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There’s nothing quite like being in your own company. It’s a pure judgement-free zone⁠—no pressure to show off, no expectations met by reality, no strange looks given as you’re voicing all the nonsense out loud in an empty room.

And interestingly, some of the most unusual behavior happens while we’re on our own. In fact, the things we do are so random, we don’t really talk about them. Ever. Like doing a remote trace or aligning your feet to the tiles so you won’t die.

Bored Panda has compiled a list of all the odd things we all do but never dare to tell, not even in truth or dare. And you know what? It's better off that way.

Humor plays a vital role in younger generations’ communication and media consumption. But Gen Z and millennials are renowned for what’s called absurdist, surrealist, and often dark comedy full of dank memes and observational one-liners.

In order to get this sense of humor, one has to understand the context in which the youngest generations came to live. In the past decade, the world has been bursting with information which is “both more accessible and less reliable,” writes The Washington Post. “Brands pose as a friend on social media to millennial consumers, and the line between real and artificial matters less than it once did.”

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Another explanation is that such surreal humor is a response to a world that has stopped making sense. According to Andrew DeYoung, the director of 555 and editor on The Eric Andre Show, the Adult Swim school of comedy is designed to “reflect the frenetic distribution of information on the internet.” And that’s why most of their shows are so chaotic and absurd.

Since there’s no time for a narrative joke to be said online, traditional punchline structure doesn’t work. “Instead, things are funny because they are willfully jarring and strange,” writes Rachel Aroesti for The Guardian. Weird Twitter and bizarre dank memes are perfect examples of how millennials break down the joke, decontextualize it, and create utter randomness.

#7

Picking A Song

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Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is definitely a hard one but considering the situation I would be in that I had 6mins to live, I would probably listen to Always look on the bright side of life from Monty Python.

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#8

Things Causing Anxiety

Things Causing Anxiety

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Liam Walsh
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When the cashier gives you the change by placing notes on your palm and then the coins on top... awkward shuffling around of money ensues.

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#9

Standing In The Way

Standing In The Way

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Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If a person is there trying to make a decision or taking too long I just say excuse me please and grab what I want.

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

For me, it's always the milk. What is so hard to buy milk. Just grab the same carton you always do an go away.

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Ginny Weasley
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Weird comment, but who puts milk not in the fridge section? Eww!

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

I sometimes change the corridor and come back later ... take it easy ...

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

I feel extreme anxiety when people shopping in the same aisle approach me/look at me/ talk to me and i jus wish that i would disappear! But i jus start reading ingredients on anything

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Susan Widomski
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Always get the old person that just stands and stares at the general area you need and seemingly go to another place in the universe...or the person that blocks the whole aisle because their cart is one spot and they are looking in the opposite side. And...this annoying person ends up going to the same places in the grocery store that you are going and the anxiety grows until you get the heck out of the place.

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Isa BR LOL
Community Member
3 years ago

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

Just crop dust them aside. You can usually mentally manufacture an air biscuit.

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

Once there was a lady at the store and I was looking at yogurt and she shoved in front of me and said times up!

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

Just ask me to move or say excuse me and reach. I wouldn't give it a second thought.

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

When this happens sometimes I will go to another aisle for a few minutes and come back when no one is there..

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

Especially if it is a slightly embarrassing personal item. LOL.

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

Nowadays I just stand there looking pointedly at the (usually) guy fannying about trying to decipher what his wife has given him to get on a list before I can move closer than 2 metres to get to what I know already that I want.

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rta3rd
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Especially now with the pandemic distancing rules. I've gone to the next aisle to go around and found something else I "needed so bad"...

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Emi A.
Community Member
3 years ago

But then I want to take time choosing which one I want toooo... so I wait.

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

And you can't cough to get their attention now for fear of the police being called! Ahem! :-P

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

Me getting frustrated when some idiot parks their cart on the opposite side of the item they are looking at so they block the WHOLE aisle

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

before the current s**t storm we are enduring, I would just say pardon me and reach out in front of them and grab it. If they are rude enough to block the shelf, f**k 'em, but I at least try to be polite about it.

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

Ope, let me squeeze in there real quick like, You're fine! *proceeds to have 5-10 minute conversation about choices and offers recommendation on choice*. The ironic thing is I won't wait for them to decide before I squeeze on in real quick because I'm usually trying to get out quicker.... so yeah.

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

Also when I want to get past but the aisle isn't wide enough to overtake and leave 1.5m between customers

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

me: stare at some other thing, glance over at them, move, stare, glance. after about two minuites of that they are finnally gone

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

“You have to pretend you’re reading the ingredients, and you’re stuck on the milk label!” You dare not ask because grocery stores are a hot bed for pick-ups! You don’t want to be picked up or pinched after two months of quarantine! If the person next to you looks fit as a fiddle! When you look like you left the bass violin at home and wore the case as a jacket!

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

No I stand behind them...until they see me there with a blank expression and move along

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#13

Security Sensors

Security Sensors

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Peter Korpershoek
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I once got 'caught' by a store manager after the alarm went off, i was 12. I patiently waited right after the sirene, but nobody showed up. I got some angry faces from customers and personnel. I tested the alarm again by swinging my plastic bag trough the gates, it went off again. Nobody showed up... After one minute i started walking back to my bike, and right then someone grabbed me by the neck. He dragged me roughly to a small office where i had to empty my pockets and bag. He checked the receipt and saw that I didn't steel anything. He tested the alarm with my bag, it went off. They seem to have forgotten to remove a tag. I was 19 when i had the guts to enter that store again.

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#14

Sleep Time

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Kaisu
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's the best feeling ever, knowing you can have lots more sleep! Like waking up at 7 but then remembering it's the weekend and you can go back to sleep

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#15

Auto Pilot

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Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That’s a bit dangerous. Although I have walked to the shops and as I am almost half way home I have thought “I don’t even remember walking to the shops”. It’s like I was just suddenly placed there without knowing how I got there. Does that make sense? Kind of like I was on auto pilot.

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#19

Just Adult Things

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#21

Walking By

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juice
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

also works when you make awkward eye contact with strangers and don't want to be perceived as rude

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#23

Leaving Without Buying

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Nea
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So often i buy things that will eventually be used like kitchen towels just to avoid this...

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#24

Shipping Rates

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#26

Well Deserved Rest

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#27

Just Do Nothing

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#28

Silent Mode

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#30

Sleeping Pose

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#33

Blanket Choice

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hispanic! at the disco
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I always put one foot in and one foot out. I remember reading it controlled the temperature of your body.

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#34

Package Tracking

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#38

Checking Yourself Out

Checking Yourself Out

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#39

Forgetfulness

Forgetfulness

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

It is almost like forgetting that the same thing was posted already

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Note: this post originally had 63 images. It’s been shortened to the top 39 images based on user votes.