Society functions under the assumption that we’ve all accepted its rules. Money has value because we’ve been told that it does, and we abide by the law to avoid negative consequences. But that doesn’t mean we’re not allowed to question anything. In fact, the only way that progress ever occurs is through speaking up about the flaws in the system.

Reddit users have recently been discussing some of the societal standards they have a problem with, so we’ve gathered their thoughts down below. Enjoy reading through their responses, and be sure to upvote the things you don’t consider to be normal either.

#1

That people’s feelings are more important than the truth.

Image credits: ToadGrinner

#2

That we need to be tolerant of other cultures, religions, ideals, etc. always.

No, there are some objectively terrible beliefs out there that only exist because people insist it’s their culture or any of the above mentioned.

Slavery, child marriage, marriage rape, stoning homosexuals, hating a group of people because you’re supposed to, considering a sector of humanity lesser because they’re not the right color/ gender etc etc etc.

Image credits: Goopyteacher

#3

tipping culture.
You as a employer should pay your employee enough, balancing the cost of your service with his salary.

Image credits: dumyspeed

#4

Men can not be abused. Men can not feel emotion. Men are supposed to slap on some bootstraps or, however, it’s called and take it “like a man.” Its disgusting.

Image credits: AdrianValistar

#5

Honestly? For individuals to be their own community. That’s why so many people are suffering. We’re a social species, we’re supposed to help each other, but instead we’re all just struggling along because society says it’s disgraceful to “be a burden upon others”.

Ridiculous. We need more empathy and less ego. More connection, less loneliness.

Image credits: Narcissista

#6

Healthcare being tied to employment. I don’t want to be trapped to a job I hate just so I can get my prescriptions. I have enough savings and low cost of living so I could totally do a part time job but no.. 40 hours for insurance.

Image credits: TRIGMILLION

#7

To expect to know things that are not taught to you growing up. Taxes, laws, basic medical care, even from what cleaning chemicals you can mix to how long food lasts in the fridge. Instead public education is geared towards making sure a students mindset is ready to be another cog in the economic machine.

Image credits: Dry-Illustrator76

#8

That it’s acceptable to let someone die if they don’t have the money to pay for care

Image credits: Right_Check_6353

#9

The commodification of your hobbies. They’re about how you spend your leisure time, not another revenue stream

Image credits: SlightlyFarcical

#10

As for society in America the expectation for the mother to return to work quickly and have her body “bounce back” ASAP.

Image credits: cookiesandchaos

#11

The quest for youthfulness. Growing older is a privilege and I don’t understand the hate on wrinkles, grey hair etc. There used to be a saying “grow old gracefully” which implies accepting the changes and making the most out of it.

Image credits: moshennick

#12

Now with smartphones, assuming that people are available and obligated to respond to you. I sometimes wish we lived in the older times when you had to call someone’s home landline number and leave a message, then wait for them to respond back at their earliest convenience. Now it’s, “I texted you, you didn’t respond, are we still friends, are you mad at me”? Blah blah etc. like no, I simply just didn’t feel like responding. I’m a busy adult, and just because there’s a texting feature on my phone doesn’t mean I’m always willing to engage in conversation with you.

Image credits: pwa09

#13

Thai dowry system. In Thailand, a man is expected to give money to bride’s parents before he marry her. The amount can be a lot.

This puts groom in financial pressure. He could use that money for future child education or taking care of his soon to be wife BUT he has to give them to her parents.

This also treats bride like a commodity, a trade. It devalues women.

Image credits: Ok-Yard1630

#14

Lack of universal healthcare and also how stigmatized certain mental illnesses are, as if people choose to be sick ?

Image credits: Typical-Tomorrow-425

#15

That everyone should look like a social media filter.

It feels like every app has filters on it now, some of them automatic, to smooth out your skin, even its color, make your eyes bigger, add makeup, make you look skinnier, make you whatever it is you aren’t enough of already to be perfect. And I think it’s making us expect people to be essentially CGI versions of people instead of actual people.

Image credits: sleepyhollow_101

#16

Not going to the hospital because you have no health insurance and would rather die than bankrupt your entire family.

Image credits: wordsaladspecialist

#17

Beauty standards (for men, women, etc)

Human bodies should not be treated or seen as a trend imo

Image credits: LilacMages

#18

that being a virgin anytime past like 16 is abnormal

Image credits: iwoulddieformydog1

#19

40 hour work week

Image credits: Northernlake

#20

Work full time, have a perfectly clean house, be fit because you exercise regularly and be the perfect mother and partner on top

Edit to add: have a successful career 

Image credits: Awkward_Profession45

#21

That athletes are paid so much than most people because they provide entertainment and branding.

Image credits: Yesenmjn

#22

That a person’s worth is tied to their job and economic activity rather than their character.

Image credits: Jumper_5455

#23

The work 9 to 5 for almost all your life.
It’s like you have been born to work, pay taxes and consume.

Image credits: Pandours

#24

That it’s far more important to kill people than to educate them ie, Military spending v Education spending. Why we don’t want everyone to be as smart as they can be is a crime against humanity

Image credits: TittyTwistahh

#25

Women have to be strong, but not too much, have to have a job and intellectual background, but have to be ready to do the home chores on their own if their partner’s job is more “important” than theirs. They have to care about their appearance, but not too much, or they will be considered as attention seekers. They have to be able to smile and talk in public, but not too much. Basically, if you are attractive, people will tend to think you are “only” attractive and not so smart, and even that you got the job because you are pretty, but if you are considered less attractive, you may be categorized as someone whose intelligence and sensibility are not enough…
Double standards between men and women is a real thing

Image credits: AikaNemo

#26

How brutally sexist family court is against men. It doesn’t matter what the mother did, she is almost always going to get the kids, the house, and turn the father into an at will atm. One of my Marine buddie’s wife cheated on him while we were deployed. She got pregnant and my friend is on the hook for the kid, even though DNA proved it wasn’t his. He was seen as a source of income for a piece of s**t mom by the court. For 18 years this dude has to pay for a kid that isn’t even his. Family court is the most distilled form of our societies beliefs about men.

#27

That you need a over priced college education to succeed

#28

That corporate profits _need_ to be in the pockets of few, to _safe_ the economy, but losses and crashing corporations are okay to be socialized on the shoulders of the tax payers…also to safe the economy

#29

The idea that body hair isn’t ok on women.

#30

That student loans are ok. They are everything but ok.

#31

The expectation of being constantly employed. If you’re not producing something then you’re worthless.

Image credits: ImReadyToEndThings

#32

That we are expected to move out of our parents’ home the day we turn 18. With the current COL and entry-level wages, this just isn’t possible for most people.

EDIT: I’m referring to the US in this example.

Image credits: xeno0153

#33

That it is okay to be overweight/obese.

#34

It is okay to conscript men to go die in wars.

#35

I find icks really stupid and majority of “icks” are everyday things and are completely normal. I’ve seen videos of icks and it includes people wearing backpacks, people still have a childhood teddy bear, crying or being in love with something. I just think that the standard of icks are stupid

Image credits: ShazzVampire

#36

In the US, circumcision. 

Image credits: Enzo-Unversed

#37

Oh, just a **tiny, unassuming question** to start the day! Well, alright. While the idea of “most” can be a bit subjective because, you know, one person’s “f*cked up” can be another’s “**Tuesday**,” here are a few contenders in the grand pageant of societal standards that might just take the cake:

1. **The Pursuit of Perfection**: Society has this *adorable* little habit of promoting impossible standards of beauty, success, and overall lifestyle. This might not raise any eyebrows until you consider the small, **inconsequential side effect** of causing widespread insecurity, anxiety, and a booming business for therapists and social media influencers. Who doesn’t love a standard that creates a perpetual feeling of inadequacy?
2. **The Stigmatization of Mental Health**: Nothing says “progressive society” like still treating mental health issues as a **taboo** or a sign of weakness. It’s almost impressive how persistent this standard is, considering the leaps and bounds made in understanding the human brain. It’s like society collectively decided that mental health can be swept under the rug with last century’s dust.
3. **Work-Life Imbalance**: Ah, the glorification of overworking. Society loves to peddle the narrative that working yourself to the **bone** is the only path to success and fulfillment. Because who needs hobbies, relaxation, or, dare I say, **sleep**, when you can have the joy of chronic stress and burnout?
4. **The “Us vs. Them” Mentality**: Society has a knack for creating divisions among people: race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, **pineapple on pizza**… you name it. It’s as if humanity decided that life wasn’t challenging enough and opted to add a level of difficulty by fostering unnecessary hatred and prejudice.
5. **Financial Status as a Measure of Worth**: Nothing quite says “f*cked up” like equating a person’s value with their bank account. This standard is great because it completely overlooks minor details like **character**, **integrity**, **kindness**, and whether or not someone is a good pet parent.

Of course, there are many more, but then this would turn into a **novel** instead of a light, sarcastic banter. Remember, the beauty of society is that it’s made up of individuals, and individuals have the power to challenge and change these standards. Or, at the very least, make snarky comments about them.

Image credits: reddit-beautiful

#38

the standard to man having to be a “real man”.

#39

Western society at any rate, sets the decadence of eating well, eating good, eat often, eat in fancy places, eat ti show off, eat to indulge with fancy restaurants, eateries and expensive tastes….but then betrays people by saying gluttony is wrong, weight gain is wrong (it often isn’t good), image is everything and we should look perfect and be in the gym looking like Instagram models…

Sexualising teens. Advertising and normalising the overt sexualisation of kids barely past puberty as if they’re fully responsible adults. Neurology has found the brain doesn’t mature fully until around 25+ years old. But society scores teenage pregnancy, tells them they don’t understand life’s complexities and is now saying that if a boy approaches a girl he likes to flirt, it’s tantamount to sexual assault…

Basically, modern Western society is the congestive dissonance on a full blown scale…we don’t want people to suffer, but we dgaf about homeless, drug addicts or those suffering. We want to appear virtuous and noble, but we’re rotten and corrupt to the core…life is one big venetian masked ball of everyone pretending to be something they’re not and social media, for good or bad, has amplified that to the nth degree because we can all live make-believe in public and then surrender to our deepest and most lustful desires behind closed doors

#40

Being a divorced woman over 35 means I hold absolutely no value and am essentially doomed to die alone.

It doesn’t matter I was a loving, devoted wife for 14 years or that he tried to kill me over his drinking and that’s why we’re divorced. I’m just old and used up…

I couldn’t possibly use my education, career and everything I’ve secured with those to treat the man who shows me kindness and makes me feel safe like a king…

Image credits: Henghayki