Not everything we see and experience can be mindblowing. You’re not going to eat the most delicious dinner you’ve ever tasted every single evening, and not every film you watch will change your life. Sometimes, we eat meals that are “pretty tasty,” and we have no problem listening to music that’s “not my favorite but not bad.” That’s how we learn to appreciate what really is amazing!

And just like in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, there’s always a happy medium between something being too much and not enough. That’s where the Mildly Interesting subreddit fits in. This community, which has amassed an impressive 23 million members, is dedicated to sharing photos that fall just in between boring and fascinating. 

This subreddit shares anything and anything that just might pique your interest. But there’s also no pressure in the group to share something that is fascinating and mind blowing. Members don’t have to worry about receiving comments about how boring their post is because, hey, they never promised that it would be amazing!

Having the freedom to share only mildly interesting posts can actually be a relief given the landscape of most of the internet nowadays. Social media often bombards us with countless perfect videos and images that are intended to teach us something new, change our lives and inspire us to follow the creator’s advice. The Mildly Interesting subreddit, on the other hand, has no such pressure. Just share things that made you think, “Huh, that’s interesting.”

I’ve heard the word “interesting” described as a “nothing adjective” before, meaning that it doesn’t actually tell us anything about what it’s describing. It might often be used when people really meant that something was strange, confusing, impressive, offensive, disgusting, exciting, funny, etc., depending on the context. But it’s also important to keep in mind that what one person considers interesting might be incredibly boring to another person. 

Fast Company published a piece exploring what exactly it means to be interesting, and they pointed out that when we describe something as “interesting,” we’re probably not describing the actual thing. Instead, we’re describing our experience of seeing or doing something. “While we might describe objects as interesting, we should recognize that this is a loose, and shorthand, way to describe what’s really interesting–our experience of them,” Anisa Purbasari Horton explains, noting that we have to remember how subjective “interesting” is. 

Horton also points out that, as humans, we often seek out interesting things or experiences, even if they may not be particularly pleasurable. We typically see value in doing something interesting, such as learning a new language or running a marathon, even though we might not enjoy them as much as, say, sitting at home and cuddling with our dogs. 

“Interesting experiences spark the mind in a way that stimulates and lingers,” Horton writes. “They can also be easy to come by — sometimes just a sense of curiosity is needed to make an activity interesting. Look around, feel the pull, and cherish the interesting.”

While there are plenty of things that most of us can agree are quite interesting, we certainly don’t all agree on what grabs our attention. For example, a documentary about Ancient Rome or a nature documentary featuring deep sea creatures would not be my first choice of what to watch on any given evening. Yet my partner finds both of those things fascinating. I, on the other hand, would prefer to watch a documentary discussing cults, true crime stories or the problems with animal agriculture. 

Do you dread going to an event where you meet new people and inevitably have to share an interesting fact about yourself? I have a few go-to fun facts that I’m always ready to tell strangers, but once I’m in a group of people that I already know, they’ve probably heard them before and I quickly run out of ideas of anything that sounds remotely interesting. 

If you’re in the same boat, have no fear. Science of People has a few ideas for how we can all become a little more interesting. And their first step, of course, is to stop doing uninteresting things. Watching Netflix, talking about the weather, and eating the same meals all the time should immediately be removed from your daily routine. You’ve got much more fascinating things to do! 

Another step to becoming more interesting is to stop asking boring questions. These only lead to dull answers, so instead, you need to start asking yourself and others deeper, thought-provoking questions. Next, start consuming interesting content. Diversify your news sources, and start reading books you would not have previously picked up. Also, surround yourself with people you consider interesting. We all know that we rub off on the people we spend the most time with, so you’re bound to be inspired by their zest for life!

Are you enjoying scrolling through these mildly interesting pics, pandas? Keep upvoting all of your favorites, and feel free to share in the comments what you’ve found to be mildly interesting lately. Then, if you’d like to check out another Bored Panda article featuring things that are just slightly amusing, look no further than right here!