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33 Things Society Has Made Us Believe Are “Necessities” But People In This Online Group Argue They Are Addictions
What is considered normal highly depends on society’s view on it. Once high heels were a shoe that only wealthy men wore and now traditionally only women wear them. In some cultures, more fat on one’s body is associated with being wealthy as it means the person has money to feed themselves, but in other cultures, a lean body is the ideal of beauty.
This is the case with most aspects of our lives. But that means that people sometimes start to normalize things that are not the most healthy for their mind or body. Feeling like you have to be on your phone and always available, buying the newest technology or just craving sugar all the time have become necessities, but they are actually addictions, according to some people on Reddit who joined a thread started by Morticiar who asked “What is an addiction society pretends is a necessity?”
This thread got almost 45k upvotes in just a day and over 24k people wanted to join the conversation. They made some good points and challenged each other to think about what things people are addicted to that they don’t even realize are bad as they see them as necessities. We would like to know what you have to say on the topic, so we are looking forward to reading your comments!
More info: Reddit
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#1
Obsessing over celebrities’ personal lives….
I don’t give a f**k who’s dating who, who had a baby, who got divorced, etc., and I don’t understand why anyone else does.
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#2
And expensive weddings! That s**t is not normal.
Beezel Palomar 2 years ago
We are invited to a wedding in a few months(wife's cousin), and we have to spend on at least, new clothes for her, me and our kid, transportation, as it is out of state, hotel room for at least two nights, gift of course. But yeah, thanks for the invite....
#3
Mom culture. The idea that "mommy needs wine" all the time. Dragging down moms that don't agree with you. And as someone who is childless currently, the idea that we are NOT allowed to speak to you and offer any kind of advice because "you don't have children". I literally gave a new mom ideas on how to help her baby with gas (after dealing with it with my niece for a while) and she told me she didn't WANT my input because I don't have kids.
But the mommy needs wine culture really bothers me.
#4
Alcohol! I’m so tired of people telling me I’m not living my life cause I don’t drink.
Luther von Wolfen 2 years ago
Alcoholism is actually an addiction. Everything else I've seen so far is just habitual behavior. People don't have seizures or heart failure when deprived of access to social media.
#5
Filtered photos have become the norm. It needs to stop
Who Panda 420 2 years ago (edited)
This kind of filter is cute and adorable and there's nothing wrong with it. But I do agree on body enhancing ones that make you look not even real. That's why it's a hard thing to live up to
#8
Working overtime and doing more work than the job description entails
#9
Buying presents for each other all the time. Valentines, christmas, birthday, anniversary, new job etc etc.
Stop buying people s**t that they wouldnt buy themself.
#10
Women beauty trends. Regularly getting nails done, eyelashes done, hair dyed and cut, and all the makeup and skin care products you need for your 12 step skincare routine. Yeah, it’s nice to take care of yourself or treat yourself. And hygiene is for sure important. But you shouldn’t have to go every few weeks and drop tons of money to feel pretty cause that’s what society says. And you don’t need endless products either.
TrixicBird(Any pronouns) 2 years ago
Some people do it because they like to and that's fine, whats not is doing it because you feel ugly without it.
#13
Cell phones. Constantly having it nearby, checking it all the time, having to be available 24/7 in case someone tries to contact you.
As someone who has this addiction, it's really not healthy and adds a lot of unnecessary stress to my life.
#15
Some people are addicted to comparing their lives to others when they should really strive to be the best they can be. Trying to outperform others leads to endless frustration, but trying to outperform yourself leads to true improvement.
#16
Working oneself to death
MyOpinionHasBeenServed 2 years ago
There's an urban legend of an office worker having a heart attack and dying at his desk and no one new until people noticed they were missing their paycheques weeks later.
Julie C Rose 2 years ago
That’s not an addiction; it’s a way of coping with how the greed of the powerful leaves the rest of us with f**k all.
Immortal Emperor Paradox 2 years ago
Well, there's always a chance to be isekai'd after dying...
LynzCatastrophe 2 years ago
Came close. I knew I had to stop. It wasn't worth my health and it had already taken so much of it.
Sail Westerly 2 years ago
Not in this puff baby. Maybe in some parallel Universe, but not this one; just ain't worth it. Been proved time and time and time again.
Brian Bennett 2 years ago
Ever thought of welfare - in our town it reigns supreme they get housing, appliances, money of course for food and rent and the more kids you have the more baby bonus you get (tax free). I'm not saying some people should not be on welfare but in my estimation there should be a time limit. Here welfare breeds welfare! And by the way I know of one family that went to Disney World every year before COVID struck!
#17
MrGlen456 said:
Sugar
noblechimp84 added:
Completely unnoticed. So much sugar in things people just don't expect or check. Thinking of sugar as a drug has helped me enjoy it more responsibly.
#18
The entire (side) hustle culture. I understand the need/desire and do it myself too. But I find it insane that we need to monetize almost every waking moment.
Otter 2 years ago
Sometimes a side hack is a good thing, I'm currently trying to turn my side hack into a full-time job. In a world where sensible people hesitate to quit one job before lining up another, or to change careers without doing a hell of a lot of groundwork, the side hack can be more than an attempt to monetize every waking moment, it can be a way to transition into a great big life change.
#20
trying to look the best on social media. I dont get it and never will
Sir Tarsier 2 years ago
The ultimate flex is having an awesome life and no social media presence. You're not meant to spend your life living vicariously through others!
#21
Shopping
This addiction is actually a medically recognized addiction with it’s own name – Oniomania.
#22
Constant profit. Its called greed, and not only unnecessary but is extremely dangerous. It is not sustainable.
#23
The lotto. It’s really fun to imagine what you would do if you won. If you’re not blowing tons of money on it. That could be worth it right there. But it’s so expensive, and your chances are like .00001 of winning something you can retire with.
#24
Being too connected to friends or social media, you don't need to be constantly on your phone and stopping what you are doing every 5 minutes to look at your phone.
#25
Fast/unhealthy food.
Who Panda 420 2 years ago
It used to be all you could afford. Now it's the same price as a restaurant!
#26
Cars. At least American society.
Most countries in the developed world don't use them nearly as much, and are considered some of the best places to live in the world.
Americans are unhealthily obsessed with car culture.
Eat Dirt Crow 2 years ago
Problem is our entire infrastructure is revolved around cars. The streets, the gas stations, the highways, and the parking lot. All for cars. To put in effective public transportation would be cost prohibitive. Plus, we complain when they have road work to put in another lane(don't get me started on how this doesn't help) can you imagine the uproar of all the roadwork to put in a light rail?
#28
"You gotta be a doctor!!" - Lots more jobs and fields that make more than doctors..
PlantMan2112 2 years ago
Plus unless you’re a specialist, you’re not making great money in the grand scheme of traditionally profitable careers. Never mind malpractice insurance.
#29
GDP. Everyone act as if GDP must goes up every year. And everyone act as like an ever increasing GDP benefits them when they need to work harder to afford the same standard of living.
#31
Getting stuff delivered ASAP!
Blue Purple 2 years ago
well if its delivered later, ill realize i dont even really want it, we cant have that now can we???
#32
Diet
Blue Purple 2 years ago
Well, I would say not eating a healthy, well balanced diet, but fad diets
What do you think ?
Susie Elle 2 years ago
Positivity. Like, all the time, about anything and everything - you MUST always try to see the positive side about things. I mean, of course it's good to try and see things on a brighter side, but some things are just plain shitty, no more and no less, and they can be treated as such. I'm not gonna try and look on the bright side of people getting seriously ill or stuff like that.
Tobias the Tiger 2 years ago
Exactly. I will admit that I try to stay positive as much as possible, but it really isn't possible all the time, and sometimes that's okay.
Load More Replies...
Olga Dremina 2 years ago
I hardly believe there are people who find even quarter of these things necessity. A couple, maybe several, if they are teenagers (i do remember myself pretending I'm not indifferent to smth to feel part of some subculture)
RandomHumanBean 2 years ago
the social media ones really are accurate. in my county (Montgomery county, Maryland, USA) , someone shot someone n in the bathroom (at Macgruder high school) and there were multiple witnesses and none of them called 911 but they posted on social media and they might be charged for it too. there were also multiple gun threats near my school recently so that has not been fun (I'm in middle school)
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
I up voted everything except one. Caffeine. Just can't bring myself to do that. Usually the only ones, with a few exceptions, that I up vote this much are about animals.
Mark Fuller 2 years ago
None of these are necessities unless you're a moron. Pathetic that anyone should think these have any kudos at all. If you do... step back and reevaluate your priorities
Susie Elle 2 years ago
Positivity. Like, all the time, about anything and everything - you MUST always try to see the positive side about things. I mean, of course it's good to try and see things on a brighter side, but some things are just plain shitty, no more and no less, and they can be treated as such. I'm not gonna try and look on the bright side of people getting seriously ill or stuff like that.
Tobias the Tiger 2 years ago
Exactly. I will admit that I try to stay positive as much as possible, but it really isn't possible all the time, and sometimes that's okay.
Load More Replies... Olga Dremina 2 years ago
I hardly believe there are people who find even quarter of these things necessity. A couple, maybe several, if they are teenagers (i do remember myself pretending I'm not indifferent to smth to feel part of some subculture)
RandomHumanBean 2 years ago
the social media ones really are accurate. in my county (Montgomery county, Maryland, USA) , someone shot someone n in the bathroom (at Macgruder high school) and there were multiple witnesses and none of them called 911 but they posted on social media and they might be charged for it too. there were also multiple gun threats near my school recently so that has not been fun (I'm in middle school)
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
I up voted everything except one. Caffeine. Just can't bring myself to do that. Usually the only ones, with a few exceptions, that I up vote this much are about animals.
Mark Fuller 2 years ago
None of these are necessities unless you're a moron. Pathetic that anyone should think these have any kudos at all. If you do... step back and reevaluate your priorities
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