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“What’s A Common Rule That You Break Regularly Because You Fundamentally Disagree With It?” (45 Answers)
Interview
Some say that rules are meant to be broken, and so broken they will be, be it traffic regulations or the dos and don'ts of playing Uno.
These are just a couple of examples of rules that some people break regularly. And while the reasons for doing that might differ with each person, some do it simply because they fundamentally disagree with them.
Members of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community recently shared what rules they refuse to follow, because of said reason, after redditor ‘RGDJR’ started a thread about it. Covering everything from orders and regulations to expectations and social norms, netizens assembled quite an extensive list of rules that, in their opinion, should be broken, so scroll down to find them, and see if you agree with any of them.
Below you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with the person who started the thread, user RGDJR, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
“Breakfast foods.” Ive had coworkers walk in on me eating steak and mashed potatoes with asparagus at 7 AM for breakfast. When questioned I always respond “I don’t subscribe to societal norms of proper meal time foods”
Edit: I woke up to a ton of people agreeing with me so it’s clear ive been chosen as the leader of the rebellion. We march on Kellog’s headquarters at dawn
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#2
Automatic respect because someone is elderly.
They get common courtesy, but everyone has to earn respect/authority before they can start bossing people around.
#3
My state says I'm not allowed to provide alcohol to my own children until they are 21.
I will not let them be carted off to a bar on their 21st birthday unless they are already very familiar with alcohol and how different ABV% affects their bodies. I do not care what the law says, their first drink will come from me in the safety of their own home.
In a recent interview with Bored Panda, u/RGDJR shared that the thing that encouraged him to ask this particular question was a rule that he himself breaks on the regular. “I had just returned from some travel with a colleague and found that she and I differ on the need to put your phone into airplane mode before takeoff,” he said.
“She obeys this rule religiously. I, on the other hand, have never put my phone into airplane mode. My position is: if it's actually important, the airline wouldn't just ask people to do it, you'd need to show the flight attendant proof… or your phone would automatically switch to airplane mode when it sensed that you were moving at a certain speed. In any case, I don't buy that it's actually necessary. And it was this debate with my colleague that inspired the question. I was curious what other rules people break willingly.”
#4
Tipping everywhere. Not exactly a rule but I ain't gonna tip where I haven't received an actual service where someone has to go out of their way to do something for me. I don't care if I get mean looks for it.
#5
Account sharing. I bought the game, service, movie, etc, I get to decide who uses it
The OP admitted that the volume of answers from the redditors caught him off guard; what surprised him even more was how many of them he agreed with.
“In fact, the top response is one that I'm aligned on wholeheartedly,” he said. “The idea that people shouldn't discuss their salary with each other is bulls**t. Talking salary helps to ensure pay equity. I have a team of people who work for me and I would never dissuade them from talking about what they make.”
#6
YouTube TOS says I can't block ads. The day they can stop me is the day I stop watching Youtube.
Edit: 8000 upvotes and yet there's a lot of copium in this thread over me still blocking ads.
#7
I *actually* use my turn signal/blinker.
I eat cookie dough and I eat Nutella with a spoon
#8
Jaywalking. If the street is obviously clear, I'm not going to wait for nothing.
“Pirating content is also an answer that struck a chord with me,” the redditor continued. “I make every effort to buy media. But if the world won't sell it to me, I'll take to the seas. I also thought there was some great advice on getting scientific papers from the authors as opposed to paying for them.”
#9
Rules about pirating content that I am geographically restricted from streaming legally.
#10
If i find cash on the ground i'm not going to give it to the authorities
V 3 months ago
If I see who dropped it I will return it to them, or if it's a whole wallet with id cards I'll hand it in. But just loose cash on the ground, nah.
Toothless Feline 3 months ago
If you have no straightforward way of determining whose money it was, then trying to return it to the “owner” is futile. I’ll turn it over to authorities if it’s a large amount of cash, but everyday amounts? The police don’t want to deal with it either. If I can’t readily figure out who lost it, it’s mine now unless someone comes up shortly thereafter and can convincingly claim to have lost it.
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_physically_insane_(he/they/any) 3 months ago
It depends on the circumstances, like if I find a duffel bag of cash I’d probably give it to authorities because that’s really odd, but a $20 bill on the ground I’d keep.
XenoMurph 3 months ago
If you regularly find duffel bags full of cash, your dad isn't a chemistry teacher, he's just pretending.
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Ace 3 months ago (edited)
Yeh, of course depends on the amount and the location. 10 or 20 bucks on a random street would be immediately pocketed by 90% of people, larger amounts, and/or in a space where you have seen the victim, like someone dropping money at a supermarket checkout, would nearly always be returned. By most people.
Lady of Shalott 3 months ago
If I find £10 or £20 on the ground, how am I supposed to find who lost it? If I wave it in the air asking who lost their money, everyone will want it. If people were always honest, I would give it back, but realistically I might as well keep it.
Joann Hart 3 months ago
Wave it in the air, you hospital stay will cost more lol
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LonelyLittleLeafSheep 3 months ago
Loose cash on the ground: keeping it. Wallet on the ground: return it. Duffel bag of cash in wrapped bundles: definitely turning it over to authorities. Don't need any kidnapper/terrorist/d**g cartel types coming after me.
nottheactualphoto 3 months ago
I've seen the movie "No Country for Old Men."
Load More Replies... Sven Horlemann 3 months ago
I once found 20 Deutschmarks, and simply gave it to the next beggar. He could not believe his luck. It was much more worth to him than myself. I dunno. Felt like doing the right thing.
KatSaidWhat 3 months ago
I did once track a wallet owner down and tell him I had it and that it was all intact. He told me to keep the cash and destroy the cards because they had already been blocked and replaced. Karma?
AppleInMyHeart 3 months ago
nah.. big cash i would give it to the police. small money, ii would still try return it. if not, i would put in a donation box. yes, i strongly feel guilt,not worth the mental torture
Auntriarch 3 months ago
Absolutely. If it's a lot, the police. Tiny amounts go in the nearest charity shop. If it's say £40 right outside a supermarket, I take it into the shop in case someone didn't shut their purse properly (those new plastic banknotes are very bouncy)
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Felix Quinones 3 months ago
I used to buy lottery tickets as I found money, then in prayer the story of the old woman giving out of her necessity came to mind and it dawned on me that more can be achieved by giving the found money to charity no matter how small the amount.
Joann Hart 3 months ago
Live life like it all comes back around. You might drop your wallet with rent, child support etc. Someday. Wouldn't you want it back?
Amberlie Mikelsen 3 months ago
Finding a single bill or coins on the ground (and I'm not talking about if you saw who dropped it, in that case, please return it) is a gift from the Money Fairy. However, if I happen to find an envelope or other container with several hundred $$$ (or more), you had better believe that I'm turning it in (with my contact info and a request to be contacted if it remains unclaimed after a week).
Joann Hart 3 months ago (edited)
It's mine, unless I saw who dropped it. If it's a wallet, it gets returned no touch , might take a Pic when picking up so there is no question.
Michael Largey 3 months ago
Someone asked Yogi Berra "If you found a million dollars, would you return it to its owner?, he replied "Well, if he was a poor person, sure."
brittany 3 months ago
if i see who dropped it or its with a wallet then yes i will return it. (or if its a hugely large sum like a couple hundred or something. thats too much bad karma right there) but ive found a 20 just in the parking lot and yep that came in the car with me and bought me few coffees.
Liz The Biz 3 months ago
It depends on the situation. I was once in a bar and the lady in front of me dropped a £10 note. I immediately got her attention and gave her it back. Another time it was pouring with rain and I saw a £20 note on top of a drain cover when i was walking down a street. It was wet through so it had obviously been there for ages and there was nobody else around so I kept it.
Meaghan Charlebois 3 months ago
If I find a wallet, obviously return / find the owner. If find cash (its usually a small amount like 5$ ) I hold on to it & donate to charity, give to a panhandler or buy them a bottle of juice or water) pay it forward.
Winter Eleven 3 months ago (edited)
I mean if there's noone around (who might've dropped it) then go for it. My mom once found 100€ at the atm by the store and brought it to the cash register if they noticed anyone before she used the atm... The cashier said she'd "hold on" to the money in case anyone came by asking... Luckily the dude ran back and mom gave him the cash. Cashier wasn't looking happy (Mom remembered that was the guy she walked past to get to the atm so it was his)
MalibuClassicMan 3 months ago
Nope not me, most will just put it in their own pockets after you do I bet.
Tanya Phillips 3 months ago
I give cash I find to charity unless I know for a fact who dropped it.
Brian Droste 3 months ago
Depends on the amount. If only a few dollars or a coins I wouldn't. If it was a larger amount I would turn it in.
Two_rolling_black_eyes 3 months ago
Depends on the amount and circumstances. If I find your wallet with $45 in it or see you drop a $100 bill at the register, I'll reach out. If I grab the wrong suitcase and it has $50k in it, I'm turning it into the police because the person it belongs to has my bag with my home address. I want to keep my fingers. If I find $20 on the ground out on a walk, it's going into my pocket.
ROSESARERED 3 months ago
Small amounts I put it in a donation bin...it wasn't mine to use ...large amounts I handling in, it could be the rent payment, or something else that they cant avoid, for someone
Mark Bayliss 3 months ago
Cash on the ground is mine. I found a child's purse with £20 in it once and waited for over an hour to return it and got no thanks from the parents who basically tried to accuse me of stealing. Never again.
UKGrandad 3 months ago
In the UK, if you find something and keep it instead of taking reasonable steps to return it to the owner (typically by handing it in to the police*), you are committing a crime of Theft by Finding, which carries the same penalties as any other form of theft. * Lost items become the property of the finder if the owner doesn't reclaim them within 60 days of them being handed in at a police station.
censorshipsucks 3 months ago
lol at returning cash in africa, not a chance. you lost it it is gone.
Salty_Sasquatch 3 months ago
I fond 15 dollars on the floor of the waiting line for a movie. I was going to pick it up when a couple boys noticed it. One kid wanted to pick it up but the other kid scoffed 'no, it's fake'. I picked it up and later I gave it to a homeless person. I'm okay income wise and I felt someone else could have more uses for it.
Chloe Belle 3 months ago
My child found extra quarters at the arcade this weekend. I allowed him to use the money to play one game and put the other quarters around on random machines.
kath morgan 3 months ago
Really depends on how much…! If it looks like it might be someone’s rent money I would hand it in (suspiciously large amounts, I would call and not touch).
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 3 months ago
I had $40 fall out of my pocket at a store. When I went to pay, I had no money. I went to where I thought I lost it (I had bent down to get a bag of cat food) and it wasn't there. I asked another shopper if he'd seen it, not expecting a yes, and he handed me my money back!
Verena 3 months ago
Yes, in societies with decent social values it is. In others it is maybe even the law.
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Multa Nocte 3 months ago
Many of us would if it were a large amount. Many of us would also try to see if someone in the immediate area had somehow lost their cash even if it were a smaller amount. I guess my question is the opposite - who wouldn't?
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#11
Not expressing emotions to appear “strong/tough”. I had a hard year last year and I couldn’t hold it in and opened up with 3 coworkers I trusted. We have since then developed a very strong friendship and even since we all left out last company, we became really close friends.
If more people normalized mental illness the world would be a much better place.
Despite agreeing with fellow netizens that some rules are meant to be broken—in some cases, regularly—the OP told Bored Panda that he absolutely believes that rules are necessary for people.
“Rules often exist for a very good reason. They help ensure a (generally) peaceful society. They deter criminal behavior that might endanger us. They guarantee that my football team is going to move 15 yards up the field if the opposing team is rough on our quarterback. That said, I don't believe that all rules are entirely necessary. And as this post proved, a sizable population of redditors would agree.”
#12
Making the bed. Why would I make my bed all neat if I'm just going to mess it up again at the soonest opportunity? As long as nothing is sliding off the bed then it's fine.
#13
My employees dont pay for food on my shifts. we dont pay them a living wage, i’m not about to make them pay for a meal for themselves after theyve given me 8-9 hours of their day.
#15
"Do not discuss salary with colleagues or people outside this company." - F**k that.
Edit: Phew!
To be clear, I am not part of the US and not really part of the EU. The act of discussing pay is not legally protected here. It may be in the future though...
#17
I'm so tired of the "subscription" world we live in now. I basically just pirate everything. I used to still buy the discs. But many movies don't get released in UHD, so what's the point of even looking.
I don't want to stream compressed 4k. And I certainly don't want to worry about whether or not the company pulls the movie from their service or just stops it altogether.
#18
There is an outlet mall near us that has designated spaces painted with pink ribbons that are for breast cancer survivors. The spaces are always empty. I am a 2x ovarian cancer survivor. I use the spaces as needed.
#19
Do socks really need to match, or is this just a bill of goods sold to us by Big Laundry?
#20
Dress codes. Dress codes tend to be more restrictive for females than males (don’t tempt him with your exposed clavicles, ladies). Many of them are also racist. And they have absolutely nothing to do with someone’s standards or ability to perform duties, whether it be a job, a school, or even a restaurant.
#21
The rule against ending a sentence with a preposition. That is one rule, up with which I will not put.
#22
There is no difference between being at work at 8am and 8:10am. Especially when it’s not shift work and there’s no one waiting for you to arrive so they can leave. In every job I’ve had they always gripe about being right on time at 8am and then you have hovering managers looking at the door to see who’s late at 8:02am. I am always at work but I will not be there at 8am on the dot for the next 25+ years of my life. It makes no difference
#23
Ages on car seats. I think a kid’s age has zero relation and all car seat requirements should be based on weight alone.
#24
I wear socks and sandals. The people complaining are annoyingly ridiculous. I’m not gonna show my hairy feet if I don’t want to and I can’t stand the feeling/sound of sweaty feet on sandals.
#25
Lying on your resume. I’m not talking about completely lying that you worked at Google for 2 years when you didn’t. That’s a little much.
But in reality i have gaps between many jobs, due to either unemployment or just needing a damn break between jobs. but on my resume i have consecutively been employed with no gaps my entire career. I feel like recruiters see gaps as a red flag, and sometimes your resume doesn’t make it far enough to even explain the gaps, even if they’re completely harmless gaps.
In regard to background checks for new jobs I’ve personally still passed all of mine with no issues. To my knowledge the agency conducting the background checks can only verify information you give them yourself (not the employer). So I simply don’t provide exact dates, just the year I worked at whatever place. Of course this could backfire, but so far so good over here
Edit: I fundamentally disagree with it because employers lie about the job description all the time. What you actually end up doing rarely matches what they pitch you.
#26
No putting your elbows on the table. It's a silly rule that was based on the idea of "if you have room to put your elbows on the table, it implies your host didn't provide enough food." We make bigger tables now. And most of the time I'm the one who is buying the food in question.
#27
I'm conscious of the speed limit, but typically follow the speed of traffic first. So if traffic is going faster than the speed limit, I'm going to go faster to keep pace with everyone else.
#28
The rule that you cannot place a +2 on a +2 in UNO I am always going to break that rule no matter what anyone says
#30
Not a rule but i refuse to fill out opinion surveys for service or something i bought. If you want me to provide you with optimization information for your business, i need something in return.
#32
I tip the minimum amount at restaurants.
Places nowadays want a minimum 25% tip and I will do 15% every time. You don’t get to tell me how generous I have to be. And in case everyone forgot, tips are OPTIONAL.
#33
Don’t date where you work.
You spend nearly a third of your waking hours at work. You learn about the people you work with over weeks, months, years, and have a much better idea of compatibility than with a random club or dating app meetup.
#34
Taking slightly longer breaks at work. Two 10min breaks and a 20min lunch on a 10hr shift. Nah
#35
I ignore margins in notebooks and write over them. Why waste space? I use the whole page.
#36
In 1950s New Zealand they used to have six o’clock closing for all the bars by law. My dad was barely of drinking age but he used to line up with everyone else and hand over his cash while the publican sold flagons of beer over the back fence.
He told me this story to teach me this axiom:
“You don’t obey the *stupid* laws.”
#37
Maybe not totally on point but if I have a device that breaks just out of warranty I will often buy a new one and just return the old one. I know two wrongs don’t make a right and it’s fraud but as far as I’m concerned selling me something that breaks within 1 year for the price of something that should last at least 5 years is legalized fraud so I’m just cheating them like they cheat me.
I do try and give the company a chance to honor their device regardless of the stated warranty but if not returned it goes.
#38
City animal limits. YES if you can't take care of them they need to be removed, but in my city the limit is 4 cats/dogs total. Down the road in the next city it's 10 cats/dogs.
I have 8. It's b******t. It's my space and I'm taking good care of them, they dont roam. The only interaction with neighbors is if they see them in my window.
It really doesn't affect me much as most people around here ignore the rule too
#39
5 second rule. If it falls on the floor I just throw it out. That’s gross.
#40
Sharing meds. My oldest and I had several of the same prescriptions and would use them interchangeably as needed between refills. It’s the same prescription. But I imagine some medical professionals would lose their minds.
#41
Adding garlic and onion to the pan at the same time to soften. Do you want burnt garlic? Because that's how you get burnt garlic.
#42
I throw away the mail of the people who lived in my apartment before me rather than taking it to the post office every. Single. Day. If they wanted their mail, they would have filled out a change of address form.
#43
That you need to wait for other people to start eating, eat your food before it gets cold, I’ll just talk while I’m waiting
#44
Telling white lies to your SO is good.
No. I'm not carrying the baggage of lies. I'm always kind, and I'm always honest. Don't want to know thing? You better not ask me.
#45
Using knife and fork to cut your food. If the food it's soft enough, why I can't use my spoon?
What do you think ?
XenoMurph 3 months ago
Some rules are not for the individual, but for population level risks. Putting oil down your sink appears to do no harm, but then everyone does it, and there's a massive fatberg. You think going 10km per hour over the limit harms no one, but everyone sticking to the limit reduces deaths by hundreds over the entire nation. You think you're not at risk so you don't get a vaccine, but then everyone does that, and we get polio back. We live in complex societies with complex results from simple actions.
Deirdre Segraves 3 months ago
Bruh. Bored panda. I l9ve scrolling you page while I am at work but it's getting very difficult with the pop ups. You don't need my email, I already have hulu. Relax.
Toothless Feline 3 months ago
I’m from Ohio, in the heart of “The” Ohio State University’s fandom, and I refuse to say “I-O!” after someone yells “O-H!”. Sometimes I’ll yell “Oh No!” In response to an “O-H!” specifically because it annoys people. I won’t do the O-H-I-O gestures either.
brittany 3 months ago
not discussing proper body part names and function like periods. all of my kids had the body parts and period talk from about the age of 2 when they would clamor to get into the bathroom with me. i refuse to raise girls ashamed of their body and i refuse to raise a son to think periods are gross or some big cosmic mystery. i will not gatekeep knowledge.
Rick Seiden 3 months ago
I ignore registering my dogs, especially if they are small dogs. My dogs, when I had them, never left the house unless they were being walked, on a leash. They don't pose a danger to anyone. Why do I have to pay the town to tell them I have a dog?
Liz The Biz 3 months ago
I don't wash my recycling (cans and bottles). I've got enough to do without washing my rubbish, and years ago I knew someone who was put into an asylum for doing things like washing her rubbish. It gets washed when it gets to the recycling centre anyway.
Tanya Phillips 3 months ago
I got told ff once for not standing for the national anthem. I didn't want to stand up for the Queen. I like Liz but do I think she was somehow born superior?? Nope.
Trisec Tebeakesse 3 months ago
"No right turn on red". Unless a police car is literally right behind you, the rule is unenforceable.
Regina Holt 3 months ago
I keep my bananas in the fridge. I like them cold. And still a little green. I hate room temperature fully ripe bananas. I've been told that I'm doing it wrong, but damm it, it's the way I like them, why does it matter to anyone else?
Louise Brown 3 months ago
I do the same. The cold makes the skin brown quicker, but the fruit inside remains fresher for longer. They will look absolutely vile from the outside, but when you open them, fresh as a daisy.
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ThePinwormsrock 3 months ago
No buying alcohol before noon on Sunday. Absolutely ridiculous. I tried to get the ingredients for beef burgundy for Sunday dinner. Nope.
Oerff On Tour 3 months ago
Leaving one urinal open between 2 men? Why? If the closest one to the door is occupied, I'll take the second. If you're afraid I'll see your junque, take a stall. Or the owner of the place should have put dividers between them, as is the common thing in Europe.
Benjamin Palmer 3 months ago
If I'm at an intersection waiting to make a left hand turn and there's a red arrow and nobody is coming the other way? I'm so running that red arrow.
XenoMurph 3 months ago
Some rules are not for the individual, but for population level risks. Putting oil down your sink appears to do no harm, but then everyone does it, and there's a massive fatberg. You think going 10km per hour over the limit harms no one, but everyone sticking to the limit reduces deaths by hundreds over the entire nation. You think you're not at risk so you don't get a vaccine, but then everyone does that, and we get polio back. We live in complex societies with complex results from simple actions.
Deirdre Segraves 3 months ago
Bruh. Bored panda. I l9ve scrolling you page while I am at work but it's getting very difficult with the pop ups. You don't need my email, I already have hulu. Relax.
Toothless Feline 3 months ago
I’m from Ohio, in the heart of “The” Ohio State University’s fandom, and I refuse to say “I-O!” after someone yells “O-H!”. Sometimes I’ll yell “Oh No!” In response to an “O-H!” specifically because it annoys people. I won’t do the O-H-I-O gestures either.
brittany 3 months ago
not discussing proper body part names and function like periods. all of my kids had the body parts and period talk from about the age of 2 when they would clamor to get into the bathroom with me. i refuse to raise girls ashamed of their body and i refuse to raise a son to think periods are gross or some big cosmic mystery. i will not gatekeep knowledge.
Rick Seiden 3 months ago
I ignore registering my dogs, especially if they are small dogs. My dogs, when I had them, never left the house unless they were being walked, on a leash. They don't pose a danger to anyone. Why do I have to pay the town to tell them I have a dog?
Liz The Biz 3 months ago
I don't wash my recycling (cans and bottles). I've got enough to do without washing my rubbish, and years ago I knew someone who was put into an asylum for doing things like washing her rubbish. It gets washed when it gets to the recycling centre anyway.
Tanya Phillips 3 months ago
I got told ff once for not standing for the national anthem. I didn't want to stand up for the Queen. I like Liz but do I think she was somehow born superior?? Nope.
Trisec Tebeakesse 3 months ago
"No right turn on red". Unless a police car is literally right behind you, the rule is unenforceable.
Regina Holt 3 months ago
I keep my bananas in the fridge. I like them cold. And still a little green. I hate room temperature fully ripe bananas. I've been told that I'm doing it wrong, but damm it, it's the way I like them, why does it matter to anyone else?
Louise Brown 3 months ago
I do the same. The cold makes the skin brown quicker, but the fruit inside remains fresher for longer. They will look absolutely vile from the outside, but when you open them, fresh as a daisy.
Load More Replies... ThePinwormsrock 3 months ago
No buying alcohol before noon on Sunday. Absolutely ridiculous. I tried to get the ingredients for beef burgundy for Sunday dinner. Nope.
Oerff On Tour 3 months ago
Leaving one urinal open between 2 men? Why? If the closest one to the door is occupied, I'll take the second. If you're afraid I'll see your junque, take a stall. Or the owner of the place should have put dividers between them, as is the common thing in Europe.
Benjamin Palmer 3 months ago
If I'm at an intersection waiting to make a left hand turn and there's a red arrow and nobody is coming the other way? I'm so running that red arrow.
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