Social norms are the unwritten rules that determine what is acceptable within a community and what is not.
Usually, they are those things we all just "know" to be true, and that are either rewarded or punished by members of that community.
From the way we form a line at a grocery store to the way we look for a partner, they govern both the small details of daily interactions and the major decisions that shape our lives.
But not everyone accepts these customs without question. In fact, some people feel certain conventions are baffling or even absurd. Recently, a post on r/AskReddit invited platform users to share a common social norm that they secretly find ridiculous, and the responses sparked an interesting discussion. Continue scrolling to check out the most popular entries.
If a stranger asks me weird questions or tries persistently to make small talk, I'm forced to make at least a couple of polite, inconspicuous attempts to extricate myself without calling them out, just to save THEIR face.
Dude, I nodded, smiled blandly, and turned away *twice*. I put earphones in. Why are you still trying to make eye contact and force me to take them out again by talking at me? Elderly people are very good at this. Sometimes better than pushy men.
I want permission to directly tell someone, "I don't want to talk" straight away, without being labeled rude and b****y. bitterbirdy
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ADVERTISEMENT That you should slave your life away to rich a******s that don't care about you, and that if you don't, you're "lazy.". Uimaajamma Wearing brand name clothing. As long as you have nice clean clothes on I don’t care what brand they are. Scuh That the rich can be immune to the consequences of their actions. manflesh1
ADVERTISEMENT Asking people when they're "finally going to have kids". Mysterious_Silver381
ADVERTISEMENT Dropping 3 month salary on a shiny rock that is just an agreement to another even larger payment in the form of a ceremony.
Start your union by working through a pile of debt. Other_Log_1996 Bridezillas and special “requests” for weddings. No one should be expected to give you thousands of dollars Susan just because you’re getting married.
Expensive vehicles- I’ll stick with my paid off Toyota- I hate car payments.
Everything being fake- fake fingernails, fake eyebrows, fake lashes, fake boobs, etcetera. I’m all for self care- but all the fake… why? MD_Benellis-Mama
Having to hide a tampon or a pad when I go to the bathroom to change it because someone might find it embarrassing. Rainbow-Mama
The idea that men who take good care of their appearance must be gay. See_You_Space_Coyote Funerals. Horrible use of resources and environmentally harmful. Also, it puts the grieving through so much unnecessary nonsense. My late husband had some serious forethought and refused to allow us to have a funeral. At first I was taken aback but in the end, it was so much easier on me and my kids. He wanted to be cremated and we spread his ashes in a small ceremony with close family when I was ready to let him go. MycoFemme Bachelor and bachelorette parties where the point is to live it up one more night as an unmarried person, last chance to enjoy all the vices. Wtf? Klutzy-Guidance-7078
Health insurance. You pay plenty for it. Yet you also pay a ridiculous amount if you have any sort of major health problem. What’s the point? The whole system is completely broken. free-toe-pie
Hustle culture in general is so f*****g annoying too. We are not defined by how much of our lives we spend grinding away, how hard we hustle nor by our income brackets. BishlovesSquish Not having bra straps show, who cares. mothermedusa Daylight Saving Time. Sylvelva
Parents giving their kids expensive vehicles.
You see a high school douchebag driving a lifted 250 with chrome wheels. Hauling literally nothing but clearly worth the $100,000.
Is it any wonder why the economy’s in shambles, repossessions are up, and entitlement is through the roof?
Just get them a basic 10+ year old Camry or Civic. SuperMeh2 Doctors and really all providers who schedule an appointment and are expected to be late while you are expected to be early and penalized for being late. Doctors, meetings, interviews, service appointments... and copays before I receive a service of any kind. 247Justice
Eating a food that you've previously expressed a dislike for to be courteous.
Like, if I say I like shepherds pie, someone makes it for me, and it tastes bad... I'm going to fake it to be polite. But if I tell people I dislike peanut butter and they make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for me, I'm not eating it. I won't be rude about it, I'll politely remind them and thank them for the effort! But yeah, no. PM_Me_Right_Tits Retail and fast food/dining workers being required to have forced small talk with strangers who are also fully aware that the small talk is forced as a part of the job. Good-Communication83 "What's your dream job?"
I think it's weird to dream about work. Blenderhead36 Not taking people at face value. If only everyone would just take responsibility for their words and actions and expect the same form others.
Let's stop trying to find secret meaning, especially to people who are pretty straightforward. So much drama would be avoided. classified_straw Excessive consumption of alcohol. Expensive-Twist8865
Feeling obligated to bring a gift to a wedding when you’re already spending a fortune just to be there. Away-Carrot-9501 Hugs to greet people. Don’t f*****g touch me. Dannysan5677 Playing “hard to get” otherwise if you show interest that’s apparently desperate?? Local-Concern-4791 That men aren't allowed any emotion other than anger. Anxious-Load4600 In the U.S.?
We have a f*****g healthcare system where an inordinate amount of money goes to healthcare premiums.
Health is important. Yes! So, those premiums covering healthcare are acceptable....
...in an ideal world.
INSTEAD, people spend all those premiums IN HOPE that they never f*****g have to go to a doctor!! 2020IsANightmare Small talk before getting to the point in a business meeting. We are all experiencing the weather and probably agree, I don't want to talk about my family or trips, etc. I just want to cover the topic and get back to what I was doing before I walked into the office. Frau-Pfau Saying "bless you" when someone sneezes. We don't say it when someone coughs or anything else. Most of the time a sneeze is just random anyway, not due to sickness. EasternBeautiful4705 Not wearing a hat in the house or any of the other super subjective things that older people view as being “polite”. Someone else said elbows on the table. Same thing. Useless gestures that have zero meaning other than what people say they do. I get being respectful of culture and I would conform to any norms in a house or society of which I am a guest. But in my house, I want people laughing and comfortable. I want my loved ones to be at home with me and in my space. MycoFemme Ic_puzzle