50 Times People Found Unexpectedly Wholesome Posts On The Internet Where Strangers Had Each Other’s Backs (New Pics)
You know, Pandas, it’s really way too easy to focus just on the negatives. In fact, we’re hard-wired for that. It’s called negativity bias and it means that we dwell on the awful things that have happened to us more than the awesome ones. So with all the news about just how bad things are looking recently, you’d be perfectly right to be anxious and upset. However, we shouldn’t forget that, at the same time, life’s full of beauty, wonder, and wholesomeness. Albus Dumbledore told us that happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, but we have to remember to turn on the light. Well, let’s turn that light on, shall we?
Today, we’re featuring the best posts from the r/gatesopencomeonin subreddit, a 356k-member-strong community that celebrates people acting excellent and being wholesome to each other. It’s the kind of stuff that really restores part of your hope in humanity. And it’s a reminder that we have to strive to be altruistic and kind, especially when things are looking tough.
Upvote your fave pics as you’re scrolling down, Pandas. And tell us all about the nicest thing you’ve done for someone recently, in the comments. Meanwhile, check out Bored Panda’s interview about how to live a happy and healthy life, as well as how to be nice to others when we don’t feel like it, with writer Ariane Sherine, the author of ‘How to Live to 100’ and ‘Talk Yourself Better.’
Oh, and if you’d like some more proof that people totally have the potential to be awesome, take a peek at our earlier articles about the ‘Gates Open, Come On In’ community here: Part 1 and Part 2.
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I Needed To Hear This. I'm So Tired
A Guide To Gift Giving
A Surprise Happy Ending?
The ‘Gates Open, Come On In’ subreddit has been delighting redditors (and more!) around the globe since early 2018. In the 4+ years since being founded, it’s carved out a niche of wholesomeness, hope, and good vibes by being the polar opposite of r/gatekeeping.
They only have two rules: there’s no gatekeeping allowed and you have to be nice. That’s it. Really. It’s a pretty straightforward recommendation for living a good life, isn’t it? Besides, it’s refreshing when you focus on the positives for a change, isn’t it?
Better Late Than Never
The last sentence explains it perfectly. Although there is an expiration date and that is death.
Remember, Everyone Has A Purpose
An Email From My Computer Science Teacher, Who I’m Not Even Taking A Class With This Semester. Genuinely Want To Cry Rn
(Probably) everyone wants to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. But it’s a hard thing to do in practice, especially when you’re bound by doubt, anxiety, and fear. Bored Panda reached out to author Ariane, who has written about health and happiness, to understand what contributes to our satisfaction with life the most. Really, it’s mostly about altruism and having a tight-knit social circle (among a few other things).
“Close, fulfilling relationships with others are one of the most important things when it comes to happiness, whether romantic or platonic. Studies show that the more close friendships and relationships you have, the longer you live,” Ariane shared with Bored Panda. “Volunteering and helping others are also likely to make you happy.”
Be Free To Like Things
Me: yeah, I'm really into real ales and metal music. Rando: oh really? What year was the first IPA sold internationally and what blood type is James Hatfield?
I hate gatekeeping. And I get really snarky when people tr to do that to me.
I love video games and comics. I also happen to be 39 and a female. I used to always get cráp about not "really" being into comics because I had no clue what else writer's did or because I wasn't big into DC or Marvel. Sorry I like independents and go by story rather than writer. I wasn't a "real" gamer because I don't play first person shooters; nevermind the 130 hours I logged playing Final Fantasy (sidequests really eat time) or the fact that I have 100% completed some games (I get ocd sometimes and must collecteverything). Its always been really annoying. Oh and don't get me started with the psycho anime fans; I'm not a "real" fan because I don't want with subtitles; I prefer dubs so I can actually watch and not read (I have manga for reading)
Kindda related, I love Ramones t-shirts, love their logo and look very cool, but I only like 2 songs so don't feel entitled tu use one. Think the next time I see one i'm gonna buy it. Thanks for the inspiration Trillian.
Load More Replies... I like songs from artists that should be or are in jail, I like songs with distasteful lyrics. I like the song for the beat, tempo, melody etc. If I like it, I like it.
I’m 61, and have been a lifelong Beatles fan. But don’t ask me specifics about each song, album, or band member. I know some stuff and I’m always open to learning new stuff, but I’m no expert about the band. I just like them and their music. That’s enough for me.
It's cool to know "fun facts" about your interests. But quit being a d**k to people that don't know that stuff off the top of their head, or at all. Conversation isn't shaming
Any time this topic comes up, I fell the urge to tell people to look up "name every train"
Can you explain this? I googled it but didn’t quite understand 😳
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Or like oh I like *this* band! Oh yeah well name 5 of their songs other than the number 1 song.... I never know song names. I buy whole albums on my phone but never learn the names and also whyyyy 🙄🙄
Me: Dad I want this metallica t shirt its so cool! My dad: You can get it if you name a metallica song. Me" Master of puppets. Dad: name one you didn't hear off of stranger things. My stepmom: Jesus Christ I'll buy you the shirt. My dad: o.o STOP GATEKEEPING METALLICA ITS THE MOS ICONIC BAND IN HISTORY ALSO: enter sandman, and justice for all, the god that failed, creeping death, whiskey in the jar. BOOM DAD
i needed this. as a teen, i loved anime, so my friend and i went to a local anime group where one guy berated me for watching dubbed anime (which was all that was available at the time, since i could only watch what was being shown on our 5 tv channels) and the fact that i didn't know as much about it as him. i was so upset i never went back.
That's me to a T. I like to read, listen to music (classical), and occasionally watch a movie, but I don't care who wrote it, plays it, or sings it. I enjoy the content of the books, music, or movie. That's all I want.
I LOVE this!!! So many things are (potentially) ruined people who want to prove how “smart” or “special” they are to the rest of us by decimating us mere mortals when we deign to show appreciation or interest in something we think “cool”.
I'm this way with books and music. I read a TON of books but don't remember the titles of them. I love so much music but it's just one or two songs from each artist. I always forget the names and I've been told I'm making stuff up. Especially when I'm put on the spot. I suddenly go blank. I just have a bad memory. It's why I take tons of random notes lol
One of the things that further annoys me is when you introduce someone to something that is new for them but you are quite familiar with it, and then they suddenly start gatekeeping and mansplaining it to you - the person who introduced them a week ago.
Yeah. I left the Supernatural fandom because bit got too stressful. I still can't bring myself to watch the the last couple of seasons. How many were there after season 12? That was when I checked out.
There are a lot of books, movies, TV shows, and other things that I like that I don't know everything about and I am okay with that.
No, but also don't go joining in places where they are serious about their hobby and expect to be accepted. Like it, enjoy it but do not act like you have to be accepted in groups that do put in that effort. You are not entitled and no one needs to change to accommodate you if you are not as invested as others are Find your own place rather then expecting others to change for you.
This is why some fandoms are dying. If you can't join the "serious about their hobby" people then the chances of you ever becoming serious about it is next to zero. Let's say that I like "game A" so I go to a gathering of people playing "game A" and they turn me away because "you're not serious enough about game A, you're not entitled to our accommodation". Obviously I leave, and run into a group of people serious about "game B". They invite me into their group, teach me how "game B" works and share what they love about "game B" with me. As a result, "game B" acquires another player and the "game A" people wonder why their game is slowly dying.
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This Made Me Really Happy
Other things that play an important role in our overall happiness include being fit, having a fulfilling career, and not focusing on the material side of things too much.
“There are other things that contribute to happiness and well-being including taking regular exercise, eating healthily, having enough money to feel comfortable, having job security, and enjoying experiences rather than possessions,” the writer explained.
True Spirit
Making A Kid’s Day!
Just Let Them Be They
“Self-care and taking time for yourself are also very important. But I'd say close relationships are probably the most essential things to happiness,” she stressed what we should all be focusing on the most.
It’s easy to be kind to someone when we’re feeling great, the sun’s shining, and it’s like we’re on top of the world. It’s far harder when we’re miserable, exhausted, and feeling down. Bored Panda wanted to get Ariane’s advice on how to be nice to someone when we’re down in the dumps and overwhelmed with problems.
Unexpected Coming Out Story
Never Walk Without A Bro
Grandmas Are Always A Bastion Of Wholesomeness
“It's worth remembering that being kind to others can also lift you up too. In fact, the easiest way to take your mind off your own problems is to help someone else with theirs,” she said.
“But if you're feeling really lethargic and low, the best thing is probably to sleep, or at least rest,” the author pointed out that there’s nothing wrong with getting some well-deserved rest. Getting some proper sleep is a piece of advice that really deserves more attention than it gets.
Wear Whatever Makes You Happy!
So many schoolboys protesting their school's dresscode by wearing skirts (not allowed to wear shorts in the heat). Why not just keep the skirt? They are amazingly comfortable in the summer :)
Liberal Arts
I Love Sharing My Book Collection
We were also curious about how people can control their anxiety better, especially if they’re worried about the economy, the war, and the pandemic. Ariane shared some of her thoughts about becoming more resilient during tough times. The important thing here is to control what you can and to let go of what you can’t affect.
“It's a matter of doing what you can to make your own situation better, and then accepting that you can't control everything,” she said. “You can never control everything, and trying will make you even more anxious. But you can control certain things to reduce your risk.”
On A Cathedral Door
Shared Spaces
A Grown Man Indeed
Love this! I can’t imagine that’s not the response she usually gets
Ariane gave an example of how this works: “For instance, I wear an FFP2 mask on the train to work because I can control that, but no one else wears one these days. So it's possible that I'll still get Covid as no one else is masking up, but I just have to accept that, because my train journeys are essential.”
Custom Veganism
My Music Taste
This is so me. My playlist can go from Metallica to Backstreet Boys to Beethoven's 5th
During an earlier in-depth interview, Suzanne Degges-White, Licensed Counselor, Professor, and Chair at the Department of Counseling and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University, shared with Bored Panda how our family values, spiritual beliefs, and even our biology all play a crucial role in our altruistic actions.
"Many of us are raised to believe it is the 'right thing to do.' Basically, all spiritual belief systems have a version of the 'Golden Rule, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ "We also do good turns because we know that one day we may be in need of a little 'generosity from the universe,' so it's like putting 'money' into a karma account," she shared how people think.
Easy Come, Easy Go
This Dad Is A Legend
Rob Zombie Taking On Anyone Who Wants To Gatekeep Metal
"Lastly, humans are wired so that when we do something kind for another, we feel good about ourselves and neurotransmitters like endorphins and oxytocin have been shown to get a boost when we do something good for another. It is through cooperation that society functions, so the survival of the human race depends on being willing to help others. Family values, spiritual beliefs, and biology all play a part in this motivation," the professor explained to us.
What A Great Sign
Ok Zoomer
"Many of us take pride in being of service to others as it is culturally valued and we want to hold significance in our worlds. So when we do good deeds, we show others our willingness to help those in distress/need; we live out faith-based encouragement to treat others the way we would like to be treated, we uphold family values, and our brains get a positive jolt of happiness when we help others.”
Tiredness
Fixed A Stupid Meme
Your Trauma Is Valid
Everyone Gets To Complain About The Weather
Honestly, apparently some other countries have been mocking us in the UK for not being 'able to handle the heat'...WE'RE NOT CONDITIONED FOR IT! Most of us vary between glow-in-the-dark white and cooked lobster red! WE ARE GOOD AT RAIN!
Klingons Kinda Inclusive
its a very good analogy for trans people i suppose Klingons dont care what gender you are as long as you a warrior with honour
It's For All Of You
Do What You Like
in that case, i will leave the note stickers on my piano keys, and continue to play with one hand, until i am ready to play with both hands 😁
Reading Goals
I needed this. I only just completed my 3rd book for the year - its been difficult to find time to sit and read. I am trying to fill more time by reading rather than being online. I hope to have read at least 5 books by the end of the year
Melon Flavored Jellyfish's Mom Says The Gates Are Open
Opening The Gates To Readers Of All Ages
Ambisexual
Gotta Clean Up
I'm Sure Many Of Us Needed To Hear This
F*****g THIS! Everyone has something different that they can do . Sometimes it's petitions ,sometimes it's protests,sometimes it's writing letters ,sometimes it's survival,sometimes it's education. The only path that isn't ok is turning a blind eye to the problem.
Vegan BBQ
Slap Some Dang Rice
Nice Flex
We love a mob psycho 100 reference! A really great and wholesome manga/anime too
Metallica Welcomes Everyone
It's A Big Ask But I'm Behind It
Note: this post originally had 104 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
I learned a lot from this list. I didn't realize i do so much gatekeeping, and i want to decrease it.
Hey when you know better you do better and it's cool you realized it now!
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Friendly reminder: downvotes are NOT dislike buttons. Downvoting a comment just because you don't agree = not cool. If a comment gets downvoted, its author will get banned from the site. So please downvote only in case of obvious spam ("how to make cash") or if someone is literally harrassing a fellow panda
Damn. One downvote that could be a mistake or petty revenge gets the author banned? That sucks.
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I learned a lot from this list. I didn't realize i do so much gatekeeping, and i want to decrease it.
Hey when you know better you do better and it's cool you realized it now!
Load More Replies... Friendly reminder: downvotes are NOT dislike buttons. Downvoting a comment just because you don't agree = not cool. If a comment gets downvoted, its author will get banned from the site. So please downvote only in case of obvious spam ("how to make cash") or if someone is literally harrassing a fellow panda
Damn. One downvote that could be a mistake or petty revenge gets the author banned? That sucks.
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