25 Absurd Standards People Are Begging Society To Stop Normalizing Right Now

1. "Overworking. I remember hearing a bit about an older woman who should have been nearing retirement, talking about working 80 hours a week at two jobs, and applauding her American hard work ethic! First, she was over 60. Second, having to work two jobs to make ends meet takes a job away from someone who needs a job!"

—greenjaguar162

2. "Big freaking weddings. For…WHAT? ... I know couples that spent $20k and $30k on weddings…for what? One isn't even married anymore. So, we spent all the time planning the extravagant wedding, bachelorette, and whatever else for it to end in divorce five years later."

"What are we doing this for? The pictures? I think I'd rather ask AI to make me look fancy and put it in a photo album."

—Anonymous

3. "We have gotten way too rude as a country in the US. Yes, I like it when people don't lie, but that doesn't mean they can say whatever the F is on their minds! I know that's a big reason our current president was elected, and now that he's in office, everyone does it. No filter. It's awful and creates arguments for no reason!"

—greenjaguar162

4. "The fact that US public schools continue to use electronics (tablets, laptops, etc.) as their main teaching tools instead of real books, writing by hand, and completing assignments on paper — even when we, as a country, are in the middle of a severe literacy crisis that other countries have solved by eliminating electronics in the classroom. In 2024, only about 30% of US eighth graders actually read at grade level. The societal standard for continuing to accept the use of electronics in schools, in my opinion, is pretty messed up. "

—Anonymous, 23, Wisconsin

5. "I hate that people make fun of overweight people, especially at the gym...you know...where people go to get fit and lose weight. My mom needs to lose a certain amount of weight before she can have her knees operated on, but she refuses to go because she's afraid she'll be made fun of. People are just so awful."

—witch2burn77

6. "Refusing to clean up and shut up your dog when it craps on neighbors' property or in public parks — and leaving your pet at home with open windows to bark at anything that moves."

—redtooth101

7. "Today, young people don't acknowledge a gift or gifts given to them. I've given and sent expensive gifts to brides and grooms, friends and relatives, but never received a thank-you note, phone call, or even a text acknowledging the gift given! If a person goes through all the trouble and expense of shopping, buying, wrapping, and, in some instances, paying postage to send a gift, the least the recipients should do is thank the sender. Being polite in this way is definitely diminished!"

—luckyship253

8. "When man-on-man or woman-on-man assault (physical, verbal, sexual, etc.) is normalized or ignored in media and in real life."

"For those of you who have watched Umbrella Academy Season 3, SPOILER: Allison assaults Luther using her powers, and the scene was practically dismissed and ignored. While men assault women more than the other way around, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist, and it does not get as much attention."

—heroicpenguin18

9. "The 'right' to act like a bully, or be mean and rude because you're over 50. I'm in a 55+ community. Most people are very cool, but some folks here will outright be mean or bully you if they feel you don't fit in. Uhhh… junior high's been over for a long time, folks. You're not old and wise; you're an old a-hole."

"Just because you're 50+ doesn't mean you shouldn't consider other people's feelings. Even if it's 'tiring.' Wah, wah, wahhh."

—Anonymous

10. "Ghosting in dating/relationships. In situations of physical violence, acceptable. Otherwise, put your big kid pants on and have a conversation."

—clumsysquid726

11. "I know I'm not an American, but as an outsider, one thing that I think has become toxic is just how normalized school shootings/mass shootings have become in the USA. They barely make headline news anymore for more than a day (unless it's something truly horrific)."

"Indeed, I brought this up on another post on here, and the replies I got from Americans were things like, 'Yeah, but we've only had 300 shootings so far this year.' As if that's such a minimal number that it's acceptable."

—mookid

12. "The fact that everyone knows the education system is wildly messed up, but consistently votes down school budget proposals. Actually pay attention: most of the time, it doesn't actually raise your taxes AT ALL or does so by less than $100 a year. I don't care if you don't have kids. That's an investment in everyone's future, including your own. Those are your future doctors, caregivers, chefs, lawyers, retail workers, NEIGHBORS, etc."

—Anonymous

13. "How willing people are to reduce issues within families to 'family issues' or even 'sibling issues.' You would feel just as hurt and angry if you were experiencing verbal/emotional abuse, and no one would ever tolerate that kind of behavior from friends or a stranger. Therefore, they should not have to tolerate it from the people related to them by blood."

—Anonymous

14. "Standing 'over' someone and getting into their personal space bc they are shorter or a minor while waiting in line. Unless you're paying for what I just put down at the register, or we're dating, please give us petite people the space you'd expect. Plus, I do not want to smell the convergence of your BO and breath."

—Anonymous, 45, California

15. "It's so weird that once you get into a romantic relationship, you're supposed to prioritize them over your friendships and even family relationships. Let's all just agree that all relationships are equally valuable by default."

—Anonymous, 22, New York

16. "Commenting on the clothes someone wears or their body. It's uncomfortable and rude."

—Anonymous, 50, USA

17. "How accepted it is to blatantly ridicule or downright insult someone for liking something popular online. Like, leave people alone and let them like what they like? It's not that hard, and it doesn't hurt you. Along those lines, some people are so quick to make fun of people who like popular things, and it's just baffling."

"I think people see things that are popular and enjoy 'not being like everyone else,' so they bunch up the genuinely problematic people with everyone else and act like they're all the same, so they can justify hating on it and not wanting to be part of it. I get some things can genuinely be so ridiculous, but I guess as long as they're not shoving it in everyone's faces, let them be."

—Anonymous

18. "The idea that looking at your phone while driving is OK. It's not OK, and never will be. Saw a semi swerving back and forth because the driver kept looking down at his phone. Absurd! People need to own their phone addiction, and start thinking about how their actions affect others. Stop being so selfish."

—Anonymous

19. "The expectation that everyone wants to date/marry is wild. Not everyone wants to do that, and they still feel perfectly fulfilled."

—Anonymous, 22, New York

20. "That you're expected to just take everything people say with the utmost respect and grace. This is especially a standard for women. Like, you just said the most vile, horrible thing to me, and I'm expected to curtsy and say, 'It's been a pleasure speaking with you?' I don't think so."

—Anonymous, 20, California

21. "Assuming that if you have your own business that you are rich and that you are taking advantage of other people. A lot of small to medium business owners are struggling with today's economy."

—Anonymous

22. "Seemingly mandatory tipping EVERYWHERE, whether it's deserved or not!!!"

—Anonymous, 81, California

23. "Talking over people, mansplaining, and taking credit for work that's not yours. As a minority woman in a male-dominant culture/career/society, I have faced this since childhood."

—Anonymous, 47, California

24. "The trend towards emaciation in beauty standards. Restricting food, over-exercising, and doing whatever it takes to maintain a skeletal frame because it's 'beautiful' is so contrary to health. Then, people will claim they are being body-shamed if people call it out. Honestly, most people are calling it out because they are worried."

"Starving is cause for concern, not a compliment, yet society still claims that's the ideal body type. It's weird."

—Anonymous

25. "The fact that everyone on this planet is aware of child sex trafficking! And everyone is alright with it, as long as it's not their child or a child in their family, it is utterly disgusting. We should all be lobbying Congress to put a stop to this. And laws that protect children, if you are caught trafficking children or molesting children, it should be an automatic death sentence. And the really sad part is that women are aware this is going on in their own homes and families, and they protect the pedophiles and place blame on the innocent child. How is any of this alright with society?"

"Why TF are there known pedophiles allowed to walk the streets ... Has the majority of society really become this evil? Apparently so. For me, if I see this happening to a child, I'm stopping it by any means necessary. Even if it's my own husband or family member." 

—Anonymous, 57, Colorado

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.

What are some other societal standards that are actually "messed up"? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Or if you prefer to remain anonymous, you can use the form below.