People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren’t Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever

When it comes to unwritten rules, there are plenty of grey areas between what behaviors people consider OK and not. Social norms differ between cultures; a certain act may receive sanctions or punishments within one group but be seen as normal within another. Plus, as society's understanding of norms changes over time, so too does its members' perception of deviance.

In an attempt to learn if this transformation can stall, Redditor u/sadboi017 asked other users: "What is considered socially unacceptable for no reason?" 34.9K upvotes and 21.3K comments later, I think it's safe to say that it can. Continue scrolling and check out some of the most popular answers.

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People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Not wanting to hold other people's babies...

SilllyWoman , unsplash Report

Final score:

514points

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Maul! 3 years ago

Can I upvote this more?

163points

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People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Turning down an invitation to go out simply because you’d rather stay home with your pets, save money, and preserve your mental health in glorious solitude.

SJBailey03 , pexels Report

Final score:

511points

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Daria Z 3 years ago

How is it unacceptable? I thought it's perfectly normal and widespread today 🤔

107points

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People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Using swings/playground equipment as an adult. I friggin love going on the swings, I’m 30 and it still fascinates me that I can quickly and easily get 10-15 feet (or higher) in the air with some simple leg movement.

One day I was at a fairly deserted local park on the swings having the time of my life. Suddenly Karen shows up with her two ankle biters, hands on her hips and yells at me “WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THERE?! THE SWINGS ARE FOR THE KIDS, NOT ADULTS!”

My tax dollars paid for these swings, and there’s no sign saying that I can’t, so I’ll use them as much as I damn well please whenever I want. How much tax did little Johanathan and little Kymburleigh Pay last year? None? Guess they can’t use the swings either.

chewblekka , pexels Report

Final score:

459points

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Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago

I too love the swings and will happily go on them when the playground isn't busy.

121points

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People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Not answering your own door. When there's like a salesman at someone's door, they won't want to answer but they will act like no one is home, and be really quiet so the person outside the door doesn't hear them. But it's your house. I could just stare at a salesman out the window as he rings my bell, who cares. It's my house. I don't have to answer my own door, for whatever reason I deem acceptable. You came to my house, not the other way around.

Waddlow , pexels Report

Final score:

436points

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Alex Bailey 3 years ago

Have CCTV installed specifically so I could see who was at the door and avoid answering it if I didn't want to - get a lot of deliveries as I have my own business and need supplies. People with clipboards (one last week which surprised me as it was the first since covid) get ignored.

47points

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People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Leaving without giving an "acceptable" song and dance about why you are leaving, with leaving because you have basically reached your limit with socializing being "not a good enough reason"

People who can stand to be around other people for huge amounts of time, more power to you, but me? I can't do that, and I don't want to have to make up an excuse to do so.

Drakeskulled_Reaper , unsplash Report

Final score:

423points

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Paul C. 3 years ago

I'm so with this one. Sometimes I'm happy to stay, but when I'm done, I'm done.

116points

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People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Being open/honest about not having kids. In my personal life I have gotten more ridicule and very pointed questions bordering on disrespectful over being childfree than about any of my other opinions.

Once I said I wasn't having kids my family became obsessed with whether or not I was dating, and who, and oh, what if HE wants kids? What if I meet the "perfect" guy, but he wants kids? Well, then I guess he's not the perfect guy for me. Simple as that. I don't want kids, and no, I don't have to give you a detailed bullet list about why I'm not having kids because what I decide to do with my uterus is none of your business.

RattusDraconis Report

Final score:

408points

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InvincibleRodent 3 years ago

The only reason one should ideally need is "because I don't want any". That's my main reason, but for some reason, a lot of people just really want a lot of unwanted and unloved children in the world I guess...

89points

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People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever I'm a grown man and I love flowers. Not even 'masculine' flowers, I have an orchid collection.

pressureshack , unsplash Report

Final score:

392points

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Laura Mende (Human) 3 years ago

There is a sort of Orchid called Holy ghost or something like that. When bud is closed, looks like praying monks. When blooming it's resembles a dove of peace. Absolutely STUNNING!!!

68points

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NOT WEARING A BRA. SCREW BRAS. THERE I SAID IT.

LoverofCatsandTSwift Report

Final score:

390points

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Ozacoter 3 years ago

Yeah why is people so obsessed with female nipples? You can see guys nipples all the time through tshirts but if a womans are obvious its the end of the world.

101points

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People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever waking up at 11am or later

i'm not lazy. my responsibilities are taken care of. i stay up late and value my sleep hours.

FaroutIGE , pexels Report

Final score:

381points

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Daria Z 3 years ago

Yes! I feel more productive in the evening but, sadly, our world belongs to early birds...

90points

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#10

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever In some places, calling in sick, because it's "letting down the team" or whatever. Screw off, I'm sick as a dog. There's little I will accomplish other than feeling like death warmed up, so you aren't missing out on much. Plus I could spread whatever I've got to coworkers, then we're all sick

GoabNZ , unsplash Report

Final score:

358points

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WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago

One of my former bosses fired someone on the spot for coming to work with a bad case of the flu after having told her that she needed to stay home. There was no reason for her to come to work, she would have gotten paid for as long as she was sick.

78points

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#11

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Wearing a surgical mask when you are sick to prevent giving the illness to others.

Phyr8642 , unsplash Report

Final score:

336points

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Vicky Z 3 years ago

Can we all agree this to be a norm from now on? I mean they do it for years in Asian countries!!!

80points

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#12

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Men crying. It’s seen as a weakness typically rather than compassion.

Virtue00 , unsplash Report

Final score:

336points

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Caro Caro 3 years ago

Only assholes would say that. I think men need a break from being macho bs! Blokes have emotions too.

112points

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#13

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Being single.

Some people are okay not being in a relationship for some time and are perfectly happy, but other people just don't understand that.

-eDgAR- , pexels Report

Final score:

328points

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troufaki13 3 years ago

What I don't get is why couples choose not to hang out with their single friends anymore. They only do stuff with their couple friends and it's so frustrating

100points

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#14

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Not drinking alcohol around others who are drinking. People don’t like it

selux , pexels Report

Final score:

310points

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Dina Simoné 3 years ago

Thats actually a terrible social pressure. Especially for former alkoholics.

107points

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#15

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Going out for dinner by yourself

sugarnipples231 , pexels Report

Final score:

279points

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anarkzie 3 years ago

This is a good one. There should be nothing wrong with simply wanting to sit in a nice restaurant by yourself and having a meal but even thinking about leaves me feeling oddly guilty and ashamed.

49points

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#16

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Being honest when asked “how are you”

pm_me_n0Od , unsplash Report

Final score:

269points

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WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago (edited)

Come to the Netherlands and ask someone that question. You'll get a thorough schooling on their mental, physical and financial situation. Which most of the times is summed up in the one word "kut" or the even more profound comment "tering kut".

79points

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#17

Eating lunch alone in your car at work. It's quiet, comfortable, and I don't have to make small talk when I'm trying to have some 'me' time out of the office.

abandoned_firehouse Report

Final score:

251points

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Jonathan 3 years ago

I sit in my car, put on a movie, turn on the AC and eat what ever I have.

38points

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#18

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Napping at work during my lunch break. I don't really need food in the afternoon, what I really need is a nap!

katartsis , unsplash Report

Final score:

241points

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Dina Simoné 3 years ago

Its ok in Japan

37points

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#19

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Skipping as an adult. It's unfortunate because it is faster than walking and much more fun than running.

BigEarsLongTail , unsplash Report

Final score:

238points

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Cactus McCoy 3 years ago

Stop thinking about what others may think. I'm a 44 years old, long hair undercut, full beard, tattoooed guy in heavy boots and I love puddle hopping, so i do.

164points

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#20

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever 40+ male at a playground

Yes I have no partner, yes that's my 6 year old kid having a blast

No I'm not a pedo but thank you for your questions and passive glares

SomeCrows , pexels Report

Final score:

232points

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Vilma 3 years ago

Isn’t this just an USA thing?

93points

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#21

Women not shaving.

Toughpupper Report

Final score:

224points

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Sue Hazlewood 3 years ago

Someone made a comment on here about some famous woman not shaving her armpits. I responded with 'So?' and asked why they considered it their business. No reply.

71points

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#22

Wearing the same clothes 2 days in a row

ManyDeliciousJuices Report

Final score:

223points

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Becky Samuel 3 years ago

Yes to this. We as a society have gone *way* over the top about things like this and it's doing the planet a huge disservice.

82points

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#23

Cursing.

Seriously, how and why the f*ck did society decide that certain sounds will corrupt children?

depthandbloom Report

Final score:

210points

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NsG 3 years ago

Swearing also has degrees. The US really dislikes the c-word that Australians use with abandon! Swearing also has power - that's the point of it. If your three year old peppers conversation with f-bombs it loses its emphatic effect. Which is why we end up having to create new curse words, because the old ones aren't strong enough any more.

64points

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#24

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Apparently self defense isn’t allowed in schools. I guess I just have to accept the beating.

TheBananaHamook , pexels Report

Final score:

192points

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Caro Caro 3 years ago

No, don't accept the beating. Never accept a beating.

114points

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#25

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Having fun as an adult. Fun has no expiration date, you don't suddenly no longer qualify for fun and have to live a life of watching the news and drinking coffee. People shame adults for doing fun things and that's absolute nonsense

merabih , pexels Report

Final score:

188points

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Cactus McCoy 3 years ago

What? Where is this a thing?

48points

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#26

Not wanting to make small talk. Sometimes being alone in a public place is my only alone time.

I have to put on the show at work and talk to people ALL DAY LONG and if I just want to sit in a bar or cafe or on a bench by myself and stare at my phone I shouldn't be forced to exchange small talk with someone just because they happen to be in the vicinity of me.

Like currently, I'm having a really bad day and just want to go sit and have a drink and stare at cats or something because being in my house is making it worse, but I can't, because I'll be forced to chit chat with someone near me.

romperstomp Report

Final score:

180points

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Cactus McCoy 3 years ago

Weird idea: Say "I had a very stressful day and need some quite time alone now, please." It is surprising how often that works.

58points

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#27

Showing distaste for ones family in any way, shape, or form

Foodcity Report

Final score:

170points

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Paul C. 3 years ago

I moved a few hundred miles away, that got the message over.

57points

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#28

Not hiding your tampon when you go to the restroom

IwishIhadbiggerfeet Report

Final score:

157points

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Natalie Bohrteller 3 years ago

I don't. I'm a woman, I bleed. Thinking that something is socially unacceptable is not a one way road. I think it's socially unacceptable to find this socially unacceptable.

69points

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#29

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Going to the movies alone.

orbesomebodysfool , unsplash Report

Final score:

147points

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Desiree McKinnon 3 years ago

Pre-pandemic I would go to the movies alone all the time. It's nice. Nobody jabbering away at you so much you can't hear the movie.

57points

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#30

Being a virgin

CWbr Report

Final score:

143points

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Ozacoter 3 years ago

I blame media for this. Many teenager series show old and very fit actors that have sex like rabbits. Thats completely unreal but it makes people self-conscious

50points

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#31

Being the first person to get up from your chair when snacks are brought into a meeting room. There's always that one hero that does it though so others can get in line.

Mool901 Report

Final score:

133points

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Dina Simoné 3 years ago

He was greedy first. Now I can be greedy too.

22points

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#32

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Men caring about skincare and getting manicures

Old-Physics , pexels Report

Final score:

132points

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Fei 3 years ago

Then I guess my grandpa and uncle are very progressive... Even though they're not fond of manicure, they use skincare since their teenage years. And they are very manly!

21points

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#33

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Walking your cat.

SentinelVortexx , unsplash Report

Final score:

129points

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WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago

That's not socially unacceptable. I have the highest respect for people who walk their cats instead of kicking them out the door when they leave for work so the cat has to roam the neighborhood and pee and poop in other peoples gardens.

66points

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#34

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Refusing generosity. It's perfect alright to politely decline, even though others would vilify you for being ungrateful and cold.

ETC3000 , unsplash Report

Final score:

122points

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Mark Melton 3 years ago

Sometimes one should allow others to experience the act of giving. It makes me uncomfortable to be a recipient, but people need that sometimes.

48points

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#35

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever My dad gets SUPER offended when I put my elbows on the table. I still dont know why.

Briannarhea1513 , pexels Report

Final score:

119points

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SentimentAndBadJokes 3 years ago

I don't know, I guess I was raised with this as table etiquette? I suppose it's one of those things which has just come through history. Any pandas here know?

50points

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#36

There are a ton of rules around clothing that are completely arbitrary nonsense. And I don’t even just mean workplace dress codes and gendered clothing that are obvious bullsh*t. Even in casual situations, jeans and a flannel shirt are normal, but if you wore plaid flannel pajama pants and a denim shirt, you would look psychotic.

notevaluatedbyFDA Report

Final score:

119points

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Becky Samuel 3 years ago

Clothing rules are used as a proxy to see at a glance how good you are at conforming to the rules of society.

58points

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#37

Ladies can call their friends her "girlfriends," but a man, absolutely not, cannot call his friends his "boyfriends." That's not fair.

llcucf80 Report

Final score:

112points

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Deborah B 3 years ago

You can call them "guy friends"

36points

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#38

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Laying down in public.

Source: likes to lay.

Musclemagic , unsplash Report

Final score:

107points

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Ozacoter 3 years ago

Or sitting in the floor. Sorry sometimes I am tired and there arent chairs or benches available.

59points

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#39

hats indoors. No one has given me a valid reason why I need to tell students to take their hats off.

EchoStellar12 Report

Final score:

107points

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fire bug 3 years ago

It's the norm going back to the days when people wore helmets (knights, vikings and such). It was a way to show trust and respect when entering someone else's home. Its pretty antiquated but that's where it came from.

76points

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#40

People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren't Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever Running everywhere instead of walking.

TotallyRealFBIAgent , pexels Report

Final score:

86points

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Monday 3 years ago

But you are more likely to collide with someone if running rather than walking, so I wouldn't say that there's no reason for this to be socially unacceptable. It's also very impractical since most of us don't want to run everywhere and thus it'll be hard for those who do want to run to get around us safely.

28points

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Note: this post originally had 52 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.

What do you think ?

A lot of these are not something that society disapproves of. Stems mainly from our own limitations and perceptions.

23points

Ueda 3 years ago

Yes. Many of these seem to confuse social norms with social embarrassment due to low self-esteem. I would not have trouble doing most of these, assuming it would not bother others too much.

4points

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Happy_Pandalover 3 years ago (edited)

Agreed. Most of the these are accepted. I think it depends on how you do it. (Just do it with respect to others, maybe tell other people in case it affects them some how - for example, if you need to call sick. Tell your boss and coworkers and usually people understand you)

3points

Kimberly Brown 3 years ago

Or 1 rude Karen from your past.

0points

Keyy 3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Sohil Agariya 3 years ago

Jason Melvil 3 years ago

Birthdays - or rather the lack of interest in one. I never understood this silly notion of this personal holiday. I don't do anything special on it and it always bothers people : "What? You're not doing anything special?" "Come on you have to do something" "why don't you come with us, we'll throw you a party" No thanks. I'm not embarrassed to ask, I'm not shy I just don't like this stupid thing and would rather just stay at home. Why is that a thing?

12points

V V 3 years ago

"The best birthday present you can give me is some peace and quiet. Don't even worry about wrapping it. Just go away."

Sally Barry 2 years ago

Once you're over the age of, say, 12, except for milestone birthdays, I don't think adults should keep making a BFD over their birfdays. Something sad about it - you need a party? You need presents and a cheap cake and pony rides and balloons? Everyone singing Happy Barfday, yaaaaaay, blow out the candles? Well, go right ahead if that's what you need. I wouldn't object to being taken out to eat or to a concert or a movie (now that the plague is subsiding somewhat). But I would hate a birthday party. It's kind of embarrassing. It's fine for little kids. YMMV

Mike Beck 3 years ago

Ideal birthday: everybody just shut up and leave me be. Give me ONE day of peace and quiet. I tell them this every. single. year. Haven't gotten it once in 25+ years.

Lovin' Life 3 years ago

Why are these things not acceptable? I love playing in parks, and sending my man flowers and time to myself. And why cant a man cry? They too have feelings and need to sometimes Express them. I think if you're comfortable with something, then do it. Who cares what others think.

10points

$copper-fractions avatar$

Tiny Dynamine 3 years ago

Totally. I think this comes with age anyway as people re-evaluate their lives and everntually realise they can do what they want if it's not harming anyone. Shame it often takes that to change how we act.

5points

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People Are Sharing 40 Things That Aren’t Socially Acceptable For No Reason Whatsoever

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