ADVERTISEMENT

It’s important to have rules around. Everyone benefits from general order and knowing how things are done calms the inner anxiousness inside many of us.

However, not all rules are sound in terms of their reasoning. While all rules might have a reason, not all reasons might make sense, whether it’s logical, practical or any other -al. And that might cause some social issues. But more on that later.

Anyway, this in turn urges some to protest against the rule entirely, and these people have recently shared some of the rules that irked them something fierce—so much, in fact that they regularly break these rules because they fundamentally disagree with them.

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Speaking ill of the dead. I'm not going to pretend that somebody was a better person than they actually were because they are dead.

kek2015 , RDNE Stock project / pexels Report

Final score:
214points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#2

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them I hate how they give perfect attendance awards in schools.

If my kid is sick, going through trauma, or we have a funeral, they can skip a damn day

MountainLine , Max Fischer / pexels Report

Final score:
213points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them They will pry the Oxford comma from my cold dead hands.

WineWednesdayYet , Bored Panda Report

Final score:
207points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu

Recently, one Redditor asked folks on r/AskReddit to share common rules that they break just because they fundamentally disagree with them.

Believe it or not, this is the second post in the past month that asks this question, with both of them collectively garnering 14,100 upvotes and generating a discussion of 12,500 comments.
#4

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Stole a pet frog that was severely neglected. Don't give a rat's a*s about stealing if they don't care about mistreating an animal.

westonlark , Virginia State Parks / flickr Report

Final score:
198points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#5

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Pluto is a planet.  

NavierIsStoked , NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute/Alex Parker Report

Final score:
162points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#6

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them I bring my own snack into the movie theatre.

MiekerBeaker , Pavel Danilyuk / pexels Report

Final score:
152points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu

So, rules are guidelines created by individuals, communities, countries, what have you, which dictate a certain code of conduct among people and processes. These can vary based on social interactions, beliefs, governance, and the like.

The key idea behind following rules is to push away the tide of chaos and anarchy. Sure, they feel like restrictions, but they are the lesser of the two evils.
#7

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them If it's a single restroom then I won't care which gender it is.

RadiantHC , Hafidz Alifuddin / pexels Report

Final score:
146points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Elbows on the table. Why????? Unless someone’s in another persons space or their elbows are by the food, it’s such a silly rule. What’s wrong with setting my arm on the table???

ThyKnightOfSporks , Mateo.iq / pexels Report

Final score:
145points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them I let the squirrels use the bird feeder. My fluffy bois are hungry too.

TyphoidLizzie , DantesDame / reddit Report

Final score:
136points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu

As such, rules provide safety as they limit certain bad behaviors and possibly encourage good ones. Same goes with protecting those who are disadvantaged—rules provide safeguards that ensure certain rights and guarantees for people or groups considered vulnerable to particular factors and influences. In that sense, it evens out the playing field so that everyone could have equal opportunities. Oh, and rules also lay the groundwork for malicious compliance.
#10

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them I think Netflix and other streaming services should have the same contents worldwide. We live in the age of internet, borders don’t matter. If I wanna watch something that’s not on my version of Netflix, I’ll find it online at a pirate website. Most of the time they don’t even give me the option to watch it legally because it’s just not on any service in my country. In that case it’s on them, they only have themselves to blame.

FTR, this is a hill I’m willing to die on.

ETA: I know this isn’t Netflix’s fault, it’s the ppl that own the movies and series etc. They won’t get royalties when I watch it illegally, but if I can’t watch it in a legal way, they only have themselves to blame.

sheneededahero , Anastasia Shuraeva / pexels Report

Final score:
132points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#11

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them I refuse to say that somebody "passed away". They died. Ascribe a weighty word to a weighty concept.

Foresight_2020 , Brett Sayles / pexels Report

Final score:
126points
Add photo comments
POST
johannazamora_1 avatar
Pyla
Pyla
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is no problem with using different words for various things. Christ, wtf is wrong with people.

Vote comment up
4
4points
Vote comment down
reply
stuff_5 avatar
UKDeek
UKDeek
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate this whole "passed" / "passed away" - I have been a Paramedic for 29 years and have seen all sorts of issues when other healthcare professionals have told family and relatives their loved one has "passed away". I always say they have died. Leaves no ambiguity and people know exactly the situation. I believe there have been studies that have suggested by not using "died" can cause long term issues with some people, as they can't process their grief correctly.

Vote comment up
2
2points
Vote comment down
reply
jmdirks avatar
jmdirks
jmdirks
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But of course. Why would you want to be socially gentle?

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
fatnotfur avatar
Rebecca McManus
Rebecca McManus
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When you have to phone everyone in your mother's address book to tell them she's died, saying that she's died is very difficult, by the third person I had resorted to saying she'd passed away as I didn't dissolve into tears saying that. Died is so bloody final.

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
miriamemendelson avatar
Mimi M
Mimi M
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The implication is not the same. 'Passed' or 'passed away', tends to imply death as a crossing - like a threshold between worlds. 'Died' tends to imply death as a destination.

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
paulfarrington-douglas avatar
PFD
PFD
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just use a word that's appropriate to the context and audience. It's fine to use a gentle, peaceful-sounding euphemism like "passed away" to be kind, but simple rule-based substitutions are just dumb. "He passed away in a BASE jumping accident" just turns the euphemism into a bad-taste joke.

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
spilota avatar
Ariom Dahl
Ariom Dahl
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

'Passed away' is okay with me, 'died' is okay with me. I don't care for 'passed' My old father in law used the term' fell off the perch' which I rather like.

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
rcarbin avatar
Richienotsorich
Richienotsorich
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's supposed to make it easier on their surviving family and friends. A bit like the concept of heaven. It's nicer to say someone's gone to meet their friends and family who have passed away previously rather than they're rotting in a box or are a pile of ashes.

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Replies...
eeyore163_1 avatar
Heather Menard
Heather Menard
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate the saying. I'm sorry for your loss. I think it's stupid.

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
arbormerced2000 avatar
Cynthia Kelly
Cynthia Kelly
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well you MUST be politically correct, right (notice the sarcasm)? Because now they don't say "dead" or "passed"... the person is "unalive".

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
impossiblekat avatar
KatSaidWhat
KatSaidWhat
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rainbow bridge. Sure. Before you all lay into me, I've had 6 "cross"

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
juliesnelling avatar
Julie S
Julie S
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like the saying lost as in "she lost her husband". My friend had 2 elderly dogs and had to have them put down at the same time. I was away and she messaged me saying she had lost both her dogs I was was just about to message back "that was careless" before I realised what she meant.

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
bhankel avatar
Bill Hankel
Bill Hankel
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree, although it's probably better than "expired", like they were a carton of milk gone bad.

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
shopgirl012974 avatar
Alicia M
Alicia M
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My all-time least favorite dead person thing to say is "they look peaceful." Of course they do, they're dead.

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
dani_2525 avatar
Danielle Renee
Danielle Renee
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

now the dumb new thing is people won't say someone committed suicide, they unalived them self...wtf

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
tucker_cahooter avatar
Tucker Cahooter
Tucker Cahooter
Community Member
8 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In a hat-tip to BP which I presume is the only place in the world that uses this, I will continue to use "[unalived]" (including the brackets of course)

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
zora24_1 avatar
Trillian
Trillian
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In German the euphemism is "eingeschlafen" (fell asleep). Like WHAT??? I hate that. They died. It's sad, but that's what it is.

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
diddylavanza avatar
Daniela Lavanza
Daniela Lavanza
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This should be higher on BP as here some usual words are censored. Is the truth too harsh to cope with?

Vote comment up
0
0points
Vote comment down
reply
View more commentsArrow down menu
#12

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them I clean my ears with qtips

Akgrl33 , Rohan Dalal / pexels Report

Final score:
123points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu

And if that’s not reason enough, there’s also the consequences of rule violations to make sure they aren’t violated. These vary depending on the severity of the offence—after all, littering and stealing, while both crimes, don’t seem like they are on the same level of damage done. And both can be contextual too, as throwing a paper wrapper in a public park isn’t the same as throwing plastic bags into the ocean, but you get the point.
#13

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Don’t talk about your pay at work or at all. No, because finances are incredibly important and I sure as f**k would wanna know what a job pays. This is my life we’re talking about. Money makes it good.

anon , Karolina Grabowska / pexels Report

Final score:
116points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#14

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them If I'm working at some sort of establishment that throws food away, even though it's clearly still edible, im taking that s**t.

WillingnessOk3564 , Franklin Heijnen / flickr Report

Final score:
115points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#15

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them At my job, we aren’t allowed to go home on break. I live right in front of the store, three minute walk away. Yeah no, I’m going home.

Euphoric_Treat7089 , Gül Işık / pexels Report

Final score:
110points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu

But there’s also the other side of the coin. Why do people choose to disobey rules? Is it because taboos are fun to defy because of the reactions you get from folks, or is it because it’s time for change?

Civil disobedience is a great example of breaking rules in order to raise fundamental questions about anything from morality to civic obligation to government rule. All of this to drive needed social change.
#16

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them The assistant manager always wants you to serve old fries at the end of the night. No. Once they go to the back office the last hour of their shift to count money and do computer things, I’m going to let you know it’s late and has been slow, but just for you I’m cooking your fries fresh, it will be about 3 more minutes. I don’t serve old, cold food. I get that you break down the fry station because it has to be cleaned. But placing a tray of fries on the sandwich warmer isn’t going to maintain taste and flavor. The fryer still works. On my shift you can trust I will get you fresh fries at 11:45 pm. Write me up. Idgaf. Ain’t nobody got time for cold fries.

Gladysfartz , Ron Lach / pexels Report

Final score:
109points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#17

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Teacher: If kids are hungry, I let them eat. They can eat as much as they want. Even if they show up late, they can eat, if it’s in the middle of the day, they can eat while they work. Also, they can go to the bathroom, maybe they have to wait 3 minutes until I’m done talking, but otherwise go. It helps I have a bathroom in my room which would solve many problems for middle schoolers.

westcoast7654 , Katerina Holmes / pexels Report

Final score:
105points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#18

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them No food or drinks at the nurses station. I work ER and haven’t taken a full 30 minute lunch in about a decade, I’m definitely snacking at my desk.

svrgnctzn , Laura James / pexels Report

Final score:
103points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu

The idea of civil disobedience can shed light on an issue that would encourage debate, rethinking and subsequent change of unjust laws, ways of thinking in terms of ethics, morality, culture or social norms.

And while it can go a long way, there’s an important thing to note with civil disobedience: yes, you are breaking rules for a greater good, but your cause still has to be just and follow a standard of just behavior.

ADVERTISEMENT
#19

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them I help homeless people on the streets by passing out food. Never know what they've been through. I've gotten tickets for it too , sad

Guilty_Caregiver4433 , Timur Weber / pexels Report

Final score:
102points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#20

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Crossing the street in the middle is fine when there are no cars. Also it's okay to go diagonally at cross walks for the same reason

saintash , Vlada Karpovich / pexels Report

Final score:
97points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Consumption Dates: Eating food past its sell-by date, as you believe it’s often still good and don't want to waste food

Similar-Play7493 , viZZZual.com / flickr Report

Final score:
89points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu

It’s actually in the name—civil disobedience.

It has to be civil. And by proxy, the reasons behind the disobedience have to be backed up with just behavior—one that aligns with fundamental moral principles with individuals accepting and bearing personal responsibility for their actions and choices.

ADVERTISEMENT
#22

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Getting around paywalls. I understand financially supporting journalism, but I can’t subscribe to everything.

Weasel_Town , Karolina Grabowska / pexels Report

Final score:
85points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#23

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Loyalty to a company. P**s me off after 3 months? I’ll quit. 5 years? I’ll quit. 18 months? I’ll quit My family doesn’t give two s***s whether im somewhere for 90 days or 9 years. They just care that dad loves them and is there for them, and I never ever ever want them to be cold, hungry or in pain. And if I have to quit a job because even for a second that’s threatened, so be it

Memento-Mori-357 , fauxels/ pexels Report

Final score:
73points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them After the 3rd sneeze I stop saying bless you.

prettyuser , Edward Jenner / pexels Report

Final score:
72points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda

The fact that a person is willing to stand by their choices and opinions, saying “no” to things they don’t believe in all the while adhering to that which is considered civil and human ultimately adds power to the protest.

Think of the greats—Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr.—they all approached civil disobedience in a principled, yet effective way to achieve great things for millions, if not billions, of people.
#25

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Pirating something you've paid for previously. I didn't just buy the CD or DVD, I bought the right to install and view or use that material. Owning a physical copy of an intellectual property (music, videogame, film) implies a perpetual right to viewership and use.

Paying wildly overpriced medical bills. For a decade, now, I've just refused to pay, let them go to collections, and dispute them for ages until they finally give up. At worst, I make the collection agency waste money on the pursuit, then settle for pennies.

KreacherInTheCorner , cottonbro studio / pexels Report

Final score:
66points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them I'm a teacher, so we're not supposed to wear jeans. I think this is the most out-dated, nonsensical rule.

We know now that building relationships with students is the most important thing, and I truly believe that you are distancing yourself from kids if you come to school in some wack a*s "professional" office outfit. Who will a kid be more likely to bond with? Somebody who looks more like them!!

Also, I'm convinced that districts only keep this rule in place so that they can dangle a "jeans day!" in front of our faces every so often to try to keep us complacent. It's insulting.

I'm too afraid to break this rule completely, because ultimately I do love my job, but every Friday when we have a "jeans day if you wear a school shirt," I just wear my jeans with whatever shirt I want. It's my tiny, miniscule, absolutely microscopic taste of rebellion, lol

OG-mother-earth , Max Fischer / pexels Report

Final score:
63points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#27

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them If something is no longer being published, I don't have qualms about copyright infringement

Old_Snow3086 , JESHOOTS.com / pexels Report

Final score:
50points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu

But it doesn’t have to be on an epic scale to count, though. It’s crossing the street when there is no crossing, but neither are there any cars. It’s pirating something that you’ve previously paid for. It’s writing the Oxford comma despite heated debates among language purists. They are all breaking some form of rule, but the context allows for it in a non-threatening and non-harmful way. And all of that is in the hopes that something will change for the better.
#28

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them right now I pirate guilt free because streaming services suck more and more and you never know when some a*****e game service is going to delete a game you bought tomorrow 

Apocalyptic-turnip , Julia M Cameron / pexels Report

Final score:
50points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

30 Times Folks Online Broke Rules Because They Made Zero Sense To Them Polite conversation topics. I wanna talk about death sex and money

kathmanducameron , fauxels / pexels Report

Final score:
50points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#30

Work Dress Codes: Wearing more casual clothing to work than the dress code permits, feeling that comfort boosts productivity

Original-Budget4396 Report

Final score:
39points
Add photo comments
POST
View more commentsArrow down menu

Note: this post originally had 60 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Share them in the comment section below.

Don’t have any thoughts? Bored Panda has other, similar places that you can be at—places like the social issues section.

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!