Society is a pretty imperfect place.
It holds a structure that everyone can operate loosely within, but thanks to a combination of peer and family pressure, invented standards of production and a whole bunch of other things, you can really get shaken loose from the structure and/or come to resent it.
And then there's the question of what isn't working anymore in our society and truly just needs to get the heck out? Humans have been around for a hell of a long time, and we have evolved in so many ways.
But in others, you start to truly wonder if we have all learned nothing.
Redditor BeardedTaco88 asked:
"What is something that's held in high regard in culture and society that's actually garbage?"
Here were some of those answers.
Get It On The Grind...NOT
"Hustle culture, always being on the grind. I get some wild responses when I tell people I work under 40 hours a week and am thriving."
"Life should be more than work, even if I L O V E my job."
"ETA: A lot have asked what I do; I’m a manicurist! My thriving might be different from others: I have two cats, my own one-bed apartment, an emergency fund, and a great family and chosen family."
"I’m usually not exhausted and I like myself."-horrorharlot1199
I'm Just A Dude, Dude
"The way we treat our celebrities because we treat them like gods or some other deity when they should be treated like any other normal human being and don't even get me started on how the Paparazzi are with them."-SP_21ones
"There are studies about this saying that we evolved to only talk to people in person, so seeing someone repeatedly on screen is the same as seeing them repeatedly in person. Our brains interpret it the same way."
"It assumes that if we see someone that often, they must be a close friend, so we form personal relationships with celebrities even if we’ve never met them. That’s why they are treated the way that way. Everybody sees them as close friends. When Chadwick Bozeman died, millions were crying like their mom had passed away."
"I would also like to add a personal hypothesis that it has to do with us living in a monotheistic society. There’s a human need to look up to multiple people, and when it’s not the gods, we find others to 'worship.'"
"It happens with celebrities, politicians, historical figures, etc. I have a poster of Chris Pratt as Starlord on my wall because I like the movie and I think he’s chill. My Aztec ancestors probably painted their patron god on their wall."
"I went to a Ricky Martin concert. Ancient peoples went to religious festivals that were probably fairly similar. There are a lot of similarities."-youburyitidigitup
Lack Of Emotional Intelligence For 800, Mayim
"Bottling up emotions and not asking for help when you need it."-ChutkiJoTuneMariHai
"On the flipside, forcing people to talk about their emotions when they deal differently. My boyfriend lost both his little brother and his dad in the span of 6 months."
"Everyone wanted him to talk it out, and it put so much extra strain on him when he was already grieving. Somehow out of all his family and friends, I was the only one who just sat quietly with him when he needed that silent presence, or would listen when he randomly would start telling a story at 2am that he remembered about him and his brother. (I guess there's a reason we're together lol)"-MatureTeen14
What can you do with these except not practice them in your own life and hope for the best?
Sports With Our Lives Ain't Fun
"Treating politics like a sports game. People absolutely refuse to admit a politician they dislike did anything even remotely valuable in office, or that a politician they ‘like’ isn’t a good person."
"Not exclusive to any one side, and some people would miss the point of this comment entirely and say 'lol so basically republicans/liberals amirite?'”
"Then call everyone either racist, snowflakes, liberals, communist, hivemind, republitards, etc etc when they get downvoted."-PvtSmuffler
Elder Or Just Older?
"Respecting your elders. Living and working in an indigenous lifestyle, you learn there’s a difference between an elder vs an old person."
"An elder is a leader, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are in a job that suggests that, but a wealth of knowledge that they are willing to share for the greater good."
"An old person is just that, a person who got to a certain age. There are some people you will meet throughout life that are miserable and are willing to drag others down with them."
"Just because they are doing that at 80 doesn’t mean you have to respect them. Elder is an earned term. Something that doesn’t just show up at 50 or whatever age people thinks it starts, but it’s something that they have been building towards."-four4youglencoco
Bait The Rich People With Shiny Things
"Any awards, Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, Tonys and other stupid awards."-Lord-AG
"In lukewarm defense of award shows, they are the reason a whole lot of really solid movies even get made. Certainly winning an oscar is no guarantee of quality, which is subjective anyway."
"But a lot of movies only get funded in the first place because they're believed to have awards potential. And as much as I complain about 'oscar bait,' I do think it's usually at least a sign of EFFORT on the part of the creators."
"Is it really the worst thing if a movie puts some energy into its sound design or score, even if only to add some statues to the marquee?"
"Any criticism you have for the Oscar's I'll probably agree with, but at the same time I think we'll be surprised how much we miss them when they're gone."-Wazula42
Parental Units Or Family?
"'Respect your parents because they're your parents.' I remember a lot of teachers in my middle school were big on this line. It frustrated a lot of students because if you tried to explain your parent situation to your teacher, you always got hit with this bullsh*t line."
"I remember one kid, his mom was just a b*tch to him. no matter what he did, it was not good enough for this kids mom. This kid would act out a lot in different classes and you could tell it was because home life wasn't very good."
"Anyways, one day after school this kid used the public phone in the office (i was also in the office, but i was there waiting for something so i overheard all of this) for students to use to call his mom and ask where she was parked."
"Instantly you can hear her on the other line b*tching away (couldn't make out the words, but you could hear the tone of her voice yelling at him) at him for a simple question, so he starts snapping back at her and then eventually says 'bye' to her and hangs up the phone."
"Before he could leave the office the principal who overheard him snapping on the phone, told him to watch his attitude with his mom and maybe she'll be more nice to him. The kid just started at him like wtf? and said 'well maybe if she didn't snap at me first i wouldn't have to do it back. she needs to learn how to be nice to me too.'"
"And queue the principal giving him this bullshit line of 'she's you're mother. You have to respect her no matter what. change your attitude with her and she'll change hers with you too.'"
"This kid literally turned and looked at me sitting in the chair behind him like 'you're hearing this sh*t right??' scoffed, rolled his eyes, and walked out."
"I actually really felt for this kid cause i knew what it was like to be in his position. My mom goes through those 'nothing is good enough for me' phases all the time, especially growing up and would scream at you for literally anything."
"Didn't matter what tone of voice i used with her, or how i constructed my sentences, you always got yelled at no matter what."-urbanlulu
Society needs to have a private conversation with itself to really ask itself if it's doing the best it can right now.
Is That Bourbon Or Riesling?
"Late to the party so I’m sure I’ll get buried, but wine mom culture. It’s essentially alcoholism in pretty wrapping paper so people think it’s cute to get drunk on wine every night to escape the stress of work, kids, housework, etc.."
"Now try replacing wine mom with a man who gets drunk on whiskey every night and suddenly it’s not so glamorous, yet each is equally harmful."-PMacLCA
Overpricéd
"Designer clothes and handbags. You're paying all that money to wear a logo, you're just paying them to advertise their products."
"Clothes and bags made out of the same materials go for so much less if you're not getting those extremely well known brands. Same functionality, same comfort."-MentlPopcorn
Something By Puccini
"Okay, not quite 'garbage,' but:"
"Puccini's operas... amazing, beautiful music. You hear it sung in Italian and you imagine it must be grappling with powerful and important topics and themes."
"But if you actually watch the opera with subtitles? 100% pedestrian plots about things like a group of buddies helping their friend bang the local pub wench or whatever. LOL"-pab_guy
Society needs to shed its skin every once in awhile and let go of the things that no longer serve it. And society, we are calling on you to drop these things from valuation.
We might start to see the world truly change for the better if that happens.
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