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People Divulge The Most Out Of Touch Things They've Heard Someone Say

"Reddit user nlwfty asked: 'What's the most out-of-touch thing you've heard someone say?'"

A brown mini pinscher laying down, has it's ears perked and looks to side in worry
Sarah G./Unsplash

I have been left utterly bewildered by what some people believe is acceptable thought, conversation, and behavior.

Like... "Do YOU hear you?"

It shows when a person lacks life experience and/or brain cells.

Words expose everything.

And sometimes shock is all that is left to grapple with.

Redditor nlwfty wanted to hear about all the things people have overheard that left them utterly stunned, so they asked:

"What's the most out-of-touch thing you've heard someone say?"

I once a friend's friend moan about how she and her husband were nearly destitute.

Almost penniless.

All while she was straightening up the house for the new au pair they had just gotten from Columbia.

The Who?

Over It Maid GIFGiphy

"My boss once told me to have 'the maid' drop my car at the shop. WTF!!"

amboomernotkaren

Be Happy

"'You won't be happier at work if we pay you more, but we need to figure out why workplace happiness is so low.' This coming from a guy that made 10x what I did and was born into old money."

Dirac_comb

"I had a job that was paying below market rates and 'expected' daily overtime (unpaid, natch) and was trying to figure out how to improve morale. They were considering bringing in consoles and having video game nights after work... as if we weren't stuck there too long already."

"I did have the fun of leaving, then being asked to come back as a contractor to help out, and taking advantage of being on a short-term contract and giving no f**ks to suggest that maybe they should consider at least TRACKING the overtime people were working, even if they weren't going to pay for it since there was probably a whole extra job's worth of hours in there and maybe hiring another person might improve morale and reduce the risk of the kind of errors tired people make."

"Didn't stay long as a temp. Apparently telling the truth and discussing facts with your co-workers isn't good for morale >_< They told everyone I was leaving because I got a better offer (!), but I told everyone exactly what was really happening when they asked XD."

princess_ferocious

It hasn't?

"My dad (who is now the Director of Accounting for the school district I teach for) was talking about how my starting pay was way more than his starting pay."

"I said, 'Well, yeah... The cost of living has increased a ton since then.' This motherf**ker straight up said, 'No it hasn't.'"

"He started working there in 1992. This conversation happened in like 2017 (about a year after I started working there). Again, he is the director of accounting."

pjsans

Move On

"'You seem sad.'"

"My mother to my sister, at her husband's funeral."

blarg-zilla

"My sister's son was murdered. Two weeks later my mom asked her if she was over it yet."

NeverCallMeFifi

"One of my sons was murdered 12 years ago. Many people started telling me that I needed to 'move on' after 4-6 weeks. My brother refuses to say my son's name, so I no longer speak to him. Sending my deepest condolences to your family from a mom who understands losing a child to homicide."

PDXer328

Good Idea!

New Girl Facepalm GIF by HULUGiphy

“'I don’t know why people get big mortgages. Just save up for a few months and pay cash for a starter home!'"

Hopeful-Moose87

People with money always seem to have a plan, unless the plan is sharing.

FInd the Treasure

Dragons Den Television GIF by CBCGiphy

"When people were complaining about not being able to afford housing/food/living in general, one of the Dutch ministers (I think he was a minister or at least the leader of a party) said something along the line of 'well, find a rich boyfriend then'. ah, yes, that will solve the crisis!"

pastelchannl

Dumbfounded

"I went to an Ivy League college with lots of children of extraordinarily wealthy families. When discussing inequality and its effects on housing, my professor briefly mentioned how mortgages are out of reach for a growing number of Americans. The girl next to me stopped the class, and with a confused face asked the professor why people don’t just buy their homes in cash outright because 'surely the interest means it will cost them more over time.' The professor was dumbfounded. I found out later that she is the heiress to a major luxury brand that you have all heard of."

wildblue2

The Increase

"My former landlord and his wife dropped by to tell me and my financially struggling 20-something roommates that they were raising the rent, by nearly 25%. They said, 'We noticed on Craigslist that neighbors had higher rent so we’re doing the same.' The wife then earnestly reminded us that we’ve been great tenants but maybe we just needed to find some higher-paying jobs. 🙃."

agingcatmom

Not Me

"I was waxing a woman’s eyebrows once and she was complaining that sometimes after she gets a massage the pillow leaves a circular indent on her face and she can’t go out to lunch after. She then asked me if that ever happened to me? I was like ma'am I wax people for eleven bucks an hour; I’m not going out to lunch lol, let alone getting massages."

lomi08

Investments

Money Invest GIF by ProBit GlobalGiphy

"Something like: Give a rich person $500 and they will invest it into $1000. Give it to a poor person and they will spend it in a week."

"Yeah exactly give it to someone who’s needs are met and they can save… give it to someone who needs to eat/pay rent etc they will spend it to survive!"

ExaminationLucky6082

You need money to make money.

One of life's biggest lessons apparently.

So someone give me some money.

Americans Explain Which Things Europeans Do That Make No Sense To Them

Reddit user a_m42_ asked: 'Americans, what is something that Europeans have/do that makes no sense to you?'

The norther Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Roman Kraft/Unsplash

Those who have traveled to Europe or interacted with Europeans may very well know they do things very differently and vice versa.

The differences between our different cultures can include idiosyncratic behavior, preferences, or attitudes.

And while we can very much appreciate these differences, there are certain customs that can be major head-scratchers.

Curious to hear examples of what those can be, Redditor a_m42_ asked:

"Americans, what is something that Europeans have/do that makes no sense to you?"

Getting from point A to B can vastly different.

It's A Driving Thing

"I'm Canadian, but it's always baffled me that some Europeans consider a half hour's worth of driving a long time. That wouldn't even get me out of the area I'd consider local."

– TwoFingersWhiskey

The Size Of A Country Matters

"Lol, I moved from Germany to the Netherlands. The Netherlads are so small that the longest you could actually drive from one point to another is 4 hours, otherwise you would cross a border."

"When I was a child I used to go to my grandparents' house every weekend. They only lived an hour away so the way was short to me."

"My boyfriend is Dutch and he told me be barely ever saw his grandma growing up because she lived so far away and they never visited her because of the long way. She lived 1 1/2 hours away."

– finilain

Concerned Swiss

"My coworkers from Switzerland came out to Denver and I took them over to Glenwood Springs, which is about a 3.5 hour drive and after about half an hour they’re like 'are you okay to drive? Do you want one of us to drive for a bit so you can rest?' I drive two to ten hours to go camping with my husband and two dogs at least two or three weeks a month, so this was just a normal weekend to me, but they were acting like I was some kind of crazy person lol."

– Beautiful_Jacket6358

Things at home aren't always what they seem as they are in the US.

Magic Windows

"It's not that it doesn't 'make sense,' but the first time I saw those windows that can be moved a bunch of different ways, you would have thought I was seeing a rabbit being pulled out of a hat, that's how amazed I looked."

"Tilt and Turn Windows."

https://youtu.be/LT8eBjlcT8s?si=AiDUT2KXLvkD3l8L

– Weird-Traditional

Temperature Control

"I don't know if you know this, but many European windows also have a winter mode. When the handle is 45 degrees up, they open up just a tiny bit (1-2mm), to provide some small amount of air circulation, but not too much to not lose warm air inside."

– Plukh1

Breathing Space

"us Germans are obsessed with ventilation. even in the middle of winter, we'll periodically slam our fancy tilt windows open. problem with the tilting or slight opening is it can lead to condensation with low temps and thus lead to mold. and we are obsessed with preventing mold."

"anyways, make sure the air in your room stays good, it makes all the difference."

– dispo030

Just A Place To Sleep

"In Germany, apartments don't normally come with a kitchen. It's purchased/installed by the Tennant. Sometimes you luck out but not usually."

"Edit.. Because this comment blew up, here is an article talking about it."

https://alisajordanwrites.com/2018/08/06/apartments-dont-come-with-kitchens-in-germany/

– Widegina

The Kitchen Stays

"When we sold our house recently, a german woman viewed it and said "this is lovely kitchen. Will be shame to see it go" i was like go where?"

"She was so excited when i said we werent taking the kitchen anywhere. Me and my husband were so confused.. she thought the house was a real catch because of it and was really shocked when the estate agent said that nobody takes their kitchens with them! Odd."

– Big_Strength7344

We all act a certain way, but these types of behavior can be jarring to Americans.

Now, See Here

"Idk if its all Europeans but Germans have a real big problem with staring like I owe them money. Also paying to use the bathroom in public spaces."

– Neat_Serve730

You Got That Look

"Lol we do stare a lot. When I went to study in the uk one of my professors asked me during a tutorial whether he was saying wrong things because apparently I kept staring at him, I didn’t even notice it haha"

"Edit since apparently it’s causing a bit of confusion: a tutorial is not the same as a lecture, in a tutorial you’re around 15 people in a small room, it’s much more intimate and easier to notice if somebody’s staring at you (which evidently was not just looking at him to show you’re paying attention but much more unnerving)"

– BatmanButDepressed

We Can't Handle The Truth

"I’m from the Midwest and my family is from the Netherlands. So the society that wouldn’t dare offend you in any way and the society that has no problem dropping truth bombs on you. It’s rough."

– philophilo

"The (in)famous Dutch straightforwardness or directness. We have been taught to tell it like it is. We will be polite and civil about it, but we have no time for beating around the bush when a problem has to be resolved. That being said, some of my countrymen use it as an excuse to be rude a**hats."

"Just say 'Ken jij het beter dan, pannekoek?' and be done with it."

– SmilingDutchman

I'm not sure if this is a thing but the first time I went to Paris, I found it very odd that my soft drink was served without ice.

This happened at three different establishments where I asked for a Coke and was presented with the soda can and an empty drinking glass.

When I asked for ice from the server, he scoffed, returned with one ice cube on a spoon and proceeded to pour the drink from the can onto the ice and into the glass.

Are you kidding me??

And he left with the spoon and the partially-melted ice cube. I didn't even get to keep that, so I was talking about leaving a lousy tip, to which my friend who was with me said the French don't tip.

It was definitely a culture shock day for me as a very young traveler.

A young man bounces backwards on a trampoline while holding a lit sparkler
Photo by Flavius Les

When people are out in public, it's sort of implied that we all stay on our best behavior.

But walk down any street on a New York day, and you quickly realize most of the world missed the memo on this matter.

Or they got it and just crumpled it up and tossed it in the garbage.

This makes us all spectators to some serious nonsense.

Oh the things we can never unsee!

Redditor Defaultuser9148 wanted to hear about the most messed up things they've witnessed others do, so they asked:

"What is the most f**ked up thing you saw someone do in a public place?"

I try not to look at people in public too much.

I've already witnessed more than my fair share of crazy.

WHAT THE ACTUAL F??!!!

Oh My God Wow GIF by The Roku ChannelGiphy

"Saw a coworker take off his shoe and sock, pull up his foot, and bite his toenails DURING A WORK MEETING AT THE OFFICE."

hyteck9

"Covid is over, they said. Return to the office, they said. The exposure to corporate culture will be good for you, they said."

johnwalkersbeard

Look Away

"I used to deliver janitorial supplies to businesses. Part of my route was in the Kensington section of Philadelphia it's basically zombie land there and the whole neighborhood is filthy, idk how people can even live there. Needless to say, I've seen A LOT. But the one thing I saw that really stuck with me was seeing a naked man covered in his own excrement... He was clearly very disturbed. No one paid him any mind either. It was surreal."

Jawnson765

Rinse and Repeat

"I once saw a homeless man rinse his mouth out with water from the windshield cleaning 'bucket' at a gas station."

theAdvancedBeginner

"Just saw something similar here in San Diego on Friday. Pumping gas and a homeless guy in a trench coat in 90-degree heat asked me about my dog in the car as he dunked his head in the windshield bucket. Asked me for a dollar right after too while dripping."

H3rrPie

Rough

"I was waiting for a bus in the ‘rough’ part of town when I heard two men having a full-blown argument on the other side of the bus stop… one was being extremely aggressive whilst the other sounded confused at the verbal lashing he was receiving. It went on for a couple of minutes and the meeker one was nearly in tears, so I decided to walk around the other side of the bus stop to take a look at what was going on."

"When I poked my head around the corner the poor guy was crying but his aggressor was nowhere to be seen, I asked if he was okay to which he said 'Yeah, don’t worry about him, he’s all talk.' I nodded and turned around just as the nastier man re-emerged to berate his victim… only it wasn’t another person, it was the same guy shouting at himself with an alternate personality. Until you see these things up close you don’t realize how disturbing it must be to suffer from such mental health issues."

BarraDoner

It's heartbreaking to see people like that.

The Disturbed

Scared Kermit The Frog GIFGiphy

"Saw a kid follow around a toad at a state park for a bit, pick it up, and ground it against a tree, eviscerating it in an instant. An adult immediately grabbed them and took them off yelling as the kid didn't look bothered by the interaction at all. It was surreal and disturbing."

Capn_Yoaz

Disgusting

"A scary a** woman was yelling at people in a store. The manager told her to leave. She screamed insults at him as security escorted her out. When I left the store, she was still screaming at him. He was blocking her from going back into the store."

"Then she did something I never thought I'd see in my entire life: She reached into her pants, pulled out a bloody tampon, and threw it at the manager. She missed but it stuck to the glass door. She laughed as she ran off. I wanted to vomit. I never want to see anything like that again."

RiffRandellsBF

All is Well

"21st B-Day at a Festival in FL called Langerado. Was incredibly drunk but I'll never forget this... unfortunately."

"So, we're listening to a band called Umphrey's McGee and everyone is having a good time. All is well. Heaven on Earth. Until I turn around."

"There's a guy, late 30s or early 40s by himself and he was having quite a time."

"He kept shoving his hand [in his pants] and licking his fingers afterward. At some point, he started chasing people and then some poor souls working security had to deal with him. Ewwww."

DylanV1969

In the Bathroom

"A woman at my old retail job I used to work at came in dry heaving to our restroom. It sounded like she was about to give birth. Nope, much worse. She goes into our restroom and shi*s all over the stalls, the floor is coated. It became a complete swamp. This woman proceeds to take off all her clothes and leave them there. She walks out of the store nude, screaming."

AdReady528

Stop It!

"Woman recording a mother and her two children after the mother collapsed and was unresponsive in a Costco. Asked her to stop, but she looked at me and scowled, so I amplified my request which was 'Stop recording, you completely demented, witch!' and the immediate unfavorable attention that got her compelled her to stop. The woman who collapsed, and her small children were terrified, screaming and crying, and it was awful. Can't imagine why you would want footage of such a thing. Just remembering makes me sad and hope that everything turns out alright."

Freechickenpeople

When you gotta go, you gotta go!!

Peeing Ladies Night GIF by Saturday Night LiveGiphy

"In my hometown, I was using the mall food court bathroom which is usually a bad idea... but I had to. While I was taking the worst poop of my life, the people in the stall next to me were getting on the whole time. I can't image someone being that horny next to me in my worst time."

​Breze

Some people will do it anywhere.

I would run to another restroom if I could make it!

Do you have any wild stories for us, let us know in the comments below.

Black and white photo of a girl with a kick me sign, littered with expletives taped to her back
Photo by Ilayza

Kids can be cruel.

We tend to be taught way too late just how much gravity words carry.

And kids who taunt others turn into adults who taunt others or become vicious adult bullies.

Making fun of someone is never okay.

But some insults make little to no sense.

Some people will come up with ammunition to throw at others that is so off the wall that you have to laugh before you cry.

Keep reading...Show less

When I was a cater waiter I saw it all.

People being flown in for entertainment.

All of the furniture in the building being replaced for one short evening.

Or buying out a building for an intimate dinner party.

It's crazy.

And I want enough money to do it too. Although I did see a ton of waste.

And I hate to waste.

Like who doesn't love a lavish wedding?

But a lavish wedding with a $500,000 price tag, and you have to be out by midnight?

That party better have had Madonna performing, live fire acts, and ice cream served with diamond spoons.

Keep reading...Show less