
Tradition can be a beautiful thing--they can keep us connected to our cultures and histories.
But they can just as easily be antiquated holdovers that don't serve a real purpose.
Let's talk about that stuff. Reddit user Alicia-XTC asked:
What tradition should stop and just go away?
And here's the thing... a lot of this stuff is just flat out predatory. Like a lot.
The Funeral Industry
"Stupidly expensive funeral everything. Why the f*ck is a casket like 846374846 dollars?" - -slinxthefox-
"The real scam is the fact that it's illegal to be disposed of how you wish. I'd like to be buried in the dirt on my farm with no coffin no plot on a funeral home, and no headstone."
"Apparently this is a crime." - chupacabruhhh
"Because what are you going to do, not die? They have the most captive market possible" - boots-n-bows
"Costco for caskets, my friend."
"Lost my dad at the beginning of the pandemic, he passed away in a small town with one funeral home. Their prices were ridiculous, so we bought the casket from Costco and had it shipped to the funeral home. It was gorgeous and it was about a third of the price." - ADiestlTrain
What Marriage Looks Like
"Child marriage is still legal in most of the US with parent permission (more like force vs permission.) Its definitely still a thing in most of the world 🤢 even when it's illegal people get away with it" - theflooflord
"Forced marriage" - anderogenus
"There's a difference between an arranged and forced marriage. A forced marriage is when you have absolutely no say in the matter and have to go along with it."
"An arranged marriage is more like your family is playing slightly aggressive matchmaker until you find the one." - GammaRayGreg
"Arranged marriages are despicable. It's NOT two consenting adults, no matter how you phrase it."
"It's two young adults who are pressured by society and family and cultural norms into the most important decision of their life. And the societies that have those kinds of marriages have deep seeded racism and misogyny issues."
"People will say that the 'new' way to arrange marriage is fine because it's two adults dating normally after their parents introduce them. But it's not. It's two adults dating with the added pressure of not disappointing their families. As well as it being forbidden for them to date normally."
"And how often do the families select someone outside their race?" - thegoatisoldngnarly
Calm Down, It's Just Gender
"Gender reveals that involve fire works or confetti can go f*ck themselves. I don't care if a gender reveal is done through a cake or party decor because they're ultimately harmless, but gender reveals that use fireworks and confetti just suck." - Allustar1
"The woman who invented them wants the tradition to end, I've heard." - GenericEschotologist
"It's also not really a gender reveal. It's a genital reveal."
"There is no guarantee that your child will be cisgender, but even if they are cis, you won't fully know until they start developing a sense of self."
"So, basically, it's creating a hazard to announce to the world that your child has a penis." - murrimabutterfly
"It's especially sad when one of the parents is really hoping for a particular gender and doesn't bother to hide their disappointment." - whysweetpea
"It's gone from a cheesy way to announce what you're having to setting forest fires and killing people. Instead of people just having fun, it's becoming a game of one-upsmanship and people feel obligated to do one now." - permalink_save
Hazing
"Hazing. It can be dangerous and serves no reasonable purpose."
"If a group is forcing you to do something very risky or something you're uncomfortable doing, you should rethink your decision to join. There are tons of other safe activities that you could make into initiation rituals, but people always choose the most dangerous ones." - RDEnergizer7000
"A family friend died during hazing."
"Got super drunk because that was the ritual. Was encouraged to go into the dark basement and stay there as long as possible."
"He tripped, hit his head, and died after two days due to the hemorrhage in his brain. He was 19." - murrimabutterfly
"Though I agree with you that hazing is stupid, there is a purpose to hazing which is to bond you closer to those you were hazed with through a shared experience." - Cheeseish
"I don't see how drinking a gallon of liquor and pouring chocolate sauce down your butt crack is a bonding moment."
"In computer lab, we just bonded by solving each other's coding problems." - PotatoProfessor
"If someone asks you to harm yourself so you can "bond with the group", you need to leave. Immediately." - The_Louster
Back To Black
"Black Fridays" - purplealchemist
"I worked at Best Buy for a year, one Black Friday under my belt. That was enough."
"I was dating a coworkers sister at the time and was having Thanksgiving dinner with them and their family. My friend/coworker and I sat there in our blue polos and quickly ate as we had to leave at like 3pm to be there in time to prepare for black Friday, which of course started Thanksgiving evening."
"For a couple of years after that I used to go to that Best Buy on Thanksgiving evening with a big bag of candy for everyone. I don't do it anymore because I don't know anyone who works there anymore, but Black Friday is a sh*t tradition for anyone working retail, though" - BreezyGoose
"Those big name brand companies, specifically make cheaper-material, low-end versions of the "full price" stuff, JUST to stock on the shelves on Black Friday."
"You are not getting any kind of deal, whatsoever. You are buying a cheap knock-off, packaged by the major company."
"SONY, VIZIO, Dell, etc., are not giving away free money, or taking a hit on profits." - tauntonlake
People Explain Which Expensive Purchases Paid For Itself In The Long Run | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Garter Grossness
"The whole removal of the bride's garter and tossing of it at weddings. Cringe and creepy AF." - junkyarddog
"Brides used to be considered lucky, so people would sometimes rip off part of their dress to keep as a lucky charm."
"Obviously, women were not pleased with the idea of their fancy dresses being ripped off their bodies over the course of the day, so the bouquet toss and garter toss are a way to give the guests a piece of that good luck without the destructiveness."
"I looked up a lot of wedding traditions for my own wedding, specifically to cut out the patriarchal BS, that was one I decided was okay." - Lexicological
"Wanna hear something even worse? At One of my cousins' weddings, her uncle was an auctioneer and he auctioned off the garter at the reception."
"The idea was like to raise money for the couple kind of like how the dollar dance works, but holy f*ck it was creepy as hell." - shrimpsauce91
Unnecessary Surgery
"Infant circumcision" - MushyFry
"Ive heard people say its gross and unhealthy/unclean to have foreskin."
"To those people I always ask who failed to teach them how to care for themselves. And why did you have sex with someone who cannot care for themselves in that way?"
"They never have a real answer." - GazelleEconomyOf87
"Hospitals make a lot of money off of selling the foreskins for use in cosmetics, there's basically a whole industry built around keeping that "tradition" alive despite multiple risks and it being unnecessary 99% of the time." - Kipper246
"Virginity"
"Losing your virginity. Virginity is not a thing." - Queen6Cat
"It's literally nothing. You now have an experience you didn't before. Unless the experience was traumatizing you are no different afterward than before. You're still exactly the same person." - Respect4All_512
"I have a friend who just turned 24 and she's never had sex before. She feels like some sort of freak because she's "still a virgin" to the point that she wants to have sex with a random person just to get it over with. It's dumb that we place so much weight on having sex for the first time." - treeplanter98
"My 29 year-old sister just asked my sixteen-year-old brother "So have you done the DEED yet?" Last week at a family function."
"This made him visibly uncomfortable but he said no."
"Seriously what even is the point of asking such questions? Why does it matter? I felt so bad for him and she was acting like the damn teenager even though she's almost thirty." - DarkDan3
Balloon Battle
"Letting balloons go at memorial services. It's so terrible for the environment/animal/everything." - Kate9616
"Pisses me off so much. What dead person would want to be remembered in a tribute that kills wildlife and pollutes the planet." - Jessflyc
"When I was a kid, we used to have "balloon day" at school - every kid would get a balloon, write their name and contact info on a tag attached to it, and we'd go outside and release them. Who had a tag returned from the furthest away won a prize."
"Half of the balloons would never make it off school grounds, getting caught in trees and whatnot." - theshoegazer
It's Bull
"Bull fighting. Not sure why this tradition still goes on."
"Nothing like having a bull that is tortured and tormented for days so it is weak and disoriented, thrown into a ring to be stabbed and harassed until it bleeds to death all while a crowd cheers it on."
"What is even the point? The matador isn't doing a whole lot seeing how the bull is already so weak from its treatment before and then the pikadors stab it half a dozen times before the matador does anything." - Stitchmidda2
The "War" On Christmas
"People saying each year that there is an attack on Christmas while everyone says Merry Christmas, decorates, and listens to radio stations that play nothing but Christmas songs for two months." - madeyedog
Graduation Day
"Graduations for every single year of school from preschool and kindergarten to high school. IMHO this is just to get people to buy more stuff like gifts, cards, have celebrations, etc. Forced consumerism."
"I think it is ok to have a celebration without calling it a 'graduation' because by the time high school graduation happens it is not a special event. College Graduation becomes a not so special event because it has been watered down." - Rapunzel111
Ruined By Cake
"Smashing the birthday person's head into the cake. Seriously makes me angry cause first of all, what a waste of cake, and second of all what if that person got hurt." - AceButNotAtLove
"Couples smashing wedding cake all over each other's faces after spending all that money on an expensive cake, dress, tux, getting makeup and hair done only to get it ruined by cake." - Rapunzel111
Diamonds Are Disasters
"Diamond engagement rings."
"Campaigns like "a diamond is forever" contributed to the notion that a diamond is the perfect representation of an indestructible love and marriage. We've been told that an engagement ring should cost a minimum of two months salary. Much like a new car, a diamond is devalued as soon as it leaves the store."
"The diamond trade is an 81 billion dollar industry, fraught with slave labor, violence and corruption. The mining of diamonds has a negative environmental impact, causing soil erosion and deforestation. Science has enabled us to create gems in a lab with a composition identical to naturally formed gems for a fraction of the price."
"The stigma remains, however, that those who would choose a cubic zirconium or other lab-created engagement ring are cheap, or even deceitful if they choose not to disclose that it wasn't mined."
"This needs to change. There are numerous options for those who still wish for a ring as a representation of their eternal love."
"In addition to lab-created diamonds and gems, there is the option to purchase a pre-owned or vintage ring. Already, there are companies capitalizing on this niche, but still overcharging for their product."
"There are many avenues creative consumers can pursue to circumvent this, ranging from consumer to consumer platforms, antique stores, and pawnshops, to local artisans. Given that the tradition of buying and wearing engagement and wedding rings will likely remain, it's time to consider ethical, environmentally friendly options to perpetuating the diamond trade." - CouldBeUrMom
I Don't Need A Blessing
"Blessing people who sneeze."
"After one sneeze , while working toward a second, I'm required to somehow reply "thank you" to the person or persons who blessed me."
"And after the second sneeze, reply again."
"It is just sneezing. It is allergies or my nose trying to expel something that doesn't belong (such as pepper or dust.)"
"I don't need a blessing. I sneeze. I cover my face. Let me be." - ranouttanameideas
What "traditions" are you just over?
Have you ever heard of a certain job that people call a career and thought... "PEOPLE PAY YOU FOR THAT?!?!"
All hard, honest work is good work.
And then there is just trash work.
And I don't mean garbage collection, that is honest work.
I don't know how some people live with themselves.
Redditor MrTuxedo1 wanted to discuss the careers they don't believe people should chase. They asked:
"What job do you have no respect for?"
Ticket scalpers. How do you the audacity to say that's a job?
Actual burglars have more empathy.
Disrespectful
"There are debt collectors who call relatives of the deceased to pay off their debts when they are not legally obligated to."
Top_Gun_2021
Shady. Shady.
"Australian Real Estate Agents. Laws don't seem to apply to them. Just as dodgy in sales and rentals alike. Never seen anything like it overseas."
snave_
"I'm in the US, it can vary state by state but my state is pretty strict on realtor laws. Some states require attorney review and there are definitely penalties for being reported for shady sh*t. It does require consumer reporting though."
ilostmytaco
Etransfer
"Where I live, tax info was leaked and now scammers are targeting low income individuals/families (people earning under 30,000 per year) with etransfer scams. I got one the other day that was an etransfer warning that 240$ 'a family member sent me' was about to expire."
SnowyInuk
"That’s disgusting. The scammers know what they’re doing, they know the harm they cause people and yet they don’t care."
surelysandwitch
Should be illegal...
"MLM managers. Not the low level idiots that get suckered into it, they suck too for trying to bring new people into that sh*tshow, but the people who create them know exactly what they are doing and are pretty much the only ones who profit off of it. Should be illegal. Pyramid schemes are illegal. None of them ever get the just desserts except occasionally by vigilantes I assume."
Wereno
I hate debt collectors. Yeah, you calling me one hundred times a week is going to miraculously make money appear.
Animals
"Paparazzi."
VictorBlimpmuscle
"I met Jack Gleeson (King Joffrey from Game of Thrones) at a bus stop in Dublin. Really nice guy but he said he quit acting due to people being nasty online and constant hounding from paparrazi. He's happier now but it sucks that he was pushed away from a career he was quite good at."
goobi94
Scumbags
"The pastors at mega churches whom ask their followers for money for private jets. Absolute scum to abuse others faith for your own greed."
ichancho
"Brian Tamaki is a greedy freaking pig, he takes advantage of so many people who are already struggling. Every time he’s in the local news (which btw is often) I get more and more pissed off at him and his wife. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Tamaki "
surelysandwitch
it’s a thing???
“'Dating Expert.' Sadly it’s a thing. It’s basically a self appointed title that requires no training or qualifications. What’s worse, is that I have a female friend who uses one. It’s very much a blind leading the blind situation."
Mean_Manufacturer_61
"Most of the self proclaimed “dating coaches” I know are women in their late 30s or early 40s who have never been married or had a longer relationship."
ipozgaj
EVIL
"Poachers. Especially big game poachers who purposefully hunt nearly extinct animals from species they know they are on the brink."
"I know there are poachers that come from rural villages who are trying to just put food on the table, which has my sympathy but poachers who come from money and hunt down animals minding their business in most shelters or restricted areas just to put a head on their wall as a trophy are absolutely heinous."
GetterdoneObiwan
I See It All
"Psychic Mediums. Specifically those who prey on the grieving."
JamesDeadite
"I've always found it interesting how many magicians go after people like this. I think it's because they know what it takes to trick people for the art. The slight of hand and mentalism. And they abhor people who use these tactics for such sh*tty purposes."
34HoldOn
I want so bad to believe in psychics and mediums. What say we on that topic?
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The nose is constantly being attacked by odors of the world.
Going through one day without having to hold my breath during a certain point, is a miracle.
Of course, I'm a New Yorker, so I maybe exaggerating for people in the countryside.
What's funnier is odors that are pleasant, that shouldn't be.
Have you ever looked and something and thought... "yuck."
But then you smelled it and it was like... "oh lovely,"
Redditor HappQueue wanted to know what aromas are arousing to the senses that may come as a surprise to many. They asked:
"What smells good but shouldn't?"
For some odd reason I love the things burning. Anything, food, pots, pans. You name it. Weird.
Blow
"Matches/candles on a birthday cake. I remember lighting matches as a kid purely to blow them out and inhale that sweet match-y smell."
semispooked
"guilty good"
"I work at a Chemical plant. We make a highly acidic product that is dark blue, viscus, highly corrosive, and smells exactly like Fruit Loops. It is incredibly disturbing."
Turin082
"Organic chemistry has many 'guilty good' smells. Thiophosgene (sulfur derivative of a chemical weapon used extensively in WW1) apparently smells like meat. Phosgene is used to make polycarbonate, thiophosgene is used to make some sulfur-containing molecules which eventually end up in therapeutic drugs."
HammerTh_1701
I can't huff it...
"Paint, specifically house paint. I love the smell. But anytime I hear that anyone is painting a room or their house, I volunteer. I just love sitting on the floor in a room that's been freshly painted, closing my eyes and just inhaling that slightly chemically, slightly creamy aroma."
Neowza
A Hint of French...
"A fish and chips shop burnt down as couple blocks from work a few years ago. The whole neighborhood smelled amazing for days. Just the slight hint of French fries. Nothing overpowering. It was so awesome. Until I found out someone was trapped in the fire and died."
stevey_frac
Drag
"Race fuel. Instantly puts me in a good mood as it reminds me of going to the drag races with my dad when I was young."
garfnodie
Fuel and matches get me too. And they sort of go together. Interesting.
Just like the Movie...
"The water from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Mmm, bromine."
Stalkerslovemy
"This is one of my favorite scents of all time, and Disney is very aware that people enjoy it. Evidently it’s a lot harder to recreate than just adding bromine to water."
cash4panties
"black widow".
"There's a chicken wing restaurant near my house that has a challenge sauce called "black widow." The owner claims it to be around 500,000 scovilles. A few years back some buddies and I decided to try them, the sauce was a dark molasses color and smelled almost like a BBQ sauce, no hint of the danger that lurked at all. We each grabbed one wing and it went terribly. I don't know how something so spicy could smell so innocent."
Final-Chapter
Endless Weekend
"Hotel/rented rooms whenever you go on vacation. There's this particular smell that just says 'you are on vacation,' especially on a beach/swimming trips/out-of-the-town vacays."
Yummy_Llama
"Bath and Body Works has a plug-in scent called Endless Weekend that replicates that scent (to my humble nose)."
Exxcentrica
"oh no..."
"Someone you are attracted to's body odors. Anyone else who is slightly unhygienic smells repulsive."
Mini_gunslinger
"I remember back in high school a girl leaned over, sniffed me, told me that I smelled really good, and asked me what cologne I was wearing. I asked if she was joking, and she's like, no, you smell really good. When I told her I had just gotten done with gym class, she gets a small 'oh no...' look on her face and turns away. I think we both had a revelation that day."
user deleted
That Smell
"The smell inflatable things give off. I have no idea how to describe it, but it’s… nostalgic? to me."
crestfxllen
I do love the smell of plastics and inflatables. Ahh....
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At one point in time, we've misplaced things that we've considered priceless possessions.
It's hard to imagine how to go on without the lost object–whatever it may be–but over time, it becomes a distant memory and we move on.
That is until we magically find ourselves presented with this opportunity proposed by Redditor mikehotel288, who asked:
"You find yourself in a room with everything you’ve ever lost in your life. What do you look for first?"
There are necessities people cannot do without.
No More Dry Lips Ever Again
"Gonna be a lot of chapstick in that room."
– camefromxbox
There are things that bring us comfort and are irreplaceable.
Safety Blanket
"My baby blanket. It became tattered over the years—to the point where I couldn’t reasonably wash it anymore—so I had to throw it away a little while back."
"I have heavily regretted that decision. I was really attached to it (hence it being in tatters), but I really wish that I kept what was left of it instead of throwing it away. Just knowing that I’d still have it would be a huge comfort to me."
– Uearie
Sentimental Heirloom
"The pendant my dad had made for me with my grandmother’s engagement diamond. It was 2 carats. It disappeared from a Las Vegas hotel room 20 years ago. It was hidden deep in a suitcase where it would not have been easy to find. It was just GONE. Cops didn’t do anything. Didn’t even come to take my statement. Cleaning lady said she thought she saw an elderly man enter my room. The guy I was with was not sympathetic in the least. Entire situation was f**ked. I’m still so upset about it."
– MaritimeDisaster
Lone Shark
"My plastic shark toy I lost when I was 10. Ain't no f'king way it just VANISHED."
– Guilty_As_Charged__
Not everything lost is tangible.
Tick Tock
"The time I wasted."
– shinyfennec
It Holds Value
"My private key with 6 BTC in it."
– Significant_Mirror19
"I didn't lose one, but I'll check my room for yours just in case."
– Smodphan
Finding Purpose
"The reason I walked into the room."
– Lloyd_lyle
Lost Opportunity
"That one girl i spoke to on omegle lol"
– h-amishh
If only we get to reunite with those we've lost.
The Loved Family Member
"My grandpa."
– Splatty_boi_420
Grieving Parent
"My daughter. She’ll be in my brother’s arms. So I’ll find both things I care to look for."
– SeeTheFence
Missing Mom
"My mom. She died of cancer in 2017. She never got to meet my daughter. I miss the hell out of her and wish she was still part of my family’s life."
– X-Arkturis-X
The Animals That Come Into Our Lives
"My pets that have passed: especially my horse, Blue. It's been 4 years, but it feels like just yesterday."
– Baciandrio
While many of these scenarios are unlikely, the thread gave people an opportunity to reflect on the things that made a strong impression on their lives.
Sometimes, the memories of the things we've lost–whether they are random objects or sources of love–is all we have.
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What's worse than returning home from a night out or a workday and discovering your home was broken into? Being home when the break-in happens.
Home invasions are a common trope portrayed in horror films like The Strangers and Funny Games, and they're absolutely terrifying because they are based on real-life incidents.
Redditor silentagent47 asked strangers to consider this horrifying hypothetical.
"You have 5 minutes to prepare before a guy breaks into your house with the intention to kill you. You can not exit your house. What is your strategy to survive?"
The hunter becomes the hunted, inspired by TV and movies.
Duplicating A Scene
"There was an episode of Burn Notice where Michael puts aerosol cans in the microwave with kitchen utensils and hits popcorn button. I really want to know if this works or not."
– JohnSterlingSanchez
Epic Burglar Trap
"Speed-watch Home Alone."
– pluribusduim
It's about the choice of weapon.
Jump Scare
"I get the vacuum cleaner ready in a certain room, I turn it on as hes about to enter to create a distraction, then I jump out when he's inspecting the noise and bonk the f'ker on the head with the piece of 2 inch steel tube I keep as a weapon."
– BustedBastard
Beware of Dog
"Unleash the Hounds"
– myassonreddit
Make A Weapon
"Duct tape a bunch of knives to the end of one of those tall lamps to make a spear of blinding and then proceed to go sicko mode."
– DubTheeBustocles
Preparing For A Thwack
"Turn shower on, for some reason I have a shovel behind my wardrobe?? So grab that. Wait for him to check shower, whack with shovel. Boom."
– hypersp00p
It's Just A Game
"Corner camp with a shotgun."
– Arrow3619
A Warm Welcome
"Hairspray and a lighter to his face."
– WorkingClassSheep
The effectiveness of these tactics are questionable, but points for creativity are warranted.
Stand Still
"Put a lamp shade on my head and stand in the corner of the room."
– Cannabis_Sir
Make It Erotic
"I turn on all the lights, take off all my clothes, rub butter all over myself, and start a fake conversation on the phone. As soon as he breaks in I say into the phone: 'I’ve gotta go, my next appointment is finally here…”
– FrankieTheAlchemist
Forget The Stairs
"Go to the LIVING ROOM."
– on-oath-never-again
Removing The Element Of Fun
"Draw an X on my forehead and grab a beer."
– Candycoatedmuffin3
And that's why I would opt for living in a commune or apartment complex.
People who own houses are just asking for forced entry.
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