People Break Down Which Toxic Behaviors Are Still Considered Socially Acceptable
Some years ago, I had to advise a college friend to stop chasing the girl he was interested in at the time. She'd already turned him down. Explicitly. At least two or three times.
He wouldn't take no for an answer and didn't see anything wrong with his behavior.
Perhaps he'd seen too many movies where the guy eventually breaks through the girl's defenses and essentially coerces her into going out with him?
Sadly, this is behavior that is tolerated and yes, normalized in our society.
People were keen to share other observations after Redditor EnoughSandwich_7057 asked the online community,
"What's toxic behavior that's considered socially acceptable?"
"Trying to make people..."
"Trying to make people drink/smoke or drink/smoke more when they have firmly declined the offer."
This is a big one that can have disastrous consequences. I am thankful I got a bunch of terrible nights out drinking out of my system by my early twenties.
Being drunk to the point that you're incoherent is horrible.
"I hate the whole prank thing..."
"I hate the whole prank thing, especially when it's done for likes. Scaring or humiliating people for attention just means you are a bad person."
I don't watch any of those videos and I don't understand what people see in them.
"Overworking yourself..."
"Overworking yourself and then collectively judging others who don't do the same."
I had a coworker like that once, and she was a (minor) reason why I ended up leaving one job, but still a reason nonetheless.
"Taking your work with you..."
"Taking your work with you on vacation. I mean if you enjoy working then that's your thing, but I get sick of people like going through paperwork and having meetings while on vacation. Like dude, stop."
When people say things like, "If fast food workers deserve $15 an hour..." that says a lot.
"Deliberately misunderstanding..."
"Deliberately misunderstanding what someone is saying so as to make it easier to argue with them."
"People tend to give drunk people..."
"People tend to give drunk people misbehaving a pass if they regularly do it, 'Oh don't mind Tom, he's just drunk.' That just reinforces that toxic behavior."
You can say that again. How many times have you run into bad behavior like this while out and about, perhaps in a bar? It's not fun.
"The fact that we reward..."
"The fact that we reward customers for being wrong. The number of times my old manager would be so exhausted from arguing over the cost of a carton of milk with a customer that she would just give it to them is appalling."
"It reinforces this mentality because even if the customer KNOWS they're wrong they don't care because they will still win."
Annnnd this is why I don't miss retail. I'm fine where I am.
"Verbally abusing..."
"Verbally abusing minimum wage employees who don't make the rules. If I could change the laws tomorrow I'd encourage businesses to ban pieces of garbage like these who can't operate in public."
"I'm here to do a job..."
"Toxic workplace behavior needs to be top of the list. I'm here to do a job and go home, not be harassed because you don't like some aspect of my personality. Managers who let this slide should be held personally liable."
When you stop and think about it, you realize we live in an imperfect society. It's astounding that some people just tolerate bad behavior and, in many cases, don't even see anything wrong with it.
Have some stories of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
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People Break Down Which Main Characters Are The Hardest To Sympathize With
Between all the movies coming out and various streaming services we have to pick from, we're really at the top of the entertainment era right now.
But despite how much we have to pick from, there are some pretty unlikeable characters out there, and some of them are in some predominant, if not leading, roles.
Redditor LuinAelin asked:
"Who's the worst main character we're supposed to sympathize with?"
Hate for Caillou
"I can see the intention behind Caillou, like presenting kids with a child who's actually childish. he throws tantrums and acts selfishly and then grows."
"But I feel like that's too complex for kids. I think kids watch Caillou acting like a sh*thead and just focus on that without internalizing the show's morals."
"Caillou is Tyler Durden from 'Fight Club' for kids."
- mrbaryonyx
An Angry Rant for Caillou
"That f**ker basically teaches kids how to whine about s**t because, 'It's not fair.' What's not fair is parents having to listen to their kids behave like that lollipop-looking piece of s**t."
"F**k you, Caillou. You better hope I better never see your a** in the streets."
- Sammichface
Piper from 'Orange is the New Black'
"I don't know, the other characters point out her character flaws. How superficial and manipulative she is. And then they go into her family dynamics to show why she is the way she is."
"It's the same with all the other characters. It's just at the beginning, we are meant to believe she is somewhat different from the other prisoners because of her background, but the show shows she is actually much the same."
- No_Marsupial_8574
Emily from 'Emily in Paris'
"I don’t just find her annoying, I truly do not like her. She is a deeply toxic person."
"It’s not just that she is spoiled and treats people around her like they are just for her own personal benefit, it’s how she does not care about the pain and problems she inflicts."
"She seems regretful about being found out or getting consequences for her actions, but not about her actions themselves. It’s always 'I can explain!' after she has had plenty of time and situations to come clean about something and, well, explain… but always only a last resort after lying and covering up."
"She is very manipulative and spins all situations to be about her or to her benefit. She plays the victim when she can and only apologizes to gain back control of a situation, but never really seems to try and change her behavior."
- ecalicious
Joel Goodsen from 'Risky Business'
"There's a setup, in the beginning, that Tom Cruise is in some business class where they're supposed to come up with some business idea. Then his parents go away for the weekend."
"Cue that famous scene. Tom Cruise, the protagonist and high school student, orders a sex worker. They turns out to be a man. But that man gives him another number to call and he finally gets a girl, and they bang."
"Something happens where Cruise now needs money. He and the sex worker he's 'befriended' decide to start a brothel in his parents' house. A brothel that caters exclusively to Cruise's high school friends. They make the money they need and then some. Parents come home none the wiser."
"We end with Tom Cruise back in the business class failing the assignment because he was busy doing the whole child brothel thing but ends with a voice-over where he's proudly saying how much money he actually made."
"Turns out he actually was a businessman!"
- MurderDoneRight
Rory Gilmore from the 'Gilmore Girls'
"Whiny, narcissistic, cheated on multiple boyfriends and with a married man..."
"In hindsight, it's not a surprise she turned out how she did with everyone powdering her @ss from day one of the show."
"The way she collapsed because one whole person told her she wasn't cut out for the career she wanted was proof of that. In any other show, that would be the point where the protagonist digs deeps to remember why they wanted that dream or realize their talents were better suited for something else."
"Instead, Rory trashes a boat, quits Yale for half the year, moves in with her grandparents because Lorelei put a foot up her a** for once, and then spun her wheels for the next decade after graduation, doing nothing of note while thinking her farts smelled of roses."
"Mitchum did absolutely nothing wrong, and boy was he ever vindicated in the sequel."
- Shirogayne-at-WF
Both of the 'Gilmore Girls'
"I think people miss the real point of the show, at least to me. You can have all the intelligence, money, and opportunity to succeed in life but your choices are what dictate outcomes."
"Rory and Lorelei are both victims of their own choices. I feel like the revival completed that circle."
- Loocha
Nate from 'Ted Lasso'
"I would have said Nate from 'Ted Lasso,' but the show caught my vibe and turned him into the antagonist."
"I hope he doesn’t get a redemption arc."
"The writers are gonna have to do some next-level s**t if they want me to ever like Nate again."
- Polarexpress07
Cade Yaeger from 'Transformers'
"Cade Yaeger from the newer 'Transformers' movies. Was Sam a good main character? No. Not at all. But d**n, Cade is horrible."
"In his first, let's say, 10 minutes on screen, we learn that he doesn't pay for his house, his electricity, he doesn't pay his employee, he is a s**t inventor, overly protective of his daughter, and is all around an a**. And he only gets worse."
- RangerPeterF
Jax Teller from 'Sons of Anarchy'
"Jax Teller from 'Sons of Anarchy.'"
"Dude’s son straight up got kidnapped and his wife got injured to the point she couldn’t perform surgeries because his stepdad put a hit out on her, and it STILL wasn’t enough for him to leave his dumb motorcycle club."
"His wife begged him to leave for their safety and he wouldn’t... she tried to leave on her own with her children and he stopped her. Then she ends up getting murdered by his psycho mom..."
"The dude was a straight-up piece of s**t."
- ssitchy
Noah from 'The Notebook'
"You're supposed to watch it and be like, 'Yeah, Ryan Gosling is the better man, and Rachel McAdams needs to leave that swine James Marsden for him!' when in reality Ryan Gosling's character is a total f**king weirdo, and James Marsden's character is just like a regular dude who treats her well and isn't evil or anything."
- Shigidy
Oscar from 'Shark Tale'
"He's a lying, self-serving, womanizing, ego-filled waste of space who uses everyone else for personal gain and nothing else."
"It's actually impressive that the 'hot fish' he's after is an incredibly shallow gold digger, but manages to be a better person simply because she directly tells him that's who she is. She's still trash, but she's honest trash."
- mark-five
Mark from 'Rent'
"I love 'Rent,' but as I get older, the more ridiculous it gets. Mark is a rich kid who has parents that love him but he runs off to cosplay as someone who is poor to make 'films,' which is really just him pointing his camera at poor people all day."
"He doesn't think he should have to pay rent to Benny because they were friends and he let them stay for free for a long time and he thinks that should just last forever?"
"Then he finally gets a job but quits because it was 'selling out.' Ughhhh."
- UniBrow4o9
The Silly Rabbit from 'Trix'
"The kids from the Trix cereal commercials. All the rabbit wants to do is eat some cereal, but the kids won't let him just because he's a rabbit. Racist pr**ks."
- Goldensandslash15
While there's a lot of entertaining material here, it's a clear reminder that some pretty unlikeable characters have been created for leading roles, and they're often distastefully masquerading as likeable ones.
With advances in tech replacing jobs previously worked by humans, we're living in advantageous yet very frustrating times.
Cab drivers in major cities bemoaned the shortages of customers who have become more inclined to order rideshare services that are conveniently accessed by phones.
Many public transportation hubs like train stations are also starting to see fewer ticketing agents as vending machines and virtual tickets have become more prevalent.
The transportation industry is just one in which our generation is seeing a diminishing workforce. Will it all be worth it or are we essentially moving too fast?
Well, that depends.
Because there are plenty of industries that are more sinister in nature that shouldn't be around anymore.
Curious to hear examples of the toxic industries that have taken advantage of consumers for far too long, Redditor filetemyoung asked:
"What industry do you hope won't exist in 10 years?"
Good riddance to some of these!
Bye To "Alternative Facts"
"24 hour media outlets masquerading as 'news.'"
– Nati2de
Downright Text Book Thievery
"The F'kers that make college text books $2,000 dollars!"
– Honest_Plant5156
Justice
"Scam call centers."
– whypussyconsumer
No More Monthly Charges
"Everything as a subscription. As a tech worker I understand why this is so popular but god do I hate it."
"Edit: Some subscriptions can genuinely offer amazing value to consumers. My problem is the mass adoption of subscription on products and services that have no business being a subscription. Those that exist solely so companies can make more money off of you. Not everything should be a subscription."
– iHazRice
No More Tricking Students
"Third party student loan 'consultants.' I used to work as a federal student loan collector for a Department of Education contractor. I have horror stories about borrowers who were purposefully deceived by these people, the worst of whom was someone who thought a consolidation she paid for completely eliminated her obligation."
"What these legally grey a**holes do is trick people into paying to have free paperwork done on their behalf. Sure they have the tiny fine print disclosures, but they're extremely predatory and make me sick. Imo getting rid of them could be legislation worthy, given that they interfere with federally owned debts."
– dr3dg3
The following industries led by avarice and greed can be blasted to obsolescence.
Money-Making Schemes
"MLMs/Pyramid schemes"
– Special22one
The Toxic Middlemen
"Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Look them up."
"They’re basically bloodsucking middlemen that sit between hospitals and health insurers. Supposedly created to control prescription drug costs and manage formularies, but they actually drive prices up. One of the many terrible causes of high medical costs in the states."
– tc273
"The concert ticket mafia. (TicketMaster / StubHub / LiveNation). F'k them."
"ETA: I know those entities aren't really an entire industry. They basically have the market monopolized, though."
– cerberuss09
And when it comes to the exploitation of children or animals, Redditors hoped the following industries were gone as of yesterday.
It's Abuse
"The Troubled Teen Industry."
"Look up Nexpos video on Elan school and you’ll see what I mean. Abusing minors for money shouldn’t be an industry."
"Edit: didn’t realize this would get so much traction, so if you’re interested in helping advocate against TTI, head over to r/troubledteens and join our little crew!"
– Coastal_wolf
Kids On Media
"Child modeling and anything to do with children being publicized on social media."
– AdCharming4503
Puppy/Kitten Farms
"This and even pet stores that actually sell animals from these mills. My home state of Maryland is the second behind California in banning pet stores from selling animals from puppy/kitten mills."
– LoveStoryGaming
I remember hearing about a small-town photographer who had been working for the local paper for years and was let go without warning.
The manager allegedly informed him that the staff were told to snap photos for the paper using their smartphones. It was a cost-cutting measure, but poor guy had no warning and was devastated.
While the photography industry has been adversely affected as well due to the proliferation of smartphone snapshots and Instagram, it's sad to see happen–whereas many of the examples listed above make more sense to see relegated to history.
People Explain Which Industries They Think Are The Legal Versions Of Organized Crime
Frightening as it is to consider, organized crime is still running rampant all over the world.
Helping them get away with it is the fact that these criminal organizations operate other businesses, up to and including laundromats, restaurants, casinos, and real estate, to cover up what they're really up to.
Of course, organized crime isn't always what we see in films and tv shows.
Indeed, many people believe that several businesses are, in fact, variations of organized crime.
Managing to swindle customers out of money completely legally.
Possibly even more frightening than anything we would ever see on The Sopranos.
"What industry do you consider to be legal, organized-crime?
You Can't Believe Everything You Read...
"Yelp."
“Advertise your business with them to increase engagement and gain positive reviews, but when you stop advertising, they suppress positive reviews and promote negative reviews."- SafetyMan35
Must Have Made Them An Offer They Couldn't Refuse
"Cable TV companies that have eliminated the competition in an entire town."- Pserotina·
"ISP's/Cable providers."
"They are almost literal monopolies who try their best to pretend they are something else to get legal protections they don't deserve."- aerfgadf
bored news anchor GIFGiphyBeware The Fees...
"Lobbying, H&R Block, TurboTax, paid health insurance."- alexan45
Getting A Prescription Isn't As Easy As It Used To Be...
"Pharmacy benefit management, the root cause behind why it is impossible to get honest and transparent drug pricing."- btvaaron
There's Probably A Reason You Have To Re-Fill Them So Frequently...
"Printer inks."- Ewok2744
Ink Printing GIF by Epson EuropeGiphyWhere To Even Begin?
"US health insurance."
"United Health Care posted $5B in profits in the third quarter last year."- SurferRosa85
"As a Metlife customer service representative: insurances."- xdaysawayfromhppnss
Paid Religion Is A Definite Red Flag...
"The Church of Scientology."- SuvenPan
church building GIF by South Park GiphyWhere There's A Will...
"Civic asset forfeiture."- Philo2389
Taylor Swift Would Agree...
"TicketMaster."- SuperousMaximus
"See The Pyramids Along The Way..."
"Anything based around an MLM."- AllTheWeedz
Talking Season 3 GIF by The SimpsonsGiphyBeing In Debt Is Always A Risk...
"Pay day loans."- kopackistan
Talk About Insider Trading
"Politicians Trading Stocks."- AggravatingSample586
Big Money...
"The online gambling industry."
"The offline gambling industry too."- twinsunsspaces
Country Music Poker GIF by Jon PardiGiphyMore businesses are just a facade for illegal activities than we might realize.
And even more, legitimate businesses are getting away with activities that by all accounts should be illegal.
People Reveal Their Biggest Dealbreakers When Dining Out At Restaurants
Eating at restaurants is usually great: you get awesome tasty food that you didn't have to cook for yourself.
Not every restaurant is created equal, though, and everybody has those one or two things that are just total dealbreakers when it comes to dining out.
Redditor jobokar asked:
"What’s a dealbreaker for you at restaurants?"
Nobody Likes A Sticky Table
"If the table is sticky and it gets stickier after they wipe it."
- kissingdistopia
"Was so frustrating at one place I worked at. When the varnish starts to wear off, it gets sticky especially when humid. Losing tabels to it and them not fixing it really sucked."
- Bbols23
Bad Salsa
"if you go to a mexican/tex-mex spot and the chips and salsa are terrible just pack it up and leave, nothing will get better."
- thejamielee
"I just don't know how you mess up salsa. Like if you can't combine tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice with some peppers you should be out of business.."
- BaaBaaTurtle
"It’s a good metric for restaurants taking shortcuts and not putting a simple from-scratch component together."
- badlilbadlandabad
"There are plenty of good enough premade salsas you can buy. If they don't even do that, it means they don't care."
- -gggggggggg-
I Can't Even Hear Myself Think
"Loud music. I've been in restaurants before where I can't hear myself think, let alone hear people opposite me talk."
- Philcycles84
"On top of this, an over abundance of televisions."
"Sports bars are fine, but there should be some separation between them and restaurants.
- CarrieFisherStevens
Don't Invade My Personal Space
"Tables packed closely together to the point where you might as well just be sitting with the strangers next to you."
- jimcol
"I ate at a restaurant where it was like school cafeteria seating. Multiple parties sat at the same table. Haven’t been back."
- LittleRileyBao
"I got bad news for you. You're going to HATE eating out in Europe and Asia"
- CousinSkeeter89
"I got sat across from a stranger at a 2 seat table once at a busy restaurant in Japan. Definitely one of the more uncomfortable dining experiences I've had."
- SerbianSh*tStain
Pizza In Venice
"I sat at a table with a Japanese woman and her daughter in a pizza restaurant once during Carnevale in Venice. She spoke no English and I only spoke a few words of Japanese. It was one of the most delightfully memorable meals I have ever had and the pizza was to die for! Would I have wanted to share a table with strangers in a U.S. restaurant? Probably not. But it’s different in Italy. That wasn’t the only restaurant on that trip where I sat very close to and conversed with strangers, and it was a great experience."
- Catwoman1948
Odor Is Key
"The smell when you walk in. If you can smell sewage, mold or excessive bleach or ammonia when you walk in over the food, turn around."
- DarthGayAgenda
"Holy sh*t, there are places like this where you live?"
- icelandichorsey
"I've been to places like that in every US state I've eaten in except Utah (but only because I've only been to a single McDonald's there). The excessive bleach smell is especially telling because the only way that happens is if they dump the stuff by the bottle everywhere. The GM at my last job was like that. She believed the smell of bleach meant clean and used a lot on everything."
- DarthGayAgenda
"If a fish restaurant smells like fish, don’t eat there."
- BowwwwBallll
But How Much Does It Cost?!
"No prices on the menu. If I’m going to spend money, I want to know how much I’m going to spend. Just tell me the steak is $40 for f*ck sake."
- indigoassassin
"Yeah what’s up with that? I’m trying to find a nice (er) restaurant for me and my wife’s anniversary. Everything in the 'nice' category doesn’t include prices. I feel like if I call the restaurant to ask, they’ll say something like 'if you have to ask, don’t eat here.'"
"Even if I had a million in the bank, I’m not going to eat somewhere that’s a total wild card."
- mr_blanket
You Staff Are People Too
"Owners being rude to staff in front of guests"
- LittleBlackBird0191
"Though, you’re in for a treat if owners being rude to guests in front of staff"
- Chickenmilk_
"Only if the guests deserve it."
"Managers being rude to entitled a**holes to protect their staff makes me fall in love just a little. Owners being a-holes to guests who have reasonable questions or complaints, less so."
- moratnz
Am I Invisible?
"If they just ignore you for 10 minutes. Even if you are (too) busy at least acknowledge you've seen me and will get to me."
- domin8r
"Or when they take your drink order and then disappear for 35min."
- curmudge
"I once stood at the cash register of a Dennys in Redding for 20+ minutes. We were the only ones standing there. After trying to flag down a staff member I left 30 bucks and took off."
- OCSupertonesStrike
Can They Really Make All Of Those Things Well?
"I’m from UK so maybe not relevant but HUGE menu with loads of variety. If they can just master 5 or 6 dishes they will taste far better that the 50 different options that the kitchen has to offer."
- Stokehall
"Yep, Gordon Ramsay calls this out on his restaurant makeover shows. Except for Chinese, they prepare a few ingredients in a million ways."
- RoboKat70
"I’m with you on this. There’s a little place near me who has at least 50 different things on the menu, maybe more. The food is always overpriced sh*t, most of it tastes like it came from the freezer section of the grocery store because a lot of it probably does at that point."
- mamasamsquanch
"I'm a chef and I can tell you, it definitely is mostly frozen. Depending on how many staff there are, usually Any menu over 20 or so items is a red flag. Ain't nobody got time for all that prep. 15 or less is a good sign."
- CautiousCollection5
Maybe Don't Lie To Your Customers
"We had a chucks roadhouse open up and they sent out “too good to be true” coupons in the mail (4 surf and turf meals for $25). It was just to get people to their tables and ordering, then they say “those aren’t valid, we sent out a retraction” (they didn’t). On top of all that they have an “honest to goodness fee” of 4% on every bill lmao"
- funghi2
"That sounds like a great way for people to never go back there again. After getting swindled like that I would never go back, tell all my friends to never go there and leave a terrible review on google."
- donscron91
While tasty food you don't have to cook is definitely awesome, maybe be careful where you're getting it from.