Goodful
People Are Revealing The Common Social Norms They Secretly Find Ridiculous, And I Agree With A Lot Of These
In America, there are a lot of social norms that often seem a little weird. So when the question “What’s a common social norm that you secretly find ridiculous?” was asked on Reddit, over 6,000 people provided their thoughts.
1. “Posting your entire life online.”
2. “Crossing my arms means I’m closed off. Actually, I’m just really comfortable standing that way. I do it all the time.”
“I agree. Just standing there with your arms hanging feels kind of awkward and not particularly comfortable.”
3. “Tipping. Thank God I live in Europe.”
4. “Having to be available 24/7. I miss the days before mobile phones. I might use the social side of my mobile twice a day, and I get constant complaints about it. I won’t change. I don’t need to.”
5. “I’ve never really understood why it’s considered rude to put your elbows on the dinner table.”
6. “Job adverts are posted without information on the salary. Are we really pretending that money isn’t a big factor in why I’m applying?”
7. “Spending money to flex. Like why the fuck do I care if random people think I’m rich?”
8. “Insurance companies thinking they know better than doctors about our health needs. I want to see that system crumble and disappear before the end of my life. It probably won’t happen, but I still want it.”
“Doctor: My patient needs prior authorization for X medication because generic isn’t effective.
Pharmacy: The doctor says his patient needs name-brand medication for his patient.
Insurance: Does she really, though? Better check with the doctor.
The story of my life.”
9. “The idea that there are specific ‘breakfast foods’ was just marketing made up by cereal companies to sell more cereal. I will die on this hill.”
10. “Two weeks’ notice to quit a job. They can let you go without even a second’s warning, but if you leave without giving a two-week notice, you’re the bad guy and filed under ‘not rehirable.’ The entire idea behind the two-week notice is so they could train your replacement, but these days, they often don’t really have anyone lined up for that. Then they ask you to stay for another week. It’s not your problem, though. Your employer is only as loyal to you as their bottom line allows. You’re just a number on a spreadsheet. Once you’re no longer useful, you’re out. So there’s no point in being loyal to your employer.”
11. “Over-the-top weddings. What an incredible waste of money.”
12. “Not letting kids be weird. My son used to wear the weirdest stuff, and if we were going out, I’d be like, ‘Go for it! You’re 6, live it up!’ I do believe in making them behave, though.”
13. “Having to buy a card for every occasion. Like, why do I need to pay $5 to say ‘Happy Birthday’ when I’m already getting you a gift?”
14. “Obsessing over celebrities or anyone in the media while neglecting your own present life and social circle.”
“Important to note that professional athletes are, without question, celebrities.
I follow the NBA to a minor extent, but I’m not tuned into it all hours of the day, nor do I let it make me start gambling because, apparently, we decided to regress a bit as a collective.
People who know every trade and every life story of every player are also sometimes likely to talk down on Swifties like they are any different.”
15. “What I secretly find ridiculous is the expectation to always respond with ‘I’m fine’ or ‘I’m good’ when someone asks how you’re doing, even when you’re clearly not. It’s as if we’re all part of an unspoken agreement to avoid genuine emotional exchanges in casual interactions, reducing a potentially meaningful conversation to mere pleasantries. It feels like a missed opportunity to connect on a deeper level, yet it’s so ingrained that we all just go along with it.”
16. “Pretending to like small talk when all you really want is to skip to the part where you can comfortably ignore each other.”
17. “Being in a relationship. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have a partner, but the amount of comments, single-shaming, and false pity are so annoying. I don’t need sympathy; I don’t need your unrequested help/coupling in finding a partner, and I don’t need unwarranted suggestions of what I need to change. I am not desperate, so please, Mr. X, stop hitting on me. A no is a no.”
18. “Gender reveals. What a grandiose waste of money, time, and resources.”
“And really, most people don’t care about the sex of somebody’s baby; they just want it to be healthy.”
19. “Everyone walking around with phones in their faces, even at a gym where they need to have things in their hands to work out.”
Is there a common social norm that you secretly find ridiculous? Tell us what it is and why in the comments below.
