box?

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#9

To Prove That Patton Oswalt Is A Failed Comedian

To Prove That Patton Oswalt Is A Failed Comedian

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Today, the moderator team only allows video submissions and cross-posts, “which are posts that were in one subreddit but were reposted to another (kind of like retweeting.” This format works better for r/ThereWasAnAttempt, since screenshots can more easily become reposts, for one.

Especially when there’s one similar subreddit that’s specifically for social media clapbacks and comebacks, but its content mainly features screenshots.When it comes to their 1.9 million member count, the moderator said that “I don’t think we have the exact same post frequency as, say, a meme subreddit.”

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Partly, it’s because it isn’t easy to repost something from r/ThereWasAnAttempt. “I could probably look at the new section for r/memes and see quite a few frequent reposts.”

#14

To Shame Atheists And Take Away Their Holidays

To Shame Atheists And Take Away Their Holidays

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#15

I Mean... You Tried..?

I Mean... You Tried..?

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

'Having Voldemort trying to kill him at every opportunity finally took its toll on Harry Potter'

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#17

To Arrest A “Drug Dealer

To Arrest A “Drug Dealer

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#18

To Make Fun Of A Bird

To Make Fun Of A Bird

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

At least he realised it. If you can't laugh at yourself, you're doomed.😁

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#19

To Shame Men

To Shame Men

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#22

To Convince People To Be Pro-Life

To Convince People To Be Pro-Life

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

If you got a tiny Voldemort in your womb, abortion might not be the worst idea.

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#23

To Defend God

To Defend God

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#25

To Be Racist

To Be Racist

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

Am proudly a Muslim just like a Christian proudly a Christian and also like an atheist who is proudly an atheist!!!!!!! It's our believe when people think about freedom of speech, they forget about hurting other people's religion, but when we stand for our rights we are themed as paranoid. Just leave us alone, stop looking for trouble which you wouldn't get and exercise Human Rights fairly not partially degrading other people's religion. I quote everyone is different yet you try to make everyone the same religion, race, tribe all " Differences matters, yet that makes us who we are, denying our differences is denying the truth " I am A PROUD MUSLIM, it's me not you allow me to practice my religion in peace and stop popnosing on my affairs, everyone deserves right to religion just as u think!

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#26

To Suggest A New Idea

To Suggest A New Idea

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

Flawless! And you should be able to make a audio contact with other people in real time so you can tell them, instead of typing a message for them.

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#27

To Glorify The President

To Glorify The President

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

Not accurate - his plan to kill _half_ of the people on the universe 😛 But yes on the arrogance and incompetence.

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

It's totally incredible that there are still millions who support his ridiculous game of voterfraud. The money that has been wasted on this farce could have fed a lot of hungry families.

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

*Trump thinks he's being elected* "I am inevitable." *clink* *Looks at the election results and realized he lost*

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

*realizes that if he does not become president, he will face 45 lawsuits* *gets angry that he lost* *spreads BS about the election being rigged* *Idiotic Trumpets believe him* *They rage the Capitol* *Trump is now known as one of the biggest idiots to be presidents, probably* *Now Trumpets can't riot the Capitol again so they just post hateful s**t in the comments of social media stuff* The End.

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

Is it because his mouth looks like constipated a**s trying really hard to push out some turd when he's talking?

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

Except, even though he was a super-a$$hole, he was too stupid to be a super-villain....

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

He is a megalomaniac that has not one brain cell that can tell the truth

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

Oh oh oh did anyone else see the Stephen Colbert videos done like this for the DNC and the RNC? I think it was called America Assemble or something! They had the Democrats as the Avengers and the GOP as Thanos and his crew! Trump was Thanos and when he was about to click his fingers he said that "immortal" phrase - PERSON, WOMAN, MAN, CAMERA, TV! They had the AG Bill Barr as the big beast thing lol! Joe Biden was Captain America lol! They were hilarious! I'd recommend checking them out on YouTube if you haven't already seen them lol!

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

XD did-did they actually make his face purple? Or is just the reflection? Lmao

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

This might be a joke... has anyone seen the America Endgame video?

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

Can we just get through ONE article without politics being dragged in?!?FFS...

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

awww, the expected jibe against the president... will be fun to see these once Bidet takes over (or not...)

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Liz Mosby
Community Member
3 years ago

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Yeah, screw Trump.. the guy that made animal cruelty a felony, the guy who first put 5 openly gay people as ambassadors, the guy who made airports allow breastfeeding, who went to the United Nations and demand they decriminilize LGBTQ and stop killing Muslims in China, the guy that signed the First Step Act that continues to bring home people of color that have been wrongly accused and wrongly sentenced by Biden's law that has put them in prison in the first place, the guy that puts more than $250 million a year into historically black colleges that Obama didn't even do, the guy that had the first openly gay presidential cabinet member, the guy that signed a bill that lifts the gag orders on pharmacists so they can openly speak about more affordable drugs, the guy that signed the FOSTA bill to ended child trafficking, the guy who has busted more trafficking rings and saved more women and children victims of trafficking thank anyone, ever.. yeah screw Trump bc it's super trendy...

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

Animal cruelty you say? *cough*cough* trophy hunting *cough*cough

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#28

To Eat A Mozzarella Stick

To Eat A Mozzarella Stick

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#32

To Replace I'm Sorry With Thank You

To Replace I'm Sorry With Thank You

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

But actually this is a technique I used in customer service. For example when you put a customer on hold to go get more info, you ask them if they’re happy to wait. When you get back you thank them for waiting. If you say “sorry for the wait” it suggests you did something wrong, when really you were just doing your job. It leaves a different impression on the customer and genuinely impacts satisfaction.

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#33

To Prove How Unfashionable These Jeans Were

To Prove How Unfashionable These Jeans Were

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#35

To Provide Front, Side, And Rear Photos For The Car Insurance Rep

To Provide Front, Side, And Rear Photos For The Car Insurance Rep

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#37

To Get A Cardi B Tattoo

To Get A Cardi B Tattoo

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

I never realized that there is a level of messed up that someone would want to get an Anne Frank tattoo on your damn FACE

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#39

To Display Plus Size Clothes Without Causing Offence

To Display Plus Size Clothes Without Causing Offence

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

Considering that there are no plus sized mannequins, I think its good improv. (I'm on the larger size myself, and I'm nowhere near offended)

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#40

To Stand Up For The Joker

To Stand Up For The Joker

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

Welcome to the Internet, where you can be offended by literally everything,

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#42

To Fuck The Police

To Fuck The Police

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#47

To Criticize A Garbage Man

To Criticize A Garbage Man

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

Don’t know how it’s in other countries, but here in NL apparently it’s one of the best paid low-education jobs available. A friend of mine did it as a student job while in university and apart from the smell he was quite happy with it.

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#48

To Be A Professional Company

To Be A Professional Company

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Pamela24
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All that's gonna do is make more people drive drunk. If Uber is so concerned about people throwing up in their cars or being violent (which is understandable) they should charge a deposit and/or allow the drivers to have pepper spray or something to defend themselves if necessary (not guns!).

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#49

To Create 3 Mexican Countries

To Create 3 Mexican Countries

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#50

To Hide

To Hide

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Note: this post originally had 150 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.