Socializing is a tricky thing.
People ask questions to get conversations rolling. "What do you do?" or "See any good movies lately?" are questions we're familiar with, and have probably heard from strangers on numerous occasions.
But some people don't know what an appropriate question is. Or, they have trouble reading a room and ask you to answer something that makes you feel awkward. You'd think some questions would be universally considered off the table, but then again, some people just don't seem to care about how others feel.
Reddit user chickenoodlesoupp asked people, "What's the most uncomfortable question you can ask someone?" and people opened up about the questions they've been asked, or have asked in poor judgement, that were totally inappropriate or weird.
20. The Search
Hey can we have a talk about your search history?
I let my (now ex) boyfriend stay at my apartment for a few days while I was on a vacation. When I came home he asked me about asmr. I had just recently discovered asmr and never told him anything about it so I asked how he found out what asmr is (it doesn't fit to his lifestyle so I was genuinely interested how he heard about it).
He said my YouTube account was still logged in at my computer (which I allowed him to use for video games). But that confused me because I don't follow any asmr channels so he eventually told me he looked at my search history. He said he thought it would be funny and did not understand why I was upset about it.
19. Family Ties
Do you have a sister by chance?
Would you settle for a brother?
18. Thanks for your comment.
Why don't you have any children? I was a chronic miscarrier. My son is a super duper miracle. I had my tubes reattached only to find out I was in perimenopause. We worked with an endocrinologist and used fertility drugs to ramp up my system. One of my miscarriages was at 16 weeks, it was so horrible.
I've always tried to remember that you don't know what a person just had to deal with five minutes ago. Respecting someone's feelings helps to avoid heartbreak. The problem is not enough people have the consideration to think this way. Thanks for your comment.
17. VIP... not....
How come I wasn't invited?"
I was once invited to a party.... at the end of which the hostess asked me "how do you keep finding out about these?"
That freaking stung. Never talked to them again.
16. The Coffers...
What kind of debt are you in?
This one hits home. Through lifestyle creep alone, I found myself in a LOT of debt (y'know, at least proportionate to income), all through steadily increasing purchases, and eventually spent about a year having to ask help off my parents (or sister, or friend - sorta rotated through to keep it from seeming as bad as it was).
Despite living on my own and having a full-time job. Any time I was actually asked, my whole body/mind felt like it was shriveling up as I tried to choke out not-quite-a-lie.
Recovering slowly, now, through a debt consolidation service, but definitely in my top three embarrassments... so far, at least!
15. The Handshake
Once, back in college, when meeting my then-girlfriend's parents for the first time, her dad greets me with a handshake. Nothing odd about that at all.
Then, in mid shake he says, "So you're the guy having sex with my daughter."
I was genuinely rendered speechless.
Edit to add: He didn't mean it in a threatening way or as an "alpha" move, and that was perfectly clear in the moment. My girlfriend had warned me that he was a bit of a kidder, and I was also aware of the fact that they were very open when it came to discussing sex. I knew before I met him that her dad knew we were sleeping with each other, and that it wasn't something that had to be kept secret. I just didn't expect to be greeted with it during introductions.
14. Glad you asked....
Doctor, in front of parents: Are you sexually active?
Now that's when you start bragging haha.
13. Sorry Sarah
Why does no one love me?
Well have you tried paying them?
Worst thing i did at school: a girl asked me, will you go out with Sarah? I said no, she said why, whats wrong with her? So me and my mate made a list and gave it to her and Sarah spent the rest of the day in tears. Sorry Sarah.
12. Why Me?
Why does everyone hate you so much?
I hate this one so much. I lived in a small town so everybody knew everybody. High school was rough, I didn't know how to stick up for myself and soon became the scape goat for bullies and rumors. Once our Sr. Year hit people matured a little and started being nicer to me.
I made a lot of friends suddenly and all of them would ask "why does everybody hate you you're not like they say." It was awkward because most of those people were the ones contributing to the rumors/bullying.
11. Eyes on You
I once had a stranger tell me "I saw that"
And I was like "saw what?"
"You were checking out that girl"
I honestly had no clue what he was talking about because I seriously wasn't checking out anyone but he kept insisting that I was and that I should stop denying it. The dude was like 40, what the hell was his problem.
Freaking embarrassing man.
10. No one wants your creepy hugs, Brett
Where's my hug?
Lol this gives me some flashbacks. After work on a Friday I was saying goodbye to ones of my friends and a gave her a hug. Here comes Brett "Hey, where's my hug" So I give him the biggest bear hug, the kind that traps their arms at their sides, and picked him up off the ground.
There's your hug Brett. My friend said he didn't ask much after that, but you bet your balls I'd tell Brett "Hey Brett, I got your hug right here buddy" with outstretched arms. He would give me an uncomfortable look like ew gross. Yeah Brett, that's how you are making everyone feel.
9. Let people be quiet
"Why are you so quiet?"
This makes my blood boil. I'm a fairly quiet person in social settings and have received this question a few times. It makes you AND the people around you feel awkward. Like... let people be quiet if they want to be. Not everyone is a social butterfly!
8. When you're innocently left out
I'm not sure if it counts... but if someone asks you, "Hey, can you move over a seat so I can be next to my friend?" Especially if you thought the person asking you was your friend.
Along the same lines, when at parties with friends I was always asked to take pictures of people but no one ever asked to be in a pic with me. It stung
7. Who are our real friends?
Are we still friends?
Takes me back to when my best friend casually started talking about how much she wished she had a best friend (,:
6. It's rude to bring up - let the other person mention it if they want to
"Weren't you pregnant?"
I miscarried a few months ago shortly after telling everyone and now it's an awkward conversation everytime I see someone who knew when I'm out drinking.
5. Did Regina George ask this question?
"On a scale of 1-10 how pretty do you think you are?"
It's bad because if you give yourself a high score they'll assume that you're egotistical, and if you give yourself a low score they'll either assume that you're insecure or that you're fishing for compliments
4. I can't stand this one...
Can you tell me something about yourself?
If it's not in a professional setting, my go to is "I have 3 nipples." Depending on their response, it's either a great conversation starter to break the ice, or we wouldn't get along well anyway.
3. Just spit it out!
Hey we need to talk.
This is the worst, especially over text
Just reply, "yeah, I think we do." Then you're both having an anxiety attack.
2. They'll let you know if they're getting married in their own time
When are you going to get married/have kids?
Especially awkward when someone asks it of you and a good friend of the opposite gender. Not every friendship is a romantic comedy waiting to happen. Sometimes you have platonic chemistry.
1. How to make someone instantly feel uncomfortable
Are you uncomfortable?
If they say no, then you should reply with: do you want me to make you uncomfortable?
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