35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were

There is a moment many of us have as adults when we recall some action we used to take when we were younger that now fills us with horror and shame. From atrocious creative work to downright disgusting habits, we all have a few things that we hope remain in the past.

So someone asked “What have you always done, but later found out was gross?” and these brave netizens spilled their guts. So make sure you have already satiated your appetite because you are about to lose it. Get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites, and comment your own gross habits, if you are brave enough.

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35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were As a dude, standing up to pee. Seriously, the stuff sprays everywhere. We got one of those flashlights made for highlighting pet urine on carpet, and out of curiosity I shined around in the bathroom. It’s everywhere. Gentlemen, it’s really gross what we’re exposing the women in our lives to. We’re not talking about truck stops or rest areas, but the bathrooms of those we know and love. Sit down, it won’t emasculate you.

ZiggyEarthDust , Ketut Subiyanto Report

Final score:

228points

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35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I pick my nose (privately then wash my hands). I just can’t deal with a clogged nose & my fingers work better than a tissue ever could

harleybruuuh , Karolina Grabowska Report

Final score:

184points

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35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I love to eat the crispy, crunchy white yucca flowers from my yard.

I ate them for years before discovering there are tiny little white waxy worms that live in the flowers and blend in.

I eat other bugs and worms and stuff, but not raw, so I started to wash them out of the flowers before I ate them.

I learned the flowers are nowhere near as nutty and crunchy and delicious without the worms, so now I leave them in.

Mushrooming247 , Svetlana Lisova Report

Final score:

131points

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35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I didn’t use to close the lid on the toilet before flushing. Oh the sharticles.

Standard-Guarantee94 , Hakim Santoso Report

Final score:

130points

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Omg this isn't something for me personal, but men?? Not washing their hands after they pee?? I seen this statistic during covid and asked my male friends and I couldn't believe how many said this was true. It's stayed with me ever since lol.

sukianaxx Report

Final score:

127points

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35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I was in my late teens before I learned you're supposed to wipe front to back not back to front. I was like damn and started doing it the right way. I could never get a good clean front to back. I figured I just needed practice but I did it for 6 months and it never improved. I went back to the way I've always done it. I've never had a yeast infection or UTI. Idk how far you guys are wiping but I don't have an issue

asexualrhino , Miriam Alonso Report

Final score:

102points

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35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were As a child I would dig up bits of clay from the local sandbox. It wasn’t as good as play-doh, so I would cast it aside and continue digging.

Maybe I didn’t have a very good sense of smell at that age, because I was well into adulthood before I realized it was probably cat s**t.

Blue_Moon_Rabbit , Kaboompics .com Report

Final score:

95points

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35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were When I was like 5 or 6 years old I would love going to the grocery store with my mom because the vegetable and fruit and meat tables always had the best ice to chew on....

campio_s_a , Blue Arauz Report

Final score:

89points

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35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I used to really like those self service lollies/candy buckets with the scoops. They were in most big box stores in Australia, like Kmart, Target, Big W. So much fun mixing and matching.

But then one day I started working at Target. Every single day I caught old people and kids with their hands directly inside grabbing them out and munching down all slobbery like. Turned me off forever.

Though not too long after they started disappearing from businesses so obviously someone got the unsanitary message.

blahblahrasputan , Melvin Silva Report

Final score:

89points

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#10

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I am 66yo and only learned a week ago that you are supposed to FLOSS FIRST & THEN BRUSH your teeth! I saw something on Reddit about this & I asked my family (3 adult kids & husband). They ALL knew to floss first, brush second - WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME??? They just thought what I did was weird but never mentioned it.

Makitsew , Sora Shimazaki Report

Final score:

88points

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#11

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I flushed my tampons my whole life until I was about 30. No one had taught me they weren’t flushable. I stupidly thought they were like toilet paper.

One expensive and embarrassing plumbing problem later, I never did it again.

Ew_fine , Miriam Alonso Report

Final score:

87points

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#12

When I was a kid, I had pinworms. That’s no big deal, kids have them often from playing in dirt and putting their fingers in their mouth. However I was too embarrassed to tell my parents I had them, so I just…left it alone. I had recurrent bouts of worms on and off until I was in my late teens, and then at that point I developed a serious eating disorder for unrelated reasons and they all sort of died off because I wasn’t eating and pinworms feed on sugars in your intestines.

madamevanessa98 Report

Final score:

80points

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#13

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were as an asian i was always taught growing up to throw used toilet paper in the trash bin. it wasnt until i went on a school trip to italy the chaperone mentioned to everyone “the plumbing system here isnt as good as the USA so you guys are just gonna have to throw it in the trash bin” and everyone went “ew”. and thats when i learned that it was gross to throw toilet paper in the trash bin since the issue was youre basically having s**t bits sitting around in a bin.

stigma_numgus , La Miko Report

Final score:

77points

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#14

not brushing my teeth every day.

i struggle with life-long dysthymia (basically chronic mild depression), and during the covid lockdown it got pretty bad and i'd straight up brush my teeth every other week, at best. i didn't see the point because i didn't leave my room.

i forced myself to get a thorough professional clean after about a year of this and it felt amazing. i've miraculously never had a cavity, though.

less_radio_more_head Report

Final score:

73points

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#15

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Spitting in public(on the sidewalk, streets, etc.)

Growing up in a smaller Texas Town, spitting whenever and wherever was a p common thing. It was totally acceptable to be walking down the street, and just kinda spit if you felt the need to. Never really thought anything of it. I didn't realize people found spitting on sidewalks offensive until was about 30 or so. I still to this day don't understand why. I try not to do it as much anymore. But.. if there ain't anybody around bet'chur a*s I'ma spit tho.

EDIT: It has been brought to my attention that spitting can be a factor in spreading specific diseases/viruses. After doing some quick research on it, I have found this to be factual. Moving forward, I will be even *more* mindful of my spitting habits.

NuggleBuggins , Lukas Rychvalsky Report

Final score:

71points

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#16

Sharing a bar of soap with my husband. I thought it was normal until it came up in my mom group. If we are going to bump uglies, we can definitely share soap. I don’t care if it’s gross, we only have one soap holder. 🥴

cocoakrispiesdonut Report

Final score:

71points

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#17

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were All my life I wiped my toothbrush on the hand towel to dry it up until my sister asked what the f**k I was doing

Sark_Doul , Cup of Couple Report

Final score:

70points

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#18

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Not washing newly purchased clothing items

MysteryGoomba , Liza Summer Report

Final score:

66points

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#19

Never take out my contact lenses.

WeaponLX23 Report

Final score:

62points

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#20

Double dipping snacks. Pretty logical but only found out recently that’s very bad etiquette

AggravatingDriver559 Report

Final score:

62points

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#21

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Not brushing my teeth when I wake up. I would only brush my teeth after breakfast, and I would rarely eat breakfast. So most days I would only brush my teeth at night. I figured “Well I brushed last night and haven’t eaten anything since, so why should I brush again?” Then I learned about all the bacteria that feed on the tiny bits of food left in your teeth and they literally expel gas and feces in your mouth as they consume it. And this is what causes awful morning breath. So I have this mental image of bacteria poop and farts coating my mouth and have brushed every morning since regardless of eating breakfast or not.

scatteredwardrobe , Ron Lach Report

Final score:

58points

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#22

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I use my earring to scrape out the muck from under my nails then put the earring back in my ear

bettyswollocks22 , Dmitry Zvolskiy Report

Final score:

58points

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#23

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I’m surprised to not see this here: wearing shoes inside. My family was not a shoes off family and they always wore outside shoes inside. I remember a few friends homes were strict shoes-off homes, but I thought that was the minority. I was about 27 years old before I realized it was disgusting and people were definitely judging my etiquette.

MyDogAteYourPancakes , Marcus Aurelius Report

Final score:

58points

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#24

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Not washing behind ears

sheesh-papa , Karolina Grabowska Report

Final score:

57points

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#25

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I was taught to wash my sheets once a month. Realized you’re supposed to do it way more.

NoUsername817226 , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:

56points

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#26

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I always had dry hands as a kid and it didn't like how it felt so I'd spit on my hands all the time

MetalFenris , RDNE Stock project Report

Final score:

56points

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#27

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I used to take s***s, would wipe for a bit, but if it was taking to long I would just stuff a wad of TP in my crack and deal with it later.

Lanky-Blueberry5782 , Vie Studio Report

Final score:

55points

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#28

Left dishes out in my room. Until I got freaked out at seeing ants everywhere, then I always put away dishes after finishing.

ZIntrovertCF Report

Final score:

55points

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#29

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Used to pluck my eyebrows on public transport.
So sorry to anyone who got those sticky little living hair follicles stuck to their clothes and skin.

Nannyhirer , Anete Lusina Report

Final score:

53points

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#30

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Eating snow, just take the same handful of snow you might see a kid stuff in their mouth and let it melt in a glass. Bet you wouldn’t willingly drink it!

Affectionate_Cloud86 , Yaroslav Shuraev Report

Final score:

53points

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#31

As a young child, I didn't understand that as a female, we *have* to wipe for sanitary reasons. I felt that it was just another unfair stipulation imposed on my gender at the ripe age of maybe 5? So I refused to wipe when I peed because boys didn't have to.

faceboobs701 Report

Final score:

52points

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#32

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Teen years… Getting in bed with *outside clothes* on. Sitting on my bed with outside clothes on. Keeping my shoes on while sitting on my bed, might put my legs on the bed with the covers on but that’s f*****g disgusting and it bothers me when anyone does it in movies or my house (because anyone else in the world can do whatever they want — just not in my house).

I’ve made it a rule to change out of your outside clothes before getting into a bed.

tharealmouse , Andrew Neel Report

Final score:

50points

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#33

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Showered in a dirty tub. Once I discovered how gross it really was, my hoarder mother didn’t like it when I cleaned the bathroom, so I just lived with it til I was able to get a place.

TrustIsOverrated , Charlotte May Report

Final score:

49points

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#34

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I casually use cat whiskers as toothpicks when I find them laying around. I still do but not in public after I was sitting on a bus next to a stranger and got a bit happy when I found a whisker in my scarf. Poor stranger got discussed and surprised at the same time.

southlagoon , Monique Laats Report

Final score:

48points

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#35

I chewed with my mouth open for decades

Ok_Share_6448 Report

Final score:

47points

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#36

Walking barefoot. My kid freaks out if I step outside without shoes. I don't think they'll survive an apocalypse.

CherryBombO_O Report

Final score:

25points

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#37

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Wait until a towel smelled weird to swap it out

DrippyFlames , Tima Miroshnichenko Report

Final score:

23points

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#38

Holding on to makeup way too long, and not washing my face before applying makeup.

snoosleepsalot Report

Final score:

23points

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#39

Not me, but my ex would always flush mid pee. I never understood it and found it repulsive. If his pee lasted longer than the flush, he would just flush again. Whenever I would ask why he does that, he just said he’s always done it…. All I could think of is how much stuff would fly up on his hands and genitals. Even after showing him countless studies about what flies up when a toilet flushes, he would never stop that weird habit.

high-bridmind Report

Final score:

22points

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#40

That meme where they guy is scrubbing his crack with the bar of soap? I did that until a girlfriend caught me in my late-20s.

silverfashionfox Report

Final score:

22points

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#41

Re wearing a pair of socks for a few times before washing them.

I didn’t have very many pair and sat in a chair all day at school so I figured they weren’t dirty enough to need washing every single time I wore them.

Got absolutely destroyed when I mentioned it out loud 😂

Definitely don’t do it any more!

cant_helium Report

Final score:

22points

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#42

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Not really gross but as a kid I used to drink a raw egg with sugar every now and then. I once talked about it at elementary, thinking everyone knows this drink. They all acted really disgusted and stayed away from me, so I stopped drinking it.

ShieKassy , Klaus Nielsen Report

Final score:

21points

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#43

Hey you. Yeah, you, reading this.

When’s the last time you cleaned your phone?

Yeah…

Lost_Principle_5036 Report

Final score:

21points

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#44

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I sit on my couch naked when I’m alone watching TV at night. I mean I’m relatively clean but I feel sorry for anyone else that sits there

Rich-Abbreviations25 , Eren Li Report

Final score:

20points

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Bored something 1 year ago

Umm, maybe put a towel down first?

2points

1 year ago

or a blanket

1point

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MongoMarcia 1 year ago

You're doing it wrong. You need underpants and alcohol. Didnt we just learn about Kalsarikannit.

1point

Andy Cran 1 year ago

it's your couch sit on it however you want

0points

Firefly1617 1 year ago

Wasn't there a fact on another post about a word that meant getting drunk and doing this

0points

Bored something 1 year ago

They at least qore underwear.

0points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

ew so you leave poop smears on the fabric? gross

-1point

VioletHunter 1 year ago

Why on earth would there be poop smears? But even if there were: people clean their butts after pooping and your buttcrack also isn't in direct contact with the couch. There are these things called butt cheeks on humans.

7points

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#45

Sip the little bit of coke on top of coke can after pouring into glass - the top of that can is not really clean.

Wiaaa Report

Final score:

20points

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#46

Used to keep festival wristbands on for months after they had happened and they got so manky. Always had multiple bands on too. Now I take them off the Monday/Tuesday after as they are just really a nuisance, especially after a shower!

willutalk Report

Final score:

19points

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#47

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Chewing on fingernails. Haven’t done it in decades but once upon a time…

JulesSherlock , Julian Hochgesang Report

Final score:

18points

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#48

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were Put eggshells back in the carton. Didn’t know it was gross because I saw my mother always do it. I can’t believe it took my until last year to realize the error of my ways.

coykoi314 , Katana Report

Final score:

17points

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#49

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were I'm suffering from hair loss at the moment (51f) and I'm often absent-mindedly raking a hand through my long hair, glancing at what comes out and then dropping the strands on the floor.

Just read on another sub that that's pretty disgusting to other people. I my own defence, I work exclusively from home in my own small office and would never do it in public, but even so - maybe my husband thinks I'm gross.

RadioDorothy , Kevin Malik Report

Final score:

16points

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#50

I would eat scabs or anything I could scrape off my scalp 😩

Adventurous-Ad-2651 Report

Final score:

15points

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#51

I never washed my hands after coming home for most of my life

SilviaInWonderland Report

Final score:

15points

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#52

Only using one spatula throughout the cooking process. Apparently after meat is cooked past a safe temperature your supposed to get a clean utensils to finish and serve. If not, then you're serving with raw meat germs.

412beekeeper Report

Final score:

13points

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#53

Pee in the shower, shave over the toilet, let my dogs sleep in the bed with me.

I still do it, but I’ve been told those are all gross.

Howdydobe Report

Final score:

12points

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#54

I still do this, but removing my ingrown toenails at home and giving them a whiff. Exhilarating and exhausting at the same time.

kshe-wolf Report

Final score:

12points

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#55

Checking a book out from the library and then settling into bed for a good read. I later worked in a library for approximately a decade and holy s**t. Never again.

Tipsy_Danger Report

Final score:

11points

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#56

Put my luggage on the bed

3ll3girl Report

Final score:

10points

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#57

I never put on deodorant till high school

KailerJ3304 Report

Final score:

9points

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#58

Eating rice without washing it twice

SalesGrind Report

Final score:

8points

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#59

using the air drier in public bathrooms.

fuckingstupidumbitch Report

Final score:

6points

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#60

Using a loofah because you don’t wash it like washcloths

MadameFutureWhatEver Report

Final score:

5points

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What do you think ?

Stacy Jones 1 year ago

Can someone bring up about licking your fingers to get a better grip? I work in retail, and so many customers do this to count their money - I'm not touching that! One guy actually spits, like hocks-back and SPLAT!, on his fingers and then tries to hand me the cash. Please stop doing this!

witchling 1 year ago

All the things we "have to do" or "can't do" that we always/ never did.... Yet we not only survived but thrived. Knowledge is power. But ignorance is bliss.

4points

Ginger Winters 10 months ago

What the hey is "outside clothes"?

PrettyJoyBird 1 year ago

A lot of rude judgey condensending humans in the comments on this one. Being clean does not mean one has mental issues. So completely uncalled for to insuate such.

David Paterson 1 year ago (edited)

I do about half of these. I also like to clean my teeth in public to see the reaction of bystanders. I mean, if you're eating in public and are supposed to brush your teeth after each main meal then you have to also brush in public, right?

Casey Payne 1 year ago

hy-po-chon-dri-ac, noun: a person who is Abnormally anxious about their health. Similar: neurotic, MALADE IMAGINAIRE (new phrase for me, love it), malingering health-obsessed. I would like to add Hyper Hygiene to this definition. Most of these examples are of melodramatic sensitivity and they are going to have a nervous breakdown. I'm sorry, but I don't live in a laboratory cleanroom, I live in the real world. I try my best to be clean as possible for most occasions, but I don't think I should associate with these delicate people. I don't have patience for judgemental people visiting my apartment in a hazmat suit carrying a hand held black light to see if I'm clean enough. Oh hell no.

Firestar 1 year ago

Some of these I just don't understand. Like, what even is a phone? Twolegs are weird.

-2points

Alethea Fletcher 1 year ago

Mobile phone, telephone, smart phone, cellphone..

35 Disturbing Things People Were Actually Doing Before Learning How Bad They Were

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