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“What Is Something Considered To Be ‘Normal’ By Society That You Refuse To Do?” (40 Answers)
We tend to go through life accepting a lot from society. We use these pieces of paper to buy things? Got it. I must work somewhere to earn more paper to ensure I can eat and have shelter? Yes sir. We must abide by rules the government decided on even if we disagree with them? Okay, sure. If we questioned everything that society considers normal, we’d go crazy. But recently, Reddit users have been discussing some socially acceptable things that upon further reflection, they decided they’ll never do.
2 months ago, Reddit user fuzziblanket asked, “What is something considered to be ‘normal’ by society that you refuse to do?” We’ve gone through the responses and curated this list of some of the most interesting topics that you may have never even questioned before. Whether you commonly do these activities or not, enjoy reading through them and determining if you still consider them normal. Be sure to upvote the answers you’d like other pandas to see, and let us know in the comments what “normal” things you’d never be caught doing.
Then if you’re looking for another Bored Panda piece pointing out odd yet socially acceptable things, look no further than right here.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
recording yourself doing an act of charity or a good deed in general. completely devalues it the second you hit post
What’s considered “normal” is determined by society, but there are many societies around the globe that have their own quirks. In the United States, for example, it’s totally normal to drive your car anywhere you go, even if it’s just a mile away because there might not be decent sidewalks or crosswalks to get to your destination. In many other countries where roads are built to better accommodate pedestrians, this would be considered bizarre. It’s also normal in many European countries for kids to walk or bike to school by themselves, especially when they’re about 8-years-old or older. This would be very rare in the US. Even when in their own neighborhood, American kids are usually expected to have adult supervision at all times. When paying at a restaurant in the US, patrons typically hand the server their card, the server takes it to their computer, and then they return with the receipt. If a server in a European country tried to walk off with someone’s credit card, the customer might assume they were being robbed. Societal norms vary greatly based on where you are, so there's nothing wrong with questioning them. They might be more arbitrary than you think!
RELATED:
#2
Forbidding my (straight male) partner to spend time with female friends. He's a grown-a*s man; he should know how to hold healthy boundaries. It shouldn't be on me to keep him from cheating. If he's really gonna fall into the pants of the first girl I leave him alone with, she can have him.
Similarly, blaming someone else for my partner's failings, and/or trying to "win back" someone who doesn't want me. He's a big boy who can make his own choices (even bad ones), and I want a partner who wants to be with me, not someone I had to talk into staying.
(For the record, my dudeman of 20 years is awesome.)
Sarah Spencer 2 years ago
Anyone that enters into a relationship and starts setting the terms and conditions of their new partners interactions is definitely not a healthy person to be with!
#3
I don't know if it's been mentioned already, but I'll throw in my 5 cents.
The need to be available 24/7, i.e. always having your phone on you.
I like going for long walks and leaving my phone at home. I don't feel guilty for missing texts or calls, it's just stressful being expected to be available all hours of the day.
LagoonaBlueColleen 2 years ago
It's sad times when people are apologizing for not responding within a minute to a text. I have to tell friends to chill out. A text is not going to disappear. We all have other priorities and no one should expect anyone to stop their lives all of a sudden to engage in a conversation out of the blue.
One of the socially acceptable activities mentioned on this list is drinking alcohol. While alcohol has been around for centuries, it’s also the most commonly abused substance. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having a couple drinks, especially in social settings. Alcohol is linked with many cultures, as sharing a bottle of wine with a loved one or enjoying some beers with your best friends can be great ways to bond. Holidays tend to be filled with booze in many places as well.
But regardless of how socially acceptable drinking is, it’s completely fair to question it too. People who have experience with alcoholics in their families or personal lives may decide that drinking will never be for them. Others decide to refrain from drinking for religious or health reasons. Drinking heavily can lead to developing heart, liver, or kidney issues and can even increase an individual's likelihood of developing cancer. It's completely up to individuals whether or not they decide to drink; no one should ever feel pressured to order a drink because its expected by society.
#4
give a s**t about celebs. Sometimes they're fun to talk about for like 5 minutes but other than that? Aren't they just people? I don't get it.
#5
Work myself to death.
Edit: I commented this, passed out, and now it blew up. Thank you for the awards.
Also please use your vacation days. Your sick days. Take your dog out. Hang out with the family. Even if you're alone like me - Go do something you like.
#6
Talk to toxic family members
Sarah Spencer 2 years ago
This!!! Being related to someone does not grant them permanent space in your life. If they are not good people, you DON'T owe them your time, your forgiveness or your love.
Autistic Wolf 2 years ago
Disowned my own toxic family decades ago. Only made my life better. I'd drop two likes on this reply if I could.
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C W 2 years ago (edited)
Over the last 18 months I have told both of my brother-in-law‘s and their nuclear family’s that they are not to contact me anymore. My husband and I are so much happier. These people were horrific while my in-laws were terminally ill. Abusive to my husband and their dying parents. They are not welcome in my life or in my home ever again. One of my happiest moments was telling them I will not be going to Thanksgiving or Christmas anymore with them because their behavior is hurtful and quite frankly unacceptable. When I describe them to other people the only thing I can come up with is soap opera Disney villains because their level of evil is so insane.
Juan Ghote 2 years ago
Don’t give up your mental health just because they’re “family”. My family only ever talk about their problems and never ask how I’m doing so I’ve fully distanced myself to protect my mental health.
Jo Johannsen 2 years ago
It is sad but true: Being related to someone does not automatically make them lovable. And it works both ways.
Sandra Morison 2 years ago
I completely relate to this, fed up of my decisions being questioned spending money on holidays, new car ....every 3/4 years........(independent, home owning, work full time ,56 year old woman.......wtf)
Xander Kurtz 2 years ago
The last few times I tried to talk to my family they sound like boomers that are dealing with some 16 year old they feel entitled to control and belittle and demean because they "pay the bills" or "my house my rules". I've lived hundreds of miles from them for over 10 years paying my own bills and rarely contacting them, and never doing so for help. They're just mad that i won't go back to college and get a lucrative career i would hate and would keep me in debt/indentured servitude (medical doctor). Wonder if it relates to how my mom said part of her reason for having so many kids was so she could rely on them for retirement (she has heart failure now and 3/4 of my younger siblings aren't 18 yet so she's extra mad she can't just rely on my income now. But she didn't want to keep housing me for college cause i called her out too much for abusing me and the younger kids. Especially the youngest with stress induced incontinence issues that grew a viscious cycle. So i went my own way
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LynzCatastrophe 2 years ago
I've recently put up boundaries between me and various family members because of their toxic attitude. The ones who got the memo didn't take it well and went on a long tangent about how "you don't put up walls in a family, we're family, we can do or say whatever .... blah blah blah". The only one who I didn't put up boundaries for was my dad, who told me if he could do the same, he would. Sadly he has to deal with his other daughter to spend time with his grandson.
Rachel Smith 2 years ago
I only talk to my mother, father and brother. Honestly the rest of my family sucks. They always made fun of me for either being too quiet or being vegetarian. I know things could be worse...but having depression I just don't need more negativity in my life
JMC5003 2 years ago
Setting appropriate boundaries is a sign of healthy self-worth. Good on you for having the strength to protect yourself! : )
Load More Replies... LagoonaBlueColleen 2 years ago (edited)
One family member is just unavoidable. She can be toxic when certain topics arise. It's just a matter of knowing what information to give out and which to keep to myself. You can't control the kind of family you're born into, your mentality and outlook is molded from birth, practically brainwashed to fit into family acceptance mode. Once you break free from the pact you realize you don't know who you purely know yourself, what you truly like and what you should be doing. The hobbies and music you thought you enjoyed are more things you talked yourself into liking due to nostalgia and the attention and approval you got from family. Your whole life is created to entertain your family and "make them proud". How many of us really wanted to go to post secondary school and pursue that career you're family cheered you on for? Are we really doing it for ourselves?
JR_4755826 2 years ago
Agreed. It doesn't need to be forced because you share DNA. The whole blood is thicker than water/obligation thing hasn't added up.
Linda Lou Jett 2 years ago
I totally agree with this. I haven't seen or spoken to my parents or siblings for decades at this point. I don't need evil people or alcoholic/drug addicted thieves in my life. I also stopped caring about other's opinions of my choices just as long ago.
Rachel Hall 2 years ago
After 22 years I have cut ties with a toxic member of my immediate family. It is very very hard but things seem to be getting better and the drama has finally stopped! I feel incredibly guilty but reading up on gaslighting and toxic relationships has been a huge help.
JMC5003 2 years ago
I cut my sister off and have not regretted it. My stress level went through the roof any time she attempted to contact me because I knew she'd twist literally anything I said and gossip about it to family. I also have no contact with any of my extended family because of her lies to them about me, but frankly, it was like a 1,000 pound weight lifting when I finally achieved the self-esteem to tell her to make absolutely no attempts to contact me in any manner. Now extended family is starting to see her for what she is, but I'm extremely cautious if they contact me because I'm absolutely not going to allow myself to get dragged back into their emotional swampland. I'm glad they're seeing the light but I'll never trust any of them.
Load More Replies... Susan Kiser 2 years ago
Amen to this!! I don’t care if it’s a parent, child, in laws, friend, whatever. I consider heartless ppl to be toxic as well
Mel Gilliam 2 years ago
I agree 100% with this!! People can't seem to fathom that I no longer have a relationship with the woman who birthed me. Yes, at one time she was my mother, my whole world... But she changed and became extremely toxic. That's not something I want my children around and I don't owe her anything. Not sorry.
Liam Lowenthal 2 years ago
I don't have toxic family members because I cut them out of my life. I have chosen family now. I'm happy with that.
Adam Miller 2 years ago
Forgiveness doesn't mean you have to pretend nothing is wrong. Sometimes you should distance yourself from bad people even if they are family. Unforgiveness, allows them to have space in your head rent free. Spare yourself the aggravation and forgive them.
Monique Monet 2 years ago
I'd rather never see my brothers and sister again than to deal with the angst and snark that would accompany them. Why ruin my retirement years?
Deborah Barron Brown 2 years ago
Along with losing weight during covid I also dumped the people who treated me poorly.
Uncle Bud 2 years ago
Thankfully, I have a decent family. We may not see eye-to-eye on everything but we respect each other. That's the key RESPECT. I have cut off former friends because they are toxic. But I see nothing wrong with cutting off family members who may be toxic. Life is too short to allow toxic people to bring you down.
Xander Kurtz 2 years ago
The funniest thing is that my family will half a*s admit that they "used" to be awful when I was a kid (but don't change how they treat me, refuse to listen, constantly look down and insult, and expect me to back them up on the things they know i never approved of when they're trying to normalize it to the kids). And I've been talking to them less and less and not going to holidays and such. They began trying to convince me that my partner is "isolating me" and "taking away from your support network". I tried one time to open up and be vulnerable with them as an adult and ended up insulted and berated and interrogated for an hour before being dumped on the side of the road hours from anything. My partner and our network of friends got me to safety and helped me recover. And they think I'm just being insulting "to try to hurt us" even i said they aren't a support network, just a source of trauma and misery. They're mad my life isn't going to their plans and they can't keep mooching
Xander Kurtz 2 years ago
They wanted me to be a doctor and make lots of money and beat safety net for them. But when kicked out and having to pay to go back to school, i realized that i didn't want that and didn't even like the STEM classes i was forced to focus on in my STEM high school. So i stopped that track and became an artist. I live independently, but not in luxury and not with a ton of disposable money i can just give them. So they hate it and are trying to break down all my "excuses" to beat me down into going back to college for their goals. My mom is dying from a heart disease /lack of transplants available. And now they're doubling down on my need to provide for my 4 younger siblings and to help her retire and trying to make me out to be selfish and lazy and entitled because I said I'm not their support network and they aren't mine. They're just people I used to know and would like build a halfway decent relationship with. At this point I've abandoned even that much
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Dudeman 612 2 years ago
My wife's family are real gems. Her mother was a demeaning and controlling witch, her dad a pacifist wimp that allowed abuse, and her younger sister is a narcissistic and manipulative "C U Next Tuesday" that likes to treat people like garbage... and my wife still has contact with them even though they are horrible and toxic people. She always says "they're the only family I have outside of us and the kids." It sucks.
Mari Mar Pinta 2 years ago
I have put this intro practice this year 100%... I will never feel guilty for protecting my well being, anymore!
Cole Golley 2 years ago
Being related to a waste of a human being doesn't mean you have to interact with them at all. I've personally always believed family is those who help you through hardships in life and those you deeply care about, who cares if your DNA is similar, we share 50~% of our DNA with a banana, doesn't mean I'm not eating it.
Karen Jacob 2 years ago
If anyone asks about my sister, I just tell them about my daughter's funeral arrangements and they are stunned
Biliegh Berrie 2 years ago
I stopped talking to my entire family but my brother. My father passed and mom has dementia. So my brother is it. If they k ocked on my door needing help I would help but them toxic people will never be a part of my life again. Been over 10 years now.
Summer and Luna K 2 years ago
I have always felt just because we are related doesn't give you the right to treat people bad..why because we HAVE to forgive because we're are family. Don't think so.
Gemma jones 2 years ago
If you spoke to my parents and had never met me you’d think I was the worst person ever. I don’t talk to them.
Alana Voeks 2 years ago
Unfortunately, I'm still in the toxic environment in which these goblins dwell, so I don't have a choice. But yes, you never need to do anything with them once you're out on your own
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
Yup. Blood relation doesn't give you automatic right to treat eachother horribly. Stay away. I do!
John Smith 2 years ago
I cut off my entire family when they all turned toxic on me. Still not sure why. I hadn't seen them in a couple of years, then covid hit. Next thing I know they are trying to get me in trouble with the law.
ZenChickChristine 2 years ago
This includes adult step children. I have very limited contact with my youngest step child. They refused to respect boundaries when living with me. I cut them a lot of slack but finally stood my ground. Not too terribly long ago, I wouldn’t have had the strength to do so. My PTSD is my problem and I am responsible for my care. Someone knowingly engaging in triggering behavior is not something I will tolerate. I don’t hate the step child, just the behavior. Yes, legally they are an adult, but a lot of the behaviors are still very emotionally immature. It upsets me because I was a lot like that at their age and it led to some very dark spaces. Just because I don’t associate with them doesn’t mean I want them to come to harm.
Passivepagan 2 years ago
Unfortunately, sometimes it's unavoidable. Especially when everyone is toxic to you.
Jerry Ryan 2 years ago
Oh yeah some are just toxic but please just act like I don't exist because that's what I'm doing with the toxic ones
Ashley Jernigan 2 years ago
Sooo much this! I cut out all of my blood relatives including my parents and grandparents. They're all nuts and toxic to no end.
Shoshana Sherrington 2 years ago
I do think cutting off family for how they vote and no other negative experience with them is wrong though
Smoking is another habit that’s considered socially acceptable in some places but more taboo in others. We’re all well aware of cigarettes being carcinogens, and most of us have seen terrifying examples of what smoking can do to the body our entire lives. Yet for some reason, smoking is still incredibly common and accepted in many countries. In Greece, for example, about 38% of the population smokes, including 47% of men. According to cardiologist and tobacco control researcher Konstantinos Farsalinos, “Greeks aren’t highly motivated to quit. There is plenty of education, and we have smoking cessation centers, but they are not popular. There is not a lot of social pressure to quit smoking. Although there are laws prohibiting indoor smoking, those laws are not obeyed. So that reduces the social pressure. So, the smoker tends to forget the reasons why smoking is bad for you. Most Greek smokers only quit when they develop disease.” While the culture around smoking is different everywhere, it’s definitely worth questioning if it’s accepted wherever you live.
#7
Push for the removal of homeless. They need help, not further persecution.
Jiminy 2 years ago (edited)
Honestly, it depends. We have organized beggar clans, which get driven into the country in spring and back home in autumn. They refuse any and all help, they even refuse to use the toilets specifically installed for them only they have a key for, and instead s**t on sidewalks and p**s in parks and bike parking spaces instead. I get persecution.
#8
Wear makeup. If I can deal with my face, so can everyone else
Similarly to smoking, people around the world have very different views on recreational drugs as well. Marijuana is particularly controversial, as it has been legalized for recreational use in 6 countries, 19 states in the US, and parts of Australia. In places where it is legal, like the state of Oregon for example, it usually is considered socially acceptable. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but it’s legal and harmless, so people tend to mind their own business. However, in other places where it is heavily enforced, like the Philippines where it is considered a "dangerous drug", people are a lot less likely to openly discuss their marijuana use. How socially acceptable recreational drugs are depends greatly on individual cultures, but even in places where marijuana is common, there will always be those who simply have no interest in getting high.
#10
My dad just scolded me because I was unwilling to put in 60+ hrs/week at a new salaried job by saying 'I've worked 70/hr since I was out of college!'
Yeah dad, that's probably why you missed every important life event and smoke a juul at age 57
#11
I don’t drink or do illicit drugs. Alcohol messes with my medication, and pot gives me anxiety. I am a sober person and people often give me s**t about it and call me boring.
Mary Rose Kent 2 years ago
I’m sorry to break this to you, but you’re hanging out with the wrong people. Unless everyone is drunk, being with drunk people is really boring!
#12
Hang out in a social setting where the music is so gawdam loud that you have to scream at the person next to you to communicate.
Another thing mentioned on this list that some people swear they’ll never experience is dating apps. Online dating originally began in 1995 when Match.com launched, but as our culture has become increasingly obsessed with the internet since then, finding love online has only become more and more common. In 2020, the Pew Research Center found that 30% of Americans had ever used a dating site or app, including 48% of people between the ages of 18-29. These numbers have likely only gone up since the onset of the pandemic, though, and online dating is even more common among members of the LGBT+ community. Pew found that 55% of LGBT respondents had experience on a dating site or app, with 21% of them saying they had even been in a serious relationship with someone they met online.
#13
Two months ago, my dad died. He had cancer and had had it for like a year.
I told my work over and over again that he was really sick. I work in an office and am on a computer all day. I have a company-supplied laptop. I have the ability to work from home, but I was not allowed to do so because I was an hourly employee.
I told them that his condition was worsening. I live five hours from my parents. They refused to accommodate me, even when I offered to work every day from my parents house, just so I could be with him.
They said 'well maybe when the situation gets more dire.'
I tried to apply for FMLA (I think that’s the right acronym) and I wasn’t eligible because I was hourly and hadn’t been there for a year yet, despite the circumstances. A week before he died I told my boss that it was almost time and I might have to take off work.
They were not concerned and told me as long as I got my work done and didn’t miss deadlines. I took the day he died off work—I just had a bad feeling, and was packing to go see him when he passed.
I told my work and they don’t have bereavement leave. So I offered to work remotely during this period and again they refused. Again, I have a 'good job' working at a huge corporation, in an office; my job requires a degree.
I was forced to use all of my sick time and some of my PTO so I could attend his funeral and help my mother with arrangements.
And I'm stuck here because I can't afford to quit without something else lined up. I've been looking. They obviously don't see us as humans.
You don’t owe your company anything. I would give anything to go back and time and quit, just to spend the last few weeks with my dad.
Whatever company you work for doesn’t care about you, only about how much you make them. Don’t worry about screwing them over or anything because at the end of the day, you could die and they would consider it a small inconvenience.
LagoonaBlueColleen 2 years ago
This. Companies think they're the most important s**t on the planet over humans. Idc if it's business or what. They're run by humans who've forgotten where they came from and the meaning of what's important. We're not slaves to corporations. We're brainwashed into believing we need them.
#14
Have kids.
I'm a 38 year old woman with lots of experience with kids - I like kids! - but people think that is a reason to birth them.
Mary Rose Kent 2 years ago
Being able to opt in or opt out of hanging out with munchkins is great! I love being Aunt Mary Rose and not Mommy!
#15
Ironing. Life is too short. I don't even own an iron and my clothes are just fine.
Jar of Pickles 2 years ago
I may be weird, but I love ironing. The best part is when you watch the transformation of a shirt, from a wrinkled to a smooth one. I love it!
When it comes to apps specifically, they did begin as a way for same-sex couples to meet. Grindr, a location-based app geared towards gay and bisexual men, launched in 2009 and started somewhat of a sexual revolution in the gay community. Since then, dating apps have become the norm for everyone regardless of sexual orientation. Tinder launched in 2012, and now has over 50,000,000 users. But just because dating apps are now socially acceptable doesn’t mean everyone has to use them. In fact, about half of Americans say that online dating has had neither a positive or negative effect on their love lives. If you prefer to meet people the old fashion way, there’s no reason to feel pressured into using the internet.
#16
Don't follow sports
John Smith 2 years ago
I get really annoyed when people don't understand "I don't care it is boring to me" as an excuse to explain it to me in minute detail, as I just don't understand it. My usual response is to start explaining software development to them. Strangely they aren't interested and don't want to talk about it.. and yet don't get the link.
#17
Yes. People are flabbergasted when I’m not informed on the latest celebrity news and honestly I just don’t see a reason to keep up with it
#18
Smoking. I can't stand cigarette smell.
Nikki Sevven 2 years ago
I'm a smoker (down from 30/day to 10/day and on my way to quitting completely), and I always ensure I'm well away from everyone when I light up. No one wants to breathe my smoke or even get it on their clothes. It absolutely is a disgusting habit, and I wish my parents hadn't smoked, because I probably would never have started.
Social media is another thing that has become socially acceptable, but still doesn’t appeal to everyone. Since social media began in the early 2000s, it has dominated the internet. In 2004, MySpace was the first site of its kind to reach over 1 million monthly active users, but today, Facebook has 2.89 billion active users. Facebook has been the most popular social media site globally for over a decade now, but Youtube is quickly catching up, with 2.29 billion active users. Among the other most successful sites are Instagram, which currently has 2 billion active users, and TikTok, which has only been around since 2016 and already has 1 billion active monthly users.
#19
Walk in the house with shoes.
Why people want to track all the junk from the outside and smear it over the floors , bed, and couch?! No thanks
Legendteller 2 years ago
Here in Finland that's considered VERY rude and it makes sense to take the shoes off.
#20
Call my coffee something other than small, medium & large.
#21
Bore other people with photos of everyday stuff they see all the time anyway. For example, the meal I am going to eat, the shoes I bought, the place I am at.
LagoonaBlueColleen 2 years ago
If it's on social media people have the choice to just scroll past it.
Despite how popular social media sites are, it’s understandable why some people would want to avoid them. One of the biggest reasons people cite for staying off these apps is because they can be a huge waste of time. The average global user spends about 2 hours and 27 minutes on social media per day, with average users in Nigeria and the Philippines spending over 4 hours per day. It’s easy to rack up hours on these sites though, as they are typically designed to be addictive. With features like “likes” and feeds designed to constantly show users new content, these websites are aimed at getting users hooked.
#22
Do “lives” on social media. Since when did vanity and narcissism become so acceptable?
No one cares about your dining experience or “get ready with me” moments.
#23
Text while hanging with friends, or out to dinner, or driving, or in a movie theater.
Firstname Lastname 2 years ago
I'll text my man to update him on if I plan on being home soon, as a courtesy, but otherwise my phone is out of sight. Texting around others is rude.
#24
One Night Stands
Sex doesn't mean anything to me if I can't build a connection first
Social media is also notorious for causing users to compare themselves to others, which can negatively impact their self esteem. One study from the University of Pennsylvania even found that reducing social media use to only 30 minutes a day resulted in a reduction in anxiety levels, depression, loneliness, sleep problems and FOMO (fear of missing out). Like everything else, there’s nothing wrong with using social media in moderation. But just because it’s considered “normal” to spend hours a day on these sites does not mean you need to create an account today. If your life is perfectly fine without social media, I’m sure it won’t be any better with it.
#25
Going in debt $30k-$70k for a vehicle.
Powerful Katrinka 2 years ago
Which begins to depreciate the minute you drive it out of the lot. I've always bought used cars, and I've never regretted it.
#26
Shave/wax my pubes. I actually really like having pubic hair. It doesn't bother me or my partner, and I find waxing and/or shaving extremely uncomfortable and not at all worth it.
#27
Buy fast fashion (or pretty much any fashion whose supply chain is questionable). I used to. Then I found out not only how and where those clothes begin their lives, but also how and where those clothes end their lives.
It was so horrific, I decided I was done. I now buy secondhand, or I save and buy pieces from independent tailors from sites like Etsy. And I research the tailor too.
I also took some of the money I saved from clothes shopping and got a sewing machine. I am learning to sew and make my own summer dresses (I'm not good enough yet to take on complex clothing, but I'm learning)
Mary Rose Kent 2 years ago
My grandmother made most of my clothes for me when I was a child, and she had an old treadle machine that she eventually replaced with something more in keeping with the times. After my poor grandfather died after living on without my grandmother for 11 years, my aunt had all of the grandchildren—who were all adults—had each of us walk through my grandparents’ home of 60+ year (a home my grandfather built) and put a Post-It with our name on anything we wanted to take home with us. I chose a small number of things, all of which were made by one or the other of my grandparents, and I took home everything I asked for.
I think this list has taught us that just because something is considered "normal" does not mean we have to go along with it. We all have the right to make our own choices, and what's socially acceptable totally depends on where we end up living. Enjoy the rest of this list, and remember to upvote the answers you most agree with. Then let us know in the comments if you think of any other "normal" activities you would never do that didn't make it onto this list.
#28
My wife and I had a very small wedding on a beach with only our parents there. Then, we drove to a mountain and hiked to the top with our photographer for our first dance.
It was incredible and people keep telling us they wish they could’ve done something that simple but social pressures made them spend more.
Now, we’ve just had to spend more than the entire cost of our wedding just to buy the plane tickets to attend my sister’s big wedding.
TheReader19 2 years ago
Treat it as a nice holiday, but seriously; I wouldn't go into debt to go to my own wedding much less anyone else. If I couldn't afford it I wouldn't go sister or no sister
#30
Have tons of social media accounts where I'm constantly posting pictures of what I'm doing every day. Remember, if it's not photographed and posted online, it didn't happen.
#31
Didn’t see it here so figured I’d share. Live in a city. I was born in a large city, lived there until I was 11. Then moved to the woods. I’ve lived in the woods since then and although I have visited cities since, I could never live there. Too many people, too much noise and I just don’t feel comfortable. I feel more comfortable taking walks at night in the woods than I would in a city.
Mary Rose Kent 2 years ago
I lived in San Francisco for most of my adult life (40 of my now 66 years), and my last apartment there was the best one I’d ever had, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life there. Alas, once I was no longer working, I had to move, and after a year (minus two days) of living with my favorite brother and his wife on their farm in rural Oregon, I ended up with a job in a small town on the Mendocino coast of Northern California. I have come to love small-town life in a way I would never have anticipated. I just wish I weren’t so far from my dearest friends, who all live in the Bay Area.
#32
Have never and will never use a dating app.
Slytherin_4_LYF 2 years ago
Sometimes that is the only way people can get to know new people. Haven't used one in a while, but i def would again if i needed to.
#33
Small talk.
#34
This might be oddly specific, it's wearing flip flops.
I grew up in a tourist beach town, I have never owned a pair of flip flops in my life. I find them wildly uncomfortable and people in my hometown look at me like a crazy person when I tell them I don't own a pair.
#36
brushing before breakfast:
doing that is basically wiping before you s**t and i refuse to do that
#37
Buy copious amounts of dishes, Why the f**k do you need 27 plates for the two people in your household. Im looking at you mom.
Random Panda 2 years ago (edited)
Do you never have guests over? I also have a dumber reason for it - so I can use my dishwasher. I wouldn't run it for just two or three plates (it's wasting water and energy) and I hate washing dishes, so I have enough to use until the dishwasher is full.
#38
The Hustle Culture. Although I like the idea of bettering your life but always thinking of doing something or the other will leave you with burnout. Taking a break regularly is nessecary
Edit: It's good if you are in a bad place. But it's not always about working your a*s off. What's important is taking a break and keep it from becoming toxic
Yeah, you heard 2 years ago
What does this even mean? To me, hustling means coercing or tricking people into doing something or buying something. I don't think that's generally accepted though is it?
#40
Play wordle
What do you think ?
Cactuar Jon 2 years ago
Businesses bending to please customers no matter what. This whole 'the customer is always right' mentality. It is soul destroying for the workers that have to deal with these kinds of customers and it's about time businesses start standing up for themselves against entitled baby adults who act like it's the end of the world when they have to cover their own return postage costs. Humans should not be treat so badly by other humans while trying to provide them with a service!
Lisa Swager 2 years ago
Agreed. Be the customer who gets awesome service because you are polite, respectful, and worth helping to have a good outcome.
Load More Replies... Bill Evs 2 years ago
Smart phone obsession. I know people who seemingly can't put their phone down for more than a few minutes at a time.
Monday 2 years ago
My mother is like that. I have the tendency to forget about the existence of my phone for days at a time though, which isn't really great for communication either.
Load More Replies...
Debbie 2 years ago
Didn't read the entire list, but to me it seems many were just "getting older and more relaxed and less caring about what other thinks" things. Could also be titled "Things you stop worrying about when you are growing older".
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Some of them were definitely like that, others were just pretentious (like the ones that refuse to say "grande" or "venti")
Load More Replies...
John Baker 2 years ago
Use Alexa. Not only are there privacy issues, I do not talk to inanimate objects.
Tamra 2 years ago
I'd like to say I'm the same, although I did cuss a tree limb when I tripped over it yesterday. Falling, at my age, is not funny. F*****g tree limb.
Load More Replies...
magpookie1133 2 years ago
Why is wearing tall heels not on this list? I refuse to wear things that causes pain in my feet and cause disfigurement in toes over time. I just don't get it.
Jennifer Lee 2 years ago
I can't believe that wearing high heels is still a thing. They feel horrible and they deform your toes. I haven't worn heels in years and my toes are all perfectly straight and smooth.
Load More Replies...
Elissa H 2 years ago
Thinking my way is the only way... I'm so tired of people thinking that what is right to them/for them is right for everyone. Especially now that the government is making decisions for everyone based on their own private/religious beliefs.
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
I'm of two minds on this. I can see your point of view, for sure, but humans wouldn't have succeeded as a species without cooperation, and without thinking of the group as a whole. We're social animals because alone, we're not that great. We're fragile, we're weak (compared to other animals that are similarly sized), we're slow...if a human and a chimp had a fight, the chimp would eat the human's face off. If 50 humans fought the chimp, they would win. If 49 humans sat back and did nothing while one fought it, then the chimp would win and move on to the next person. And the next. And the next. Now imagine that chimp is covid and you can see why vaccines and masking and social distancing are so important
Load More Replies...
SoloDadof3 2 years ago
People downvoting your comments when they are on subject, then getting a ban because BP refuses to even have a person check first!
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Yeah, getting your comments hidden because it's an unpopular opinion is a bummer
Load More Replies...
Karen Barker 2 years ago
The obsession with hero worshipping the military. It's overdone and ridiculous.
Ruby 2 years ago
Always having your phone out during concerts. Live in the moment people, why do you need to record a whole darn song and block the view for others?! The amount of phones in the air filming nowadays when the band gets on stage, it's crazy.
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
That one seems weird to me too - like, you aren't doing a better job of recording the concert than the professional videographers are doing (probably at that same concert), all you'll hear on the phone is the screaming of the people around you (because phone microphones work different than human ears), and all you'll see is a distant blur of lights because the camera can't pick out what the human eye focuses on...it's really just a waste of time
Load More Replies... Phil Vaive 2 years ago
For me, it's watching gory movies. Like the Saw franchise, or Final Destination, or any other movies where they viscerally show people getting killed. There's something really wrong with a culture that has movie theatres full of people watching human bodies being torn apart, but showing people having sex is still considered to be pretty taboo.
Ein Steinbeck 2 years ago
Fvck late-stage capitalism and all of its fans. I refuse to put corporations over humans.
I've been watching you since 2 years ago
Acting like the customer is always right. Not true AT ALL. The saying is just a way for rude people to manipulate employees and get what they want most times.
Noel Benavente 2 years ago
Celebrating my birthday or congratulate people on theirs... i absolutelly see no reason.
Charlie Glass 2 years ago
I don't understand why there are paragraphs on not drinking and not smoking and about dating apps between the numbered points. This website is hard to read.
PixelatedPeach 2 years ago
I never had any interest in downloading TikTok, but my mom always likes sending me TikToks she likes, so I finally downloaded the app just so I can watch what my mom sends me but I just don’t bother with it otherwise 🤷🏼♀️
Linda Tisue 2 years ago
Taking a cruise ferry. More over taking a car in the ferry so one can drive around. I live in Sweden.for all the ecofriendly people, somehow Swedes think it is their birthright to take those polluting cruises.
Sabrina Bowen 2 years ago
Having friends. I don't have friends, I don't want friends. I have my husband a d that's often more social interaction than I can handle or want.
Amo Mazzuchelli 2 years ago
This is a "just do you" post, I like it people shouldn't feel pressured to do thing they just don't want to do
Lorie Shewbridge 2 years ago (edited)
This may not be totally the norm, but using the insanely hard-to-read cApItAl AnD sMaLl letter typing. I HATE it. Please stop it, people!!! I know, I did it there, just for effect so you could see what I meant. 🤬
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
I get the reasoning for it though - it's meant to denote mockery and sarcasm, which is inherently VERY tricky to get across with the written word. It's meant to be read the way a kid would repeat back something you said to make fun of you: "I said to go clean your room!" "I sAid tO go cLeAn YoUr rOoooOmM"
Load More Replies...
Iga Błażejewska 2 years ago
I will never drink coffee. I find it equal to alcohol and cigarettes and pot, it's addictive and it irks me that caffeine addiction is so normalized.
RaroaRaroa 2 years ago
I gave up by #7. Nothing on that list is stuff I consider people are "normally" doing anyway. Except the posting their good deeds, which is fine by me. It does no harm, and if it's the only reason someone does a good deed, who cares. The recipient of the deed still receives.
Bryan With A Why 2 years ago
It's the only reason I read this article because it's 100% on the dot. Nobody cares about your pride or your mental illnesses. Just fix yourself and work on building a better family and stop caring what the world thinks.
Load More Replies... Alana Voeks 2 years ago
The idea that you NEED to respect your parents. They brought you into this world, but you can take yourself out. Not only that, but don't you think the ones WITH EXPERIENCE should be working for the respect, not the other way around? Doing the bare minimum is not earning respect. That's doing your due diligence for bringing a life into this world.
Lisa Swager 2 years ago
I hate the media-centric displays of who is gay today. I dont care who you do, you do you! I just dont need it taking my news feed. Not my business.
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Down voted for SURE. This is SUCH a hetero-centric point of view. Nobody asked for your input. But you know who does care about celebrities coming out? Gay people. People who are still in the closet. People who still have to fear for their LIVES when they consider coming out. People who worry about being attacked, having their lives on the line, for walking or talking "too gay". When gay is normalized, people like me won't have to worry as much. When people like Lil Nas X, Elliott Page, and Kristen Stewart come out, and talk about it, and share it, they are making life immeasurably better for people like them. But sure, they should STFU because it annoys your breeder a*s.
Load More Replies... Stefan 2 years ago
Having a pet. For me, it doesn't make any sense. Why would you breed and slave an animal, remove all their wild instinct for absolute no use other than serve humans' lack of affection.
ThePlantMoss 2 years ago
Dogs have been domesticated for thousands and thousands of years, humans love companionship - and animals are nonjudgemental and loyal
Load More Replies... Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Out of all the topics that are glamourized in pop culture and music, you chose to make polygamy your example? Not like, rape, child molestation, murder? Polygamy is your hill to die on? Weird.
Load More Replies...
Cactuar Jon 2 years ago
Businesses bending to please customers no matter what. This whole 'the customer is always right' mentality. It is soul destroying for the workers that have to deal with these kinds of customers and it's about time businesses start standing up for themselves against entitled baby adults who act like it's the end of the world when they have to cover their own return postage costs. Humans should not be treat so badly by other humans while trying to provide them with a service!
Lisa Swager 2 years ago
Agreed. Be the customer who gets awesome service because you are polite, respectful, and worth helping to have a good outcome.
Load More Replies... Bill Evs 2 years ago
Smart phone obsession. I know people who seemingly can't put their phone down for more than a few minutes at a time.
Monday 2 years ago
My mother is like that. I have the tendency to forget about the existence of my phone for days at a time though, which isn't really great for communication either.
Load More Replies... Debbie 2 years ago
Didn't read the entire list, but to me it seems many were just "getting older and more relaxed and less caring about what other thinks" things. Could also be titled "Things you stop worrying about when you are growing older".
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Some of them were definitely like that, others were just pretentious (like the ones that refuse to say "grande" or "venti")
Load More Replies... John Baker 2 years ago
Use Alexa. Not only are there privacy issues, I do not talk to inanimate objects.
Tamra 2 years ago
I'd like to say I'm the same, although I did cuss a tree limb when I tripped over it yesterday. Falling, at my age, is not funny. F*****g tree limb.
Load More Replies... magpookie1133 2 years ago
Why is wearing tall heels not on this list? I refuse to wear things that causes pain in my feet and cause disfigurement in toes over time. I just don't get it.
Jennifer Lee 2 years ago
I can't believe that wearing high heels is still a thing. They feel horrible and they deform your toes. I haven't worn heels in years and my toes are all perfectly straight and smooth.
Load More Replies... Elissa H 2 years ago
Thinking my way is the only way... I'm so tired of people thinking that what is right to them/for them is right for everyone. Especially now that the government is making decisions for everyone based on their own private/religious beliefs.
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
I'm of two minds on this. I can see your point of view, for sure, but humans wouldn't have succeeded as a species without cooperation, and without thinking of the group as a whole. We're social animals because alone, we're not that great. We're fragile, we're weak (compared to other animals that are similarly sized), we're slow...if a human and a chimp had a fight, the chimp would eat the human's face off. If 50 humans fought the chimp, they would win. If 49 humans sat back and did nothing while one fought it, then the chimp would win and move on to the next person. And the next. And the next. Now imagine that chimp is covid and you can see why vaccines and masking and social distancing are so important
Load More Replies... SoloDadof3 2 years ago
People downvoting your comments when they are on subject, then getting a ban because BP refuses to even have a person check first!
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Yeah, getting your comments hidden because it's an unpopular opinion is a bummer
Load More Replies... Karen Barker 2 years ago
The obsession with hero worshipping the military. It's overdone and ridiculous.
Ruby 2 years ago
Always having your phone out during concerts. Live in the moment people, why do you need to record a whole darn song and block the view for others?! The amount of phones in the air filming nowadays when the band gets on stage, it's crazy.
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
That one seems weird to me too - like, you aren't doing a better job of recording the concert than the professional videographers are doing (probably at that same concert), all you'll hear on the phone is the screaming of the people around you (because phone microphones work different than human ears), and all you'll see is a distant blur of lights because the camera can't pick out what the human eye focuses on...it's really just a waste of time
Load More Replies... Phil Vaive 2 years ago
For me, it's watching gory movies. Like the Saw franchise, or Final Destination, or any other movies where they viscerally show people getting killed. There's something really wrong with a culture that has movie theatres full of people watching human bodies being torn apart, but showing people having sex is still considered to be pretty taboo.
Ein Steinbeck 2 years ago
Fvck late-stage capitalism and all of its fans. I refuse to put corporations over humans.
I've been watching you since 2 years ago
Acting like the customer is always right. Not true AT ALL. The saying is just a way for rude people to manipulate employees and get what they want most times.
Noel Benavente 2 years ago
Celebrating my birthday or congratulate people on theirs... i absolutelly see no reason.
Charlie Glass 2 years ago
I don't understand why there are paragraphs on not drinking and not smoking and about dating apps between the numbered points. This website is hard to read.
PixelatedPeach 2 years ago
I never had any interest in downloading TikTok, but my mom always likes sending me TikToks she likes, so I finally downloaded the app just so I can watch what my mom sends me but I just don’t bother with it otherwise 🤷🏼♀️
Linda Tisue 2 years ago
Taking a cruise ferry. More over taking a car in the ferry so one can drive around. I live in Sweden.for all the ecofriendly people, somehow Swedes think it is their birthright to take those polluting cruises.
Sabrina Bowen 2 years ago
Having friends. I don't have friends, I don't want friends. I have my husband a d that's often more social interaction than I can handle or want.
Amo Mazzuchelli 2 years ago
This is a "just do you" post, I like it people shouldn't feel pressured to do thing they just don't want to do
Lorie Shewbridge 2 years ago (edited)
This may not be totally the norm, but using the insanely hard-to-read cApItAl AnD sMaLl letter typing. I HATE it. Please stop it, people!!! I know, I did it there, just for effect so you could see what I meant. 🤬
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
I get the reasoning for it though - it's meant to denote mockery and sarcasm, which is inherently VERY tricky to get across with the written word. It's meant to be read the way a kid would repeat back something you said to make fun of you: "I said to go clean your room!" "I sAid tO go cLeAn YoUr rOoooOmM"
Load More Replies... Iga Błażejewska 2 years ago
I will never drink coffee. I find it equal to alcohol and cigarettes and pot, it's addictive and it irks me that caffeine addiction is so normalized.
RaroaRaroa 2 years ago
I gave up by #7. Nothing on that list is stuff I consider people are "normally" doing anyway. Except the posting their good deeds, which is fine by me. It does no harm, and if it's the only reason someone does a good deed, who cares. The recipient of the deed still receives.
Bryan With A Why 2 years ago
It's the only reason I read this article because it's 100% on the dot. Nobody cares about your pride or your mental illnesses. Just fix yourself and work on building a better family and stop caring what the world thinks.
Load More Replies... Alana Voeks 2 years ago
The idea that you NEED to respect your parents. They brought you into this world, but you can take yourself out. Not only that, but don't you think the ones WITH EXPERIENCE should be working for the respect, not the other way around? Doing the bare minimum is not earning respect. That's doing your due diligence for bringing a life into this world.
Lisa Swager 2 years ago
I hate the media-centric displays of who is gay today. I dont care who you do, you do you! I just dont need it taking my news feed. Not my business.
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Down voted for SURE. This is SUCH a hetero-centric point of view. Nobody asked for your input. But you know who does care about celebrities coming out? Gay people. People who are still in the closet. People who still have to fear for their LIVES when they consider coming out. People who worry about being attacked, having their lives on the line, for walking or talking "too gay". When gay is normalized, people like me won't have to worry as much. When people like Lil Nas X, Elliott Page, and Kristen Stewart come out, and talk about it, and share it, they are making life immeasurably better for people like them. But sure, they should STFU because it annoys your breeder a*s.
Load More Replies... Stefan 2 years ago
Having a pet. For me, it doesn't make any sense. Why would you breed and slave an animal, remove all their wild instinct for absolute no use other than serve humans' lack of affection.
ThePlantMoss 2 years ago
Dogs have been domesticated for thousands and thousands of years, humans love companionship - and animals are nonjudgemental and loyal
Load More Replies... Phil Vaive 2 years ago
Out of all the topics that are glamourized in pop culture and music, you chose to make polygamy your example? Not like, rape, child molestation, murder? Polygamy is your hill to die on? Weird.
Load More Replies... 
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