Different parts of the world are characterized by diversity and culture.
It's what makes us all unique.
But sometimes, it's those differences that can seem perplexing to those who don't have an open mind.
And instead of trying to be enlightened by foreign customs that are "normal", they can be perceived as "strange" or "weird" by outsiders.
Redditor ojlol2 sought to spark a conversation on the concept of what is normal by asking:
"What is normal in your country but seems weird to the rest of the world?"
The following descriptions are of how people roll in their respective regions.
It Tells Us When To Go
"Calling a Traffic Light a Robot."
– itryandgiveadvice
Bromantic
"Men holding hands in public as a display of friendship is normal in Afghanistan but super weird in the west."
– MichianaMan
Encouraging Destruction
"Whole restaurants cheering when a plate or glass is smashed (UK). Once was in a Canadian bar/restaurant on holiday and a waiter dropped a tray of glasses, the local looked horrified when I was out of my seat screaming 'wheyyyyyy.'”
– owen-sksk
You-Tensil
"Eating with our hands."
"In 1969 (the same year the man landed on the moon), Miss Gloria Diaz coveted the Philippines' first Miss Universe Crown. During the preliminary Q&A, she was asked 'Is it true that you Filipinos use your hand when you eat?' To which she replied 'Why? Do you use your feet?' and went her way to winning the crown."
– NorqMarash
Welcome Harassment
"In my friend's country, Easter is when gangs of boys roam the countryside, pouring water over girls and beating them (gently) with sticks. The girls then have to thank them for it."
"I thought that was pretty weird."
– himit
Respect The Slumber
"Leaving your baby alone outside for their nap, even if it rains or snows."
– e_ph
They're forms of protection.
Glass Moat
"Putting broken glass bottles on the walls around your house so burglars cant jump it and rob you. I moved to Canada and they don't even have walls around the houses!"
– anon
Winged Beasts
"Putting cable ties, branches, fake eyes etc on helmets, buckets and hats in spring time to scare away the birds. Magpies are vicious."
– LostBetweenthePages
These are so yum.
Now, Stomach This
"Blood pudding and fermented fish."
– Skeightrgurl
Would You Be "Loving' It?"
"Having Spaghetti in Mcdonalds."
– fyi360
How Sweet & Savory
"Eating biscuits and gravy. I traveled to the UK and told them that biscuits and gravy is a very common breakfast food and as you would expect they were highly confused (biscuit=cookie across the pond) why we would take something sweet and cover it in gravy. And also was confused that the gravy we use has sausage in it and is white."
– KorRay
Some people not from Japan think it's "weird" how commuters on the subways of Tokyo are all deathly silent.
There are signs discouraging normal level conversations. Phone calls are restricted.
As a visitor, I actually appreciated the peace and quiet. It's the only place of zen until riders step out into the chaotic flow of their day-to-day living.
If serenity is not for you, then using New York's MTA system must be pure bliss.
But, to each their own.
Not everywhere is the same as America, coming as a big surprise to no one.
Every country hands down their own customs and ways of living, built over centuries, sometimes even millennia, of interactions and societal preferences.
You might encounter these while traveling, forcing you to make a simple decision that could either please someone or make them incredibly frustrated.
Just remember, keep an open mind and never worry about asking:
"Do I take my shoes off or leave them on?"
Reddit user, Faking_Faker, wanted to know what never to do when they asked:
"What is considered disrespectful in your country?"
It's All In What You Wear
Most cultural customs of respect come in what you wear. What might be acceptable to have on in your own home won't fly when you travel abroad, so be prepared to ditch whatever you're wearing at a moment's notice.
Shoes In Houses Is A Big Deal
Not taking your shoes off when you enter someone's home.
Here In Mexico we don't take our shoes off, we just step on a rug before go in someone's house
Can confirm when I visit family in Mexico and growing up in a Mexican household here in the states. I don't think anyone ever took off their shoes except like in their rooms/on the bed because at least for my family, if your shoes were off in Mexico, you were bound to step on anything little creature or the house would just constantly have dust blowing in so your feet would be dirty anyways. I guess it just stuck to my parents and everyone else who came to the states lol.
Don't Block The Lord
It's considered "disrespectful" (perhaps even irreverent) for a man to wear a hat in church.
Women can wear hats in church, if they wish - but not men (even in winter, when it's cold outside and the building is only minimally heated).
Don't Turn Them Away
To sit down and your shoes are facing the one you talking to
Being Polite Out In Public
Truthfully, the easiest way to make a social error is out in public when everyone can politely remind you you're doing something wrong. They're not trying to be mean, per say, but it does give the most eyes to your mistake. Just hold the door open the next time and be sure to slurp your noodles.
Give The Wave
Australian here. If someone let's you merge in on the road, or if you let someone pass on a tight street, its SUPER important you give them a little wave. If you don't, it makes you a massive cunt.
Also, using overly formal/respectful language is like, a way of showing disrespect to someone
You Better Finish EVERYTHING
I am not from Italy but my parents are from there and it is offensive to the chef or who ever cooked your meal if you do not finish what they have cooked.
Shh-Shh-Shhhhh
Being loud in public transportation. This includes laughing loudly.
To add to this: playing music in public.
Even on hiking trails around my city its a guarantee that you'll pass at least one person with a speaker, blaring music. I came out here to get away from the city grind wtf
We Said 7:00, Sharp
Germany: Being late to an appointment, even though it's a meet up with friends, is considered very, very rude. Tbh I would hate letting someone wait for me so I always arrive half an hour too early lmaoo even to doctor appointments
Yeah same in Sweden.
The culture clash of South Americans (maybe central as well?l and Spaniards/portugese with germanic/scandinavian is frustrating.
To me its a sign if huge disrespect and waste of others time to be late for appointments. When visiting someone at home its a bit more lenient but having someone wait around in a public place or such I can't really handle me or others showing up late, especially when it goes into a few hours...
It's Okay?
Slurping or chomping your food.
It's something that you really don't notice until you're somewhere it happens. It may be one of the biggest cultural shocks while in parts of Asia.
I went to China for a month and ate a ton of noodles while there. One day we were eating really long noodles with oil/sauce on them and as I was eating I noticed that I had to continuously wipe my mouth with the napkins while my asian friends did not. Then I realized that when you slurp it leaves room between the noodle and your lip to let the sauce enter your mouth and it doesn't end up piling up on your lips as you suck the noods in. That was the day I learned why slurping is big in Asia.
The Lesser Known Explanations
These ones feel ingrained to their countries of origin, built around years of interactions. Keep your ears open when you travel abroad and you'll learn a lot.
Filipino Households Aren't Playing Around
Try to talk with elders or someone 7-10yrs older than you without using "po" and "opo".
The Art Of The Tea Dance
There are very specific rules about offering tea to someone in Ireland. When someone offers you tea you have to say no. Then they have to "are you sure?" and you have to say "no thank you I'm certain". Then they have to go "ah go on you'll have a bit. Then you have to go "no I'm fine thanks". It keeps going on like this until one person gives in. So if you offer someone tea and they say no you have to keep pushing. If you don't it's just not Irish.
How Very Canadian Of You.
If you bump into someone, it's expected that you say you're sorry. Makes sense. But if someone bumps into you, you also say sorry. And if you almost bump into someone, you still say sorry. So when someone bumps into me or almost bumps into me, and I say sorry but they don't say it back, I feel a deep rage within me that the Canadian Code has been disrespected. I don't need to be sorry! But I said it! How dare you stay silent?!
Although, I one time apologized when I saw two people bump into each other near me when I had nothing to do with it, so I may be taking this a bit too far.
Wait, Huh?
I've lived in Peru for five years now and the one thing that continues to baffle me is that people being dishonest in transactions is abnormally common and accepted as normal, but calling out the dishonest person is considered a horrible breach in etiquette and cause for legal action even if true.
So in short: stealing? Acceptable and no big deal. Calling a thief a thief out loud? Horrible behavior.
I'm Fine, How Are....I'm Already Bored...
Not engaging in small talk. People are so affronted if you don't do the whole "How are you? I'm fine. There is weather outside." My husband and I are seriously so bad about this and need to move to Finland.
I wish there was a happy medium. A little small talk can be acceptable, but mostly, tell me what you want and then go away.
Every country's customs should be understood with the respect you would want if someone came in to your own home. Be open-minded, listen to what they're saying, and always ask if someone wants shoes "on" or "off" when you visit their home. It's just common courtesy.
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
The problem with history is we never get to see how any of it turns out until long after the fact.
Who was right? Who was wrong?
Was 2020 the worst year of the current century?
We'll never live long enough to know the answers to these questions (except that last one, because, come on, this past year was horrendous) but the following entries have people already breaking down some well-known historical lies.
Redditor sad-talking_head wanted to hear about:
"What are some historical lies that people generally believe?"
Probably Should Drop This Stereotype Soon
That France surrenders at everything. France has the highest count of victories tho.
Hell, just under Napoleon alone, the rest of Europe had to ban together to fight France off 5 times, and they were close affairs at that.
For most of its history, France was pretty darn good at winning.
He Was My Idol...
Salieri and Mozart actually got along quite well. If they did have a rivalry, it was merely professional.
Salieri didn't promise his chastity to god, or if he did he didn't follow through because he got married and had kids.
Salieri didn't have to manipulate the emperor to earn favour with him. He was a well respected composer, and one of the richest men in the country at the time.
Amadeus is a great film, but it's a good thing that it doesn't start with "based on a true story". At least it's honest... I'm looking at you Braveheart!
This One Comes Up Quite A Bit
That Napoleon was short, he was of average height by those times.
French just used the different scale of measurement.
Selling Your Own BS
Hitler didn't become a monster because he was kicked out of art school.
He was a neckbeard bouncing around Vienna filling his head with all sorts of bullsh-t "philosophy" and well on his way to becoming a monster when someone suggested that he look into an art and architecture program at some school. He made a half-a--ed application which was denied and he continued to sell little paintings to get by while he read all his crazy books. He trumped up the kicked out of art school story in Mein Kampf.
A Classic Naming Mixaround
That Iceland was named Iceland by the vikings to try to try to trick colonists into not colonizing when in fact the reason is that when the first people landed on iceland it was winter and the viking that named it saw a lot of ice and promptly named it as such
Are you sure you aren't confusing this? The story I have heard is that Greenland was named that way to trick colonists into sailing there and wasting time and resources.
Greenland was named to attract settlers but Iceland wasnt named with any simalar intent. Fun fact about Greenland, it was actually named by someone who was exiled from Iceland.
The Transition Of Ages Is Not So Cut And Dry
That the Roman Empire fell in 476 AD and then it was the dark ages.
In reality, a peasant living through 476 probably wouldn't have realized they were living through the end of one age and the start of another. The beginnings of feudalism had already started back during Diocletian's reign, barbarians warbands and barbarian roman troops had been a fact of life for generations. The barbarian king who deposed Augustulus still considered himself a rightful representative of the Empire, etc. In some ways, the fall of Rome was sudden and traumatic (the population of Rome itself absolutely cratered in the 400's, after all), but it was really more of a gradual, centuries long transition than a fall.
Simple Solution To Simple Problems. All You Have To Do Is Look.
"NASA spent millions on developing a pen for space. The Russians used a pencil." [suggesting NASA isn't very intelligent]
They were perfectly correct to make a pen for space. A pencil would have released loads of tiny graphite particles during use, which would float around and interfere with electronics.
Maybe Not The "Hottie" In The Way Modern Society Would View
That Cleopatra was some sort of otherworldly beauty who mesmerized every man she met. Ancient historians were more impressed/scandalized by her intelligence and ability to manipulate as easily as she breathed, and it wasn't until centuries later than she began to develop this reputation as a sexy seductress.
Cleopatra's ancestors were big fans of incest (the sixteen roles of her great-great-grandparents were filled by just six individuals), and members of the Ptolemaic dynasty had a reputation for being...odd-looking. Cleopatra, reportedly, was above-average-looking compared to others in her family, but according to historians like Plutarch, the general consensus was that "her beauty… was in itself not altogether incomparable, nor such as to strike those who saw her."
Sounds Like The "Nikola Tesla" Of Ancient Libraries
Almost anything involving the Library of Alexandria.
No, the Library of Alexandria was not the sole repository of knowledge in the ancient world. There were many other great libraries such as the one in Pergamum as well as many, many other collections.
No, we did not lose countless important works that could only be found there. The Library worked on copying works, and any important writings could easily be found in other libraries around the world.
No, we wouldn't be living in a utopia if it didn't burn because it was the centre of learning. The Library was in serious decline for almost a century before it burned. When Ptolemy VIII banned all foreign scholars from Alexandria, they moved to other libraries, and as Ptolemaic rule became less stable and the position of head librarian became a political position the prestige of the Library faded.
No, Julius Caesar did not burn it down on purpose. While he was besieged in Alexandria his troops set fire to some ships on the docks and the fire accidentally spread. However, it is unsure of how much of the Library was truly destroyed, as we know the Mouseion survived, and at any rate we know much was rebuilt later, with Mark Antony supposedly gifting some 200,000 scrolls to the Library, and Claudius built an additional to it during his reign.
No, the Christian Crusaders did not burn down the Library because they hated knowledge. First of all they didn't even attack Alexandria during the major Crusades (they would during a later minor one) besides they would be almost a 1000 years too late, as the last recorded evidence of the Library dates back to the middle of the 3rd Century, and any vestiges of the Library, which would have been a minor shell of its hight as Roman and Greek scholarship had long moved to other centres. At any rate what remained would have been destroyed during either Aurilian's attack of the city in 272 CE or Diocletian's in 297 CE.
They say history is written by the winners, but they sound more like poor losers who can't handle the truth.
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
People Share Which Superstitions Are So Ingrained In Society We Do Them Without A Second Thought
D Dipasupil / Contributor via Getty Images
Everyone is at least a bit superstitious. The particulars might differ depending on where you grew up, but all human cultures have Superstitions of one sort or another.
Reddit user u/Noerdy asked:
10.
The Farmers' Almanac.
Its never been through peer review. It supposedly uses secret equations and the positions of celestial bodies (astrology anyone?) to predict weather.
"But they're over 80% accurate!"
That number is self reported using standards they establish.
9.
Telling someone "God Bless You" when they sneeze.
Yet, for every other bodily function, the offender says 'excuse me'. Its so weird.
8.
Pretty sure death will come to me if I ever open an umbrella indoors. And when I see someone do it, I automatically wince because I know their life force is about to be taken from them.
I pissed my mother off to no end because I once asked her if she thought umbrella factories were all outdoors, or if they just had an unusually high turnover due to deaths in the family. She was very superstitious and not at all amused.
7.
Nurses will murder people who say a shift is quiet. We aren't allowed to say the q word. (I don't believe it, but it's fun to give each other hell about saying it or getting to blame someone when sh*t hits the fan.)
Nurses are ridiculously superstitious (generalization, but I've met so many superstitious nurses)
So many believe in ghosts, spirits, deities, luck, ect...
6.
That if you've had a bad run like at the casino, you're 'due' for a good run. Not how probability or binomial distribution works.
The same goes for investing. People won't sell a stock they lost money on because they feel it "owes" them something. But if you look at your portfolio as a point in time, you sell the ones that aren't doing well and buy ones that are a better investment.
5.
Just in time for the holidays, christmas colors are red, green, and white. Blood on snow to bring back the green plants after winter. Pagan tradition of blood sacrifice to ensure spring would come back each year.
3.
Not to swallow gum. It’s perfectly safe to and passes just as fast as anything else, but instead an old superstition about it being stuck in our digestive tract causes people to litter the stuff everywhere.
2.
Telling someone not to just say that something will go well because you don't want to jinx it.
Break a leg!
Spent the entire autumn 2017 rehearsing for a major role. The premiere is a hit, performances come and go, and we retire for the year to continue in January.
What happens on Christmas Eve? Of course I break my bloody leg.
(ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻
1.
GiphyThat a full moon brings out the crazies. I think this is mostly confirmation bias.
Here's one source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-sc...
Not that there is anything wrong with routine or tradition but we have to admit some repeated behavior... i.e, "tradition," is just outdated, overdone and over. And often it has been brought to light that some actions of inhumanity are disguised as tradition and they must be impeded.
Redditor astralrig96 wanted to discuss what age old musts should be done away with by asking...
Which tradition needs to die?
No Thank You....
Giphy"Came here to say "Thank You Cards"... Saw "honor killings" and "female genital mutilation" and decided to reevaluate everything in my life." Zuikis9
What's Up Doc?
"Working new doctors to exhaustion. At this point it's just hazing." Beigecarpet
"In my country new doctors are expected to work in rural hospitals. The thing is the doctor to patient ratio in Thailand is 1 :1500 sth. That's mean I could end up being the director of a hospital in the middle of nowhere working upward to 36 hours shift at 25 years old." Themrchester
Jaws.
"Shark hunting when hunters remove the fins and throw the shark back in the water. That's both wasteful and downright evil making the poor thing suffer." untilidrown
"I was just about to add this but instead I'll second your comment! Way too many sharks are killed and the fear-mongering drives me crazy. Scuba diver/hung out with many toothy bois. They're cool af." oliviaroseart
More than 40!
"Accepting overworking to be a normal thing." unpopular_o_pi_nion
"Where I used to work salaried engineers were there was an unspoken rule that you were expected to put in regular 50-60 hour weeks. I knew one guy who just refused to do it and left his desk the second he hit 40. A lot of middle managers hated him for it but they couldn't fire him since he got his work done." Trunky_Coastal_Kid
*every. single. year.*
Giphy"That you have to get Christmas presents for people no matter how broke you are to prove you care. I work in the debt relief industry and our enrollment rates skyrocket in January *every. single. year.* It ain't right, man!" Navelhazey
No Blood....
"Where I live, theres one tradition where whenever a girl gets her first period, for her to avoid growing pimples on her face, she has to smear the blood on her face."
"My mom did this to me when I was 11, she added water to the blood thinking at least it wouldn't be as bad. I'm forever scarred."
"Edit: Since lots of you guys are asking, no it does NOT work. Although I don't get much acne, a lot of the other girls I know who did this tradition have had acne problems from puberty until now." mikeemouse03
I Do Not.
"There's a country that abducts girls and forces them into marriage. It's illegal but they don't enforce it because its tradition." darkespeon64
"This also happens in Namibia with OvaHimba women. It the women who arrange everything and they will drag a girl who is kicking and screaming and force her to marry." MoefsieKat
Destruction.
"Destroying public, or private property when your city's sports team has won a title." JJJones345
"When I was a kid the Packers won the super bowl. I was born in Wisconsin. My father and his biker friends (large, flabby men with tattoos) went streaking."
"Childhood me thought THAT was wild."
"Adult me realizes it was in the dark and in an area almost no one could see. So not even that impressive." Bat_City_Boi
Happy Holidays....
"Commericalization of holidays. We don't celebrate one's that are to make money. You show it thru the year. And there's no need to spend so much on Christmas." pippins-sunshine
"Thanksgiving has become almost like an afterthought in recent years as stores now open at 6pm for Black Friday shopping. Probably the most American traditional holiday celebrated by everyone has to be botched for those retail workers who have to go to work that day." Chicken_fondue
Bling.
Giphy"Diamond wedding rings. Overpriced and a nasty industry." aceofspadesx1
"Lab created stones are so much prettier. Also Moissanite? Holy crap the sparkle off those stones is so intense, and at a fraction of the price of a diamond, and is nearly as hard as a diamond as well (Diamond is a 10 on the Mohs' scale while Moissanite is between 9.25-9.5)." trainercatlady
Happy Birthday!
"Fancy birthday parties for kids, and the ones that include all the parents getting drunk. The parties seem to always be about popularity & making each party the *best* party. I have a sister that did this & it got so ridiculous. The parties cost hundreds of dollars more every year & every year it was more about the adults & less about the kids. What ever happened to just having kids, some games, a cake & gifts? Not saying there shouldn't be any parents, but it shouldn't be about the parents having fun. It's about the kids!"
lefthandbunny
I Do... not!
"Big expensive weddings."
xavierdc
"Even worse, destination weddings."
"When they have a whole week of crap planned, and now i gotta drop 5k for flights and accommodation for the family on top of some damn 800 dollar kitchen aid mixing machine from their luxury as a wedding register."
"How about I just give you 2k cash and you host it at your house which you can now afford because you used that money towards a deposit rather than providing Becky with all you can drink Bellinis so she can pose and hashtag #FIJI#BELLINIS#BESTLIFE#FOOL to impress her instatrash friends.*Breathe* /rant."
DuracellCosmonaut
Redditors Recount The Wedding Objections They Witnessed | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Maleness....
Giphy"Acting like men in general are inept when it comes to household chores and childcare. It should be considered normal for men to be taking responsibility for these sorts of things!"
CNRavenclaw
"Being born and living in Italy this is a big thing: don't know how many families have their father figure not even being able to cook an egg or not even allowed to do it!"
"My father has pretty much went in full home husband now since he went into retirement."
GeneraleRusso
The Farewell.
"Expensive funerals and the works. The judgement of someone when they literally just want to be cremated and the ashes scattered as a ceremony."
"Excessive and over the top Christmas celebrations and all the pressure usually falling on one person which is usually the mum."
"How people choose to live in this economy. If someone finds it better to be living with their parents then so be it, if someone lives with their parents and grandma and other family members then so be it. If someone is in their late 30s or 40s and still with room mates then who gives a poop. I hate the belief that the ideal is to have your own place and even a nuclear family unit in this day and age."
"It's of course more than fine if you believe in these things, I just dislike the judgement when someone might not conform."
FinalGirl1990
"get their feet wet."
"Living vicariously through your children just because you want them to achieve something you never could or would do yourself."
"That tears families and generations apart. Let your children live their own lives when they become adults and let them "get their feet wet."
I gotta sit.
Giphy"Standing at the position of attention for long ceremonies, such as a change of command, in the 120 degree heat. We would have to supply troops for all the formations when I was stationed in Phoenix. Numerous troops pass out every single time but they continue to put people thru it because tradition."
madtrippinfool
Retail Holidays.
"Black Friday. In the last few years it has encroached into thanksgiving Thursday. And the tradition of competing for an item by waking up early the next day has devolved into rioting before the turkey is even cold."
Ickababoo
Float Away....
"Releasing balloons for celebrations. The devastation it wreaks on wildlife is horrendous and inexcusable."
TheOtherDonald
"Honestly, balloons in general. Useless and the helium filled ones are creating a helium shortage if I remember correctly. They're literally trash, usually single use, and so cheap that they're -everywhere-."
loopsdefruit
All the Same...
"Being forced to only marry somebody who is of the same ethnicity because if you don't, you're going to be disowned."
boyddd2012
"I had to make a throwaway for this. My family is Indian and I'm honestly not sure whether I can marry who I want because of this. I know that my brother is bi and I want him to date who he wants without fear of being rejected by our parents."
throwawaydave69_
Smashed...
Giphy"Smashing the birthday person's face into the cake. It's messy and a waste of good cake."
00gusgus00
"Also smashing wedding cake into each other's faces. If you're gonna do the "feed the cake" tradition, don't shove cake up your new spouse's nose."
gracefrenzi
We could definitely do without most of these.
Do you have something to share? Let us know in the comments below.