10 Strange Social Norms That Have Become Routine
Have you ever wondered about some everyday social norms we unquestioningly follow? In an online discussion, people shared several social behaviors they think are strange. Here are ten social norms that are pretty weird if you think about it.
1. Talking on Speakerphone
Talking on speakerphone has become so common that we don't even think twice about it. But one woman raised a valid point, “I feel like too many people talk on speakerphone. Do you remember when conversations were private?” Strangely, so many people are willing to broadcast their conversations for all to hear.
2. Having Big Weddings
“The expectation of having a huge wedding,” as one person pointed out, is pretty strange. We spend thousands of dollars on one day that is supposed to be about love, but it has become a competition for who can throw the most lavish event.
3. Female Modesty
“It blows my mind that the part of a woman’s body we can’t show is the exact part of the body a man can show,” someone said. It's a strange concept that we've sexualized a specific area of a part of the female body. Still, it's considered normal that the same doesn't apply to everyone.
4. Wearing Ties as Business Attire
Strangely, we've decided a piece of fabric tied around our necks symbolizes professionalism. “I can't think of a single reason for ties being the standard for business attire,” one man said.
5. Rhetorical Greetings
“Asking people how they're doing as a matter of courtesy when you truly don't care and are hoping they just say ‘good how about you' in response,” someone said. It's strange that we ask people about their well-being as a greeting when we don't actually want to know the answer.
6. Balloons at Birthday Parties
Giving someone a bunch of inflated rubber balls to celebrate their birth is a little strange when you think about it. “Balloons. Here's a plastic sack of my breath. Happy birthday,” one man said.
7. Birthday Candles
“Blowing out candles on a birthday cake,” one man said. “It's gross enough when you think of the tiny bits of spit that probably come out when people blow out the candles,” someone replied. During the pandemic, a lot of people realized just how strange this birthday tradition is.
8. Tipping
“The expectation of tipping for certain jobs, as a substitute for paying employees a higher wage,” one man said. We've created a system where we expect tips to provide employees with a living wage instead of advocating for fair pay for all workers.
9. Litter Boxes
It's funny how we've domesticated animals and created a system where we have to buy a specific type of dirt for them to relieve themselves. “How weird is it that we have to buy special dirt for our cat to poop in?” one woman said.
10. Texting Etiquette
Obsessing about the unwritten rules of when to text or what punctuation marks and emojis to use is a strange habit that's become common in modern society. “All these random ‘rules' about texting people,” someone wrote. “Texting is supposed to be a medium to talk to people, and they can respond at their own convenience,” they continued.
This post was inspired by this thread.
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