People Explain Which Social Customs They Think We Should Retire Immediately
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Shaking hands... what's up with that?

Could this social custom be going out of style given that we're all in the middle of a global pandemic and have become hyperaware of all the germs around us?

And not just that, but just how nasty people are? Why would you want to shake hands with them?

People shared their opinions after Redditor alebenchhe asked the online community,

"What social customs do we need to retire?"

"Making..."

"Making couples feel obligated to have giant, fancy, weddings."

kayemdubs

If someone wants that, then more power to them.

But there are indeed people out there who spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to have weddings to please their families... only to divorce later.

"If I take a day..."

"Rest being seen as lazy. If I take a day off of work simply to sleep in and rest at home instead of having to have some sort of big plans or destination it shouldn't be seen as anything less."

PuzzleheadedTackle54

"Having to purchase..."

"Having to purchase gifts for extended family that you cannot afford because it is Christmas or another holiday."

ExpectedToulouse

Yeah, let's stop that. Not all of us are made of money!

"That culture..."

"Though it looks like this custom is fading away during the pandemic...but how about we stop glorifying us "being model employees by showing up to work even while sick?"

I was at a retailer for 14 years, and I don't have enough fingers and toes to count how many times I used to see managers and supervisors dragging themselves to work while sick to please their superiors. In January 2020, I ended up getting the flu from a co-worker that decided it would impress the store manager if she still showed up while sick with the flu.

That culture went away REAL quick when we started getting COVID cases in the store I was at...and I too ended up getting a mild case of COVID. I've called out any time in the past when I felt sick...and I will continue to do so as I normally did."

RenegadeX228

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"I don't create..."

"Worshipping celebrities. I don't get it and it seems to just create tons of problems."

jturkey

The celebrity worshipping culture, at least in the United States, is insane, and sets people up with rather unrealistic expectations.

"This goes along..."

"That because someone is"family", you should force yourself to spend time with them and be "nice and respectful", no matter what kind of person they are or how they treat you.

This goes along with the enabling acceptance of "that's just how they are" rather than condemning poor behavior choices."

LinkMom37

Yes, let's normalize cutting out toxic people from our lives. We'll thank ourselves later.

"The funeral..."

"Expensive funerals. The funeral industry is insane."

str8te

"Discussing salary..."

"Discussing salary with co-workers should no longer be taboo."

jrnurse13

That's how they get you––it's in your employer's best interest to keep you in the dark, and it's wrong. Many people out there are not aware of their rights in the workplace.

"Giving greeting cards..."

"Giving greeting cards for every single event imaginable. Why pay $5 to give someone a piece of paper that will get thrown out the next day? I'd rather you give me $5 and skip the card."

zabrakwith

It's a wild world we live in and social customs can and do change. Life now won't look the same twenty years from now for instance––perhaps for the better? Who knows?

Oh, and sorry, but can we go back to the topic of shaking hands? Let's not do that. Just wanted to be extra clear.

Have some opinions of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!

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