Bored Panda

33 Men Who Show What Strength Looks Like Without Saying A Word

Jonas Žvilius — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 05:00:23 +0000

There are a lot of different ways to be kind, and there are a lot of different ways to be masculine. But in both cases, what matters most is trying your best to do the right thing.

Most people know what that looks like. The hard part is following through when it’s more convenient not to.

The subreddit ‘Men Of Purpose’ is an online community for those who believe that the purpose of life is a life of purpose.

“We choose direction over drift and meaning over comfort, growing stronger together through discipline, self-mastery, and shared accountability,” the community introduces itself in its ‘About’ section.

And to keep each other motivated, members regularly share inspiring examples of choosing responsibility over excuses. Here are some of our favorite posts.

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69 “Comments You Can Hear” That Practically Read Themselves Out Loud

Ilona Baliūnaitė — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:00:15 +0000

One of the best things about watching content on social media, as opposed to a streaming platform, is the comments section. I always wonder what other Netflix viewers are thinking when I’m watching a film or docu-series. But on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, I don’t have to imagine. I can scroll through as many comments as my heart desires, and often, they’re pretty entertaining!

If you too are a connoisseur of comment sections, we’ve got the perfect article for you below. We took a trip to the “Comments You Can Hear” community on Reddit and compiled a list of its most amusing posts. So enjoy scrolling through, and be sure to upvote the ones that you can’t help but giggle at!

#1 Cursed_slide

#2 This Kid Has Earned My Respect

#3 Comments You Can Hear

People use social media for different reasons. Some want to connect with old friends who have moved to different cities, some want to keep up with current fashion trends, some are purely looking for entertainment, and others want to share posts about activism and social issues. But regardless of what platforms you frequent and what you’re hoping to find there, there’s a good chance that you can’t help but peek at the comments section from time to time.

A survey from the University of Texas at Austin found that 55% of Americans have left a comment online at some point, primarily on social media, and over 77% say that they regularly read comments online. While comment sections might seem insignificant, they can go a long way in making internet users feel less alone while scrolling, which can often feel like an isolated activity.

#4 I Need A New Boom Box

#5 Ofcourse

#6 Somebody That I Used To Know

Comment sections on TikTok and Instagram Reels are particularly active spaces. They can be full of messages of support for the poster, or they can be flooded with negative comments criticizing every small detail of their video. Recipe videos often receive comments along the lines of “Please learn how to properly use a knife before posting again.” And a simple outfit-of-the-day clip might receive dozens of unsolicited comments about the author’s weight.

That’s not to say that all comments on social media are negative; as we see from this list, they can often be harmless or hilarious. But it’s important to understand before you post anything online that you’re potentially opening yourself up to a world of scrutiny. And you should be prepared to receive comments that have little to nothing to do with the actual content.

#7 On An Article About Disney Memes

#8 Disgustang

#9 Do Be Do Be Do Ba, A! Gent! P~!

According to Funmi Lijadu at Polyester, many social media users run to the comments section to see if others agree with their take on the content at hand.

“Psychology has an explanation for this, known as the false consensus effect,” Lijadu explains. “The false consensus effect describes the ways that people unconsciously assume that others share their beliefs and see them as normal. In an age of echo chambers, we grasp for further evidence of whether our opinion matches others who the content is being shown to. It's a self-conscious search for belonging that happens constantly on social media.”

#10 A Ring Ding Ding Bahhm Bahhm

#11 I Don't Know About You, But I Heard The Cheering

#12 Stephanie!

Because everyone loves freedom of speech, participating in comment sections online feels like a right, rather than a privilege. If someone turns off the comments on their posts after receiving a large amount of hate or after being embroiled in scandal, it may feel like a betrayal for viewers.

And often, instead of halting conversations about the topic, it just diverts interested parties to other platforms. For example, if a YouTuber refuses to let viewers leave negative comments on their videos, it’s common for a snark community to pop up on Reddit where users can discuss their content. The people yearn for gossip and discourse.

#13 It All Happened So Quickly

#14 He/Hee

#15 Found This Post

Another reason why some people are so active in comment sections on social media is to promote their own accounts. You might find it strange to comment on a famous person’s post, but you will likely read the comments. And if you notice a particularly clever, witty, or intelligent take, you might click on that person’s page too. This is an easy way for accounts to amass new followers, and even many brands have picked up on this strategy.

#16 Oh Yeah

#17 F For Pac-Man

#18 Augh

In recent years, social media has become a crucial part of marketing for nearly every company on the planet. Modern Retail noticed this phenomenon and published a piece about brands acting like “reply guys” in every viral comment thread they come across.

“A well-placed comment on TikTok or Instagram takes up some of the most valuable real estate brands can leverage,” says Jane Prior, chief marketing officer at Vita Coco. “[This is] where brands and consumers engage in real time. These interactions are more likely to spark a larger conversation or moment the brand can own.”

#19 Perfect Doppler Effect

#20 Markiplier

#21 They Make Houses With These

It’s becoming increasingly common for companies to post hilarious and self-aware content on social media, so it only makes sense for them to contribute to comment sections as well. If you see Ryanair or Duolingo leaving silly comments on viral TikToks, you might be more likely to engage with their pages and perhaps even more likely to support the brand in the future. In this modern digital landscape, people spend plenty of time in comment sections. So it’s no surprise that you’ll encounter some discreet advertisements there.

#22 I Can Totally Hear This

#23 terraria Worm Burrowing Sound Intensifies

#24 Us He Wrong

Are you feeling inspired to become more active in comment sections on social media, pandas? We hope you’re enjoying these funny posts, and please remember to keep upvoting the screenshots that get you giggling. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another article from Bored Panda featuring clever replies on social media, we’ve got the perfect one to read next right here!

#25 Little Soldier Boy (Leaves From The Vine)

#26 Mmmmmmmm

#27 Memes You Can Hear Without A Text

#28 Not A Comment, But I Can Hear It Vibrantly

#29 Ice Cold

#30 Not Reddit But Maybe This Fits Here? scared Nodding Ensues

#31 All Of Reddit:

#32 G.O.A.T

#33 A Wimba Way A Wimba Way

#34 Tell Me Whyyy

#35 Found On R/Eyeblech

#36 Africa You Can Hear

#37 Vividly

#38 That One Song That Goes:

#39 Potter Pals

#40 Aye Aye Captain!

#41 I Gotta Catch Them All

#42 This Just Brings Back Memories

#43 You Can't Un-Hear That Accent

#44 Straight From Your Childhood

#45 I Can’t Not Hear It Like This

#46 🦀

#47 What Is Love?

#48 mambo Starts Playing In The Background (The People On This Sub Are So Nice!)

#49 I Can Hear This Clearly

#50 Reddit Sings Depressing Rick Astley

#51 Pumped Up Kicks

#52 An Interesting Title

#53 Ah Yes, Perry The Platypus

#54 I Can Hear This Tweet

#55 insert Autotuned Voice Here

#56 Ah, An Afroman Classic:

#57 Can Never Escape The Intro

#58 Sherly Temple DVD Collection

#59 Dreadful

#60 A

#61 What?

#62 Mama Ooooooooh-

#63 Catchy

#64 1st Post Here

#65 Them Accents Tho

#66 You Better Lose Yourself

#67 Uhhhh, Interesting Title?

#68 Thanks Dr. Pepper

#69 The Numbers, Mason!

40 Unsettling, Dark And Depressing Stories To Remind You The World Isn’t Just Sunshine And Rainbows (New Pics)

Justinas Keturka — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:44:55 +0000

It’s not gore, jump scares, or fictional horror. This list is based on real life: true crime stories, nature’s darkest corners, historical events, and medical oddities among other disturbing things that have actually happened.

Taken from the popular Instagram page @oddlyhorrifying, which has around 1.8 million followers, these stories might sit with you long after you’ve read them.

Find out why a father threw a chair at a judge. Or how a kidnapped woman escaped her captor.

You’ll leave wondering what’s more horrifying — that these stories are true, or that you can’t stop reading.

#1

Jade Almond was a 16 year old goalkeeper for Wigan Athletic women’s team when she developed a rare condition called Functional Neurological Disorder after a head injury in 2018. The condition disrupted the way her brain communicated with her body and left her unable to walk. After months of intensive private physiotherapy funded by her family, she slowly regained her mobility and was eventually able to run again after a long and difficult recovery. However, on the same day she completed her final physiotherapy session, she was involved in a car accident when another driver rear ended the vehicle she was in, causing her condition to return instantly. She lost the ability to move her legs again and had to restart the entire recovery process from the beginning. Despite the setback, she eventually learned to walk once more and has since spoken publicly about her experience to raise awareness of Functional Neurological Disorder and how challenging and misunderstood it can be.

#2

In July 2025, a Chinese diver named Wang became the centre of an extraordinary survival story after getting trapped in a flooded karst cave system in Hunan province. He remained stuck underwater for five days inside a small air pocket deep in the cave, surviving in complete darkness and managing to stay alive by catching and eating raw fish. Rescuers launched a large and risky search operation across multiple regions before finally spotting a faint flashlight signal that led them to him. Despite oxygen levels dropping dangerously low during the ordeal, Wang was pulled out alive and was even able to walk away without assistance, later drawing attention for his calm reaction when he simply asked for a cigarette after being rescued.

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A stalking case escalated into a fatal confrontation in Florida in 2021 when a man forced entry into a family’s home while armed with a sh*tgun. Inside the residence, the girl’s father was confronted with an immediate and life-threatening situation. He responded by fatally sh*oting the intruder. Authorities later concluded that his actions were justified under Florida’s self-defense laws, and no charges were filed.

True crime stories have been very popular. According to Edison Research, around 119 million Americans — roughly 42% of US adults — have listened to a true crime podcast.

It is also now the most common topic of top-ranked podcasts in the United States.

In the survey, 85% of people said the most common reason for listening was for entertainment (85%). Around 84% said they want something to listen to while doing something else, and true crime podcasts are the ultimate background companion.

In another survey done by the International True Crime Association, 62% of listeners said they use the genre to “rehearse” responses to crises, from spotting lies to navigating conflict.

#4

In 2008, Felix Batista was one of the most respected hostage negotiators in the world, known for resolving dozens of kidnapping cases across Latin America. He traveled to Saltillo, Mexico to give a security presentation, where he taught business owners how to reduce their risk and avoid becoming targets for criminal groups. After finishing the talk, he went out to eat with colleagues and stepped outside to take a phone call. In a shocking turn, armed men forced him into a vehicle and disappeared, right in front of people he had just advised. Despite his experience, connections, and a major international search effort, he was never found, making the case a chilling example of how unpredictable and dangerous such environments can be.

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In 2006, a 5-year-old boy did exactly what he was supposed to do in an emergency… he called 911 when his mum collapsed. But instead of getting help, the operator reportedly didn’t take him seriously and told him to stop playing on the phone before hanging up. Tragically, no help was sent. Hours later, his mother was found d*ad. The case sparked outrage and raised serious questions about how emergency calls are handled — especially when they come from children.

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The de@th of 22 year old Cole Schmidtknecht in January 2024 highlighted the serious impact that medication costs and insurance decisions can have on patients. Cole, who had lived with asthma all his life, depended on a daily inhaler to manage his condition, but when he went to refill his prescription, he was told his insurance no longer covered it. The price had suddenly risen from about 66 dollars to over 500 dollars, leaving him unable to afford it. Unable to pay for the medication, he left the pharmacy without it and relied only on his emergency inhaler over the following days. His condition quickly worsened and he suffered a severe asthma attack that led to cardiac arrest. He was placed on life support but d!ed shortly after, and his family later filed a wrongful death lawsuit, arguing that they were not properly warned about the insurance change or given affordable alternatives.

One of the main driving forces behind true society/">crime mania is morbid curiosity. It is basically the fascination with taboo things that activates reward centers in our brain.

“Humans are naturally drawn to stories that evoke strong emotions such as fear, suspense, and curiosity, which can stimulate the brain’s reward system and provide a sense of excitement or even catharsis,” says Dr. Kevin Bennett, a professor at Penn State University Beaver Campus.

#7

A father’s heartbreaking outburst in a courtroom shocked many when he threw a chair at the judge after the person responsible for his daughter’s de*th was sentenced to just 120 hours of community service. The act of anger and grief reflected years of deep emotional pain, leaving the courtroom in stunned silence. The incident highlighted how sometimes, the justice system can feel inadequate when the loss is so personal and overwhelming. The event quickly became a topic of heated debate online, sparking conversations about the balance between justice and emotional loss. Some criticized the father’s reaction, arguing that the courtroom should maintain order, while others empathized with the deep sorrow that led to such a dramatic outburst. The case continues to stir discussions about accountability, the emotional toll on families, and whether the legal system always delivers fair consequences for the harm caused.

#8

A woman is facing serious charges after firing 17 sh*ts at a man during a heated confrontation, yet remarkably, none of the b*llets hit him. Despite the g*nfire, the victim managed to escape unharmed, leaving authorities stunned by the rare outcome. Police have emphasized how easily the situation could have turned tragic, and they are using this case to highlight the unpredictable and dangerous nature of g*n violence. This incident raises the question of whether the man’s survival was simply luck or a stark reminder of how often violent situations come perilously close to irreversible consequences. The case serves as a sobering reflection on the thin line between life and death in moments of extreme violence.

Experts refer to our love for the unsettling as benign masochism. This is the unique capacity to derive pleasure from initially unpleasant events since we know that we are not really in danger at all.

So, when we read about a narrow escape or a courtroom confrontation, it gives us the thrill of the hunt without any of the real-world risk.

#9

A woman who was reportedly kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend managed to escape when she spotted police officers nearby. During a stop to refuel, the suspect left her alone in the car, giving her the chance she needed. In a split second, she jumped out of the vehicle and ran directly towards the officers for help. The authorities quickly responded and arrested the suspect, bringing the situation to an end. The woman’s quick thinking and perfect timing have captured widespread attention online, with many praising her bravery in such a dangerous moment.

#10

A couple who met on a dating app quickly made headlines after their first date took an unexpected turn. Instead of a typical dinner or coffee meet-up, the two ended up robbing a local bank together shortly after meeting in person. Authorities reported that what seemed like a normal date spiraled into something much more extreme. The bizarre story spread quickly online, leaving many shocked that a first date could escalate to such criminal activity. What began as a simple connection on a dating app became a viral sensation, reminding everyone that some encounters can lead to the most unexpected and surprising outcomes.

#11

The parents of 17 year old Jesse Shipley, who d!ed in a car crash, were unaware that his brain had been retained by authorities after his de*th. They only discovered this in a shocking way when some of his classmates visited a morgue on a school trip and noticed a jar labeled with his name containing a preserved brain. The revelation caused deep distress and raised serious questions about consent and how human remains are handled after de*th. It highlighted concerns about transparency and respect for families, especially when such decisions are made without their knowledge or permission.

People are also drawn to true crime because it activates ancient survival circuits in the brain.

Experts call this threat simulation theory. It’s the idea that our brains practice responses to danger as a way of practicing survival.

“These emotional responses are deeply ingrained in our psychology, making us naturally drawn to stories that involve danger and moral dilemmas. The extent of one’s interest in such topics can be influenced by personality traits (e.g., high openness to experience, sensation-seeking tendencies), personal experiences, and even cultural influences such as media exposure,” says Dr. Bennett.

#12

A long time Burger King employee in Vancouver, Usha Ram, was fired after 24 years of service over what management described as theft. She had forgotten her wallet and said she asked her manager if she could take some food home after her shift, believing she had permission. However, the company later claimed she was only allowed a sandwich and accused her of taking extra items like fries and a drink without approval. The case went to court, where a judge ruled that firing her was too harsh and not justified, especially given her clean record and lack of intent to steal. The food in question was worth only about 50 cents after discounts, yet the situation escalated significantly. In the end, she was awarded $46,000 in compensation, highlighting how disproportionate the punishment was compared to the situation.

#13

In Dublin, a homeless man’s pet rabbit, Barney, was thrown into the freezing River Liffey by a passerby. He jumped in after him without hesitation, pulling him from the water and trying to save him. In interviews, he said Barney “d*ed in my arms” and that he gave him the “kiss of life” under a bridge — a desperate attempt to bring him back. The story shocked people not just because of the cruelty, but because of his reaction. The attacker was later jailed, while the man received widespread support and recognition.

#14

In November 2021, Spanish climber and researcher Beatriz Flamini entered a deep cave to live in complete isolation, cut off from sunlight, communication, and any sense of time. For months, she remained alone in darkness and silence, with no external cues to mark the passing of days. As time went on, her internal sense of rhythm began to shift, and the distinction between days and weeks gradually faded. When she finally emerged in April 2023, her experience revealed how fragile human time perception can be. She believed far less time had passed than it actually had, showing how much the mind depends on light, routine, and interaction to stay grounded. The experiment became a powerful example of how isolation can reshape awareness, highlighting the deep connection between environment and the way people experience reality.

Studies show that as media consumption increases our awareness and fear of crime, we adopt more practical safety habits. People reported upgrading home security, carrying self-defense tools, and avoiding certain locations at certain times.

According to a study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, women prefer true crime shows featuring survival strategies for victims and information on how criminals get caught.

#15

He shared his story online to show how quickly everything can fall apart. In a single moment of anger, he made a decision that ended up costing him twenty years of his life, along with countless memories and time with the people he loves. The story spread widely because it feels real to everyone. We all know how easy it is to lose control for a second, but his experience shows just how much that second can take away. Looking back, his message is painfully clear. A brief moment of emotion can shape the rest of your life in ways you can never undo. He missed birthdays, milestones, and years he can never get back, all because he acted without thinking. What he wants people to understand is simple. Pause, think, and breathe, because no situation is worth losing time you can never recover.

#16

Stuart Hutchinson faced an extraordinary battle with cancer, diagnosed with a brain tumor at just 18. Over eight years, he endured surgeries and radiation, yet he still found joy in life, marrying his childhood sweetheart and cherishing every moment with his family. Throughout his journey, his loyal French bulldog, Nero, was a constant companion, offering comfort and calm through the highs and lows of Stuart’s illness. Nero loved the simple pleasures of life, from extra walks to quiet moments by Stuart’s side. On the day Stuart passed away at his mother’s house, a heartbreaking and uncanny event occurred. Nero, who had been healthy and playful just hours before, suddenly fell gravely ill. Rushed to the vet, he passed away only minutes after Stuart, as if he had chosen to follow his best friend on the next journey. While the timing is mysterious, the family finds solace knowing the two remained inseparable in life and death, resting together forever in a local cemetery.

#17

A 2014 study published in the British Medical Journal examined 40 episodes of The Dr. Oz Show and evaluated the medical advice presented on the program. Researchers from the University of Alberta found that many of the recommendations discussed on the show were not strongly supported by scientific evidence. According to the study, around 39 percent of the advice had little or no reliable evidence behind it, while about 15 percent directly contradicted established medical research. Only 46 percent of the recommendations were considered properly supported by evidence. The researchers concluded that viewers should approach medical talk show advice carefully, especially when it comes to health claims presented as factual guidance.

Reading these stories also works like a mental workout. Our brains love a puzzle, and true crime cases test our logic and prediction skills.

Streaming hits show exactly how this works. In The Investigation of Lucy Letby, the documentary presents police footage and competing views about the evidence, which encourages viewers to evaluate the case for themselves.

Even historical mysteries trigger this reaction. Decades after the Zodiac Killer vanished, people still spend hours trying to decode his cryptic cyphers and build their own theories to name the suspect.

#18

A routine farewell at an office took an unexpected turn when the departing employee allegedly tampered with his own cake, causing several coworkers to fall ill shortly after eating it. What was meant to be a simple goodbye quickly descended into chaos, with the office in disarray as multiple people rushed to the nearest bathrooms. The incident has ignited a heated debate online, with some labeling it a prank gone too far, while others argue that tampering with food is a serious violation. Legal experts caution that such actions could carry real consequences, including criminal charges. Beyond the immediate shock, the story has sparked a larger conversation about where the boundary should be drawn for jokes in the workplace.

#19

In 2019, a father named Fred Pepperman was on a Florida beach when a dangerous rip current pulled his daughters out to sea. Hearing them call for help, he rushed straight into the water without hesitation. With help from others nearby, they were brought back to shore safely—but the effort came at a devastating cost. Shortly after the rescue, Pepperman collapsed and was later pronounced d*ad, likely due to the physical strain of the incident. His actions saved his daughters’ lives.

#20

Dametrius “Meechie” Walker was a talented high school football player from Muskegon, Michigan, with dreams of playing for the University of Michigan. At 6 foot 5 and 260 pounds, he was an impressive force on the field, but in late 2020, his future took a tragic turn when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer. Despite undergoing chemotherapy, surgery, and even a knee replacement, the cancer continued to spread, ultimately leading to the amputation of his left leg. Throughout his battle, Meechie stayed connected to Michigan football and found joy when he was invited to practice with the team in August 2022. At Michigan Stadium, he scored a touchdown, surrounded by teammates celebrating his strength. His perseverance and positive spirit left a lasting impact on his community and the Michigan football team. After fighting cancer for two years, Meechie passed away in December 2022 at the age of 18, but his legacy of courage and hope continues to inspire.

The process of reading about true crime can also be highly emotional for many people.

These cases offer insight into victims, survivors, and their families whose lives have been drastically altered. Reading their stories may evoke feelings of compassion, empathy, and even more awareness about how fragile life actually is.

Another thing that attracts people to reading stories that focus on finding justice is the very act itself. The process of investigation and punishment may provide viewers with a feeling of relief and satisfaction.

Studies have proven that humans generally enjoy experiencing pleasure from witnessing wrongdoings punished and victims recognized.

#21

On March 2, 2015, Karma Davis suffered a grand mal seizure inside her home near Peoria while her rescue pitbull, Fayzo, was nearby. During the seizure, the dog att*cked her while she was unconscious on the kitchen floor, leaving her with catastrophic facial injuries. After regaining consciousness, she contacted her fiancé through a video call and saw the extent of the damage for the first time on the screen herself. The att*ck permanently changed her life, leading to multiple reconstructive surgeries, skin grafts, and long term medical treatment. Fayzo was later euthanized by animal control, while Davis began a difficult recovery supported by her local community through fundraisers and public support. Despite the tr*uma, she has continued sharing her story and expressing gratitude for surviving, bringing attention to both seizure awareness and the unpredictable dangers that can sometimes occur during medical emergencies involving animals.

#22

On June 9, 2013, 19 year old Maureen Leianuhea “Anu” Kelly disappeared while camping with friends at Canyon Creek Campground in Washington’s Gifford Pinchot National Forest. She told her friends she wanted to go on a spiritual quest to reconnect with nature and walked into the forest without clothes or shoes, carrying only a small pack with a kn!fe, compass, and matches. She planned to return by midnight but never came back, leading to a large search effort involving rescue teams, dogs, and helicopters. Investigators found footprints that crossed a creek and climbed a hill before ending suddenly on a forest service road. No trace of Kelly has ever been found, and the case remains unsolved, with exposure or hypothermia considered possible explanations.

However, like any other media, there needs to be a balance in how we consume true society/">crime stories.

In a study, Boston University media researcher Kathryn D. Coduto surveyed 280 adults about their true crime habits.

She discovered a dark side to the obsession: hardcore followers often get trapped in a cycle of compulsive scrolling, develop unhealthy one-sided relationships with the people in the stories, and sometimes experience heightened anxiety.

To enjoy the genre safely, the key takeaway is knowing when to hit pause.

As Coduto notes, it is crucial to remember “to give yourself space from any kind of news story, but especially a crime story, where you’re consuming material that is violent and uncomfortable and often very graphic.”

#23

Darius McCollum was arrested 32 times for impersonating NYC transit workers and hijacking buses and trains. He never caused an accident, never tried to steal anything, and never missed a stop. He simply had Asperger’s syndrome and an all-consuming obsession with New York’s transit system. He knew every route, every timetable, and every announcement by heart. Passengers who rode with him never suspected a thing — because as far as the job was concerned, he did it perfectly. The MTA never hired him. Instead, he spent more of his adult life in prison than out of it. His story was later documented in the 2016 film Off the Rails — a man prosecuted for doing a job flawlessly that he was never legally allowed to do.

#24

In Malaysia, a woman devoted nearly six years of her life to caring for her husband after a serious car accident left him paralysed and unable to move. She took on the role of full time caregiver, supporting him with everything from feeding and bathing to rehabilitation, while also sharing parts of their journey online. Her consistency and patience drew attention from many people who were moved by the level of care and endurance she showed during such a long and difficult period. Over time, her husband eventually recovered some mobility, but the marriage later came to an end, which surprised many who had followed their story. The situation led to wider discussions about what long term caregiving can demand emotionally and physically, and how deeply it can affect relationships, even when it begins with strong commitment and love.

These accounts remind us that behind our orderly and predictable daily routines lies a chaotic world that we can neither predict nor fully control.

They might also make you appreciate the safety of your own reality once you close this tab.

#25

A man from North Carolina has been charged in a major music streaming fraud case involving AI tools. Prosecutors say he created hundreds of thousands of songs using AI, uploaded them to streaming platforms, and used automated programs to simulate billions of streams. This made it appear as though real people were listening to the music, allowing him to collect over $10 million in royalties that should have gone to actual artists. This case sheds light on a growing problem for digital platforms. The combination of low-cost content creation through AI and automation can manipulate systems that are built on trust. As AI-generated music becomes more affordable and accessible, streaming platforms will need to find better ways to differentiate genuine listener demand from automated activity.

#26

The story comes from Who’s That Girl?, the memoir by Eve, where she recalls a frightening experience at an after party following the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas. After leaving her drink unattended, she began feeling unusually unwell and emotionally overwhelmed, realizing something was wrong when her reaction felt very different from simply being drunk. As she struggled in a private room with her friend Missy Elliott trying to comfort her, Janet Jackson unexpectedly stepped in despite never having met Eve before. Janet quickly took control of the situation, helping organize remedies to calm her and support her, a moment Eve later described publicly and included in her memoir.

#27

A longtime safari guide in South Africa was killed by a charging elephant during an encounter in the wild. The incident was especially striking because he had previously expressed a deep respect for the animals, even saying he would rather lose his life to an elephant than ever harm one. His death has been widely seen as a tragic reflection of the risks that come with working closely with wildlife. It also highlights the unpredictable nature of animals, even for experienced guides who spend years understanding and respecting them.

#28

On May 23, 2025, a woman named Jean Byrd, known as Ma Dukes, suffered cardiac arrest while walking through the parking lot of the LJVM Coliseum in Winston Salem, North Carolina. She had been heading inside to watch her daughter Meilean graduate from Parkland High School. Tragically, she collapsed just a short distance from the entrance at the same time the ceremony was taking place inside. While Meilean walked across the stage unaware, her brother Marquan rushed to help and performed CPR in the parking lot after being alerted. After the ceremony, Meilean was quietly informed and taken to the hospital, where her mother passed away about an hour later. The heartbreaking timing of the incident deeply affected the family, who later created a fundraiser to honor Jean’s wish of being laid to rest beside her father in Philadelphia.

#29

A beekeeper from Massachusetts, Rorie Susan Woods, was sentenced to six months in jail in April 2026 after an incident during a court ordered eviction. In October 2022 in Longmeadow, she brought a trailer filled with beehives to the scene and released the bees as deputies from the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office attempted to carry out the eviction. The situation quickly escalated as multiple officers were stung, with one requiring hospitalization, and thousands of bees d!ed during the chaos. The case drew attention not only for its unusual nature but also for the serious risks it posed to both people and animals, ultimately leading to legal consequences for her actions.

#30

A woman in Orlando drew attention after police say she treated a Target store like her own personal hangout, riding around in a motorized shopping cart while drinking wine straight from the bottle and eating store items like sushi and cinnamon rolls. Witnesses watched in disbelief as she casually moved through the aisles, seemingly unbothered while snacking and sipping in full view of other shoppers and staff. Employees eventually realized the situation was serious and not some kind of joke, leading them to call the police. The woman was arrested, bringing an abrupt end to what many online later joked was an unusual in store “brunch.” The story quickly went viral, with people reacting humorously to what they saw as another bizarre Florida moment.

#31

What started as a routine pizza delivery quickly turned into a bizarre and unsettling situation when a 27 year old woman allegedly locked the delivery driver inside her home. According to police, she insisted he stay and watch a movie with her, claiming she simply did not want to be alone. What should have been a quick drop off turned into a tense ordeal as the driver realized he was being prevented from leaving. The situation escalated until the driver was able to contact for help, prompting police to arrive and take the woman into custody. She now faces charges related to unlawful restraint, while the driver was left unharmed but shaken by the experience. What was meant to be a quiet movie night instead became a disturbing reminder of how quickly an ordinary moment can spiral into something far more serious.

#32

In 2001, Dr. Lynda Cramer experienced a near-de*th event when she collapsed and was clinically de*d for fourteen minutes. During that time, she felt herself floating above her body and was transported to a realm of extraordinary beauty and boundless love. She describes fields of flowers, crystal-clear lakes, and mountains stretching beyond imagination, where she could move freely, communicate with others, and even become them. In this realm, she met an ancestor who guided her through a compassionate review of her life, showing her the interconnectedness of all things and the way our thoughts and intentions ripple across existence. Cramer realized that this place was not a traditional religious heaven but a higher dimension of consciousness, a realm of pure awareness and love. She gained insight into reincarnation as a network of simultaneous lives rather than a linear cycle, understanding that every experience is chosen for growth. Time appeared to unfold all at once, and she came to believe that consciousness continues beyond de*th. After returning to her body, her view of life transformed, leaving her with a sense that love binds everything together and that this world is part of something far greater and more beautiful than most can perceive.

#33

Dave Benton was a longtime evening news anchor for WCIA TV in Champaign, Illinois, who became widely known after delivering an emotional on air announcement in September 2014. He revealed to viewers that his glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, had returned and that doctors had given him only a few months to live. Despite the diagnosis, Benton said he was at peace and planned to continue doing the work he loved. His calm and courageous message drew national attention and admiration for the way he faced his illness publicly. Staying true to his words, Benton remained on air for several more months before stepping away in April 2015. He passed away on May 26, 2015, at the age of 51, having lived significantly longer than doctors initially expected.

#34

A man named Jonathan suffered a severe stroke shortly after visiting a chiropractor, but the warning signs were missed when he was later seen by hospital doctors. He became dizzy, disoriented and unresponsive, yet the seriousness of his condition was not properly identified in time. It was later confirmed that he had experienced a major brain stem stroke, and the delay in diagnosis allowed irreversible damage to occur. Now 34, Jonathan lives with locked in syndrome, meaning he is fully conscious but almost completely paralyzed, able to communicate only through eye movement. A court in Fulton County found two doctors guilty of malpractice for failing to recognise the stroke, awarding him a total of 75 million dollars to cover medical costs and the profound suffering he continues to endure.

#35

Marlon Wayans has openly shared that his decision to never get married is deeply tied to his love and loyalty to his mother. He explained that he never wanted a situation where she might feel replaced or less important in his life. For him, his mother held a special place that no one else could take, and he chose to protect that bond rather than risk shifting that priority through marriage. This perspective reflects how strongly family values have shaped his personal choices. While many people see marriage as a natural step, Wayans viewed his relationship with his mother as something sacred and non negotiable. His decision was not about avoiding commitment, but about honoring the woman who meant everything to him and ensuring she always felt first in his life.

#36

This is called The Crystal — a 300-metre-long horizontal skybridge sitting 250 metres above the ground in Chongqing, China. It connects four skyscrapers and contains restaurants, bars, gardens, an observation deck with a glass floor, and a members-only clubhouse with a 50-metre infinity pool. It was designed by Moshe Safdie, the same architect behind Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. When completed it held the record for the highest skybridge in the world linking the most number of towers. The structure weighs around 12,000 tons and had to be assembled in sections, with individual steel pieces weighing up to 1,100 tons lifted into place at 250 metres in the air.

#37

In 2021, a woman named Siti Zainah from Cianjur in West Java, Indonesia, gained worldwide attention after claiming she became pregnant when a gust of wind entered her body while she was resting at home. She said that only minutes later, she experienced intense stomach pain and unexpectedly gave birth to a healthy baby girl. The unusual story quickly spread across social media and news outlets, leading local authorities and medical workers to investigate the situation. After examining the case, health experts explained that it was most likely a cryptic pregnancy, a rare condition where a woman does not realize she is pregnant until labor begins. Officials also believed her separated husband was likely the father of the child despite her claims. In some conservative communities, stories like this can sometimes emerge because of the social pressure and stigma surrounding pregnancy outside traditional expectations.

#38

A woman from Atlanta gained widespread attention after leaving her job to focus on an unconventional relationship dynamic known as an adult breastfeeding relationship with her 36 year old boyfriend. She dedicated herself to inducing lactation and maintaining a strict schedule of feeding and pumping every two hours, saying the commitment required time, consistency, and lifestyle changes. She explained that the relationship was not only physical but also deeply emotional, believing it helped strengthen their bond and closeness. The story quickly spread online, drawing mixed reactions, with some մարդիկ questioning the boundaries of such relationships while others argued that it was a personal decision between consenting adults.

#39

A man being actively sought by police ended up creating an unexpected viral moment when he began commenting on his own “Wanted Wednesday” post on Facebook. Rather than avoiding attention, he engaged directly with the situation, leaving humorous replies, casual apologies, and even suggesting he would turn himself in, almost as if he were rescheduling a missed appointment instead of dealing with a warrant. The exchange quickly gained traction as the police department played along publicly, replying to his comments with offers to pick him up, sharing their hours, and questioning whether he would actually show up. What started as a routine post turned into a widely shared online spectacle, blending law enforcement with internet humor and capturing the attention of thousands who followed the unfolding interaction.

#40

In March 2025, Kameron Lamont Gilchrist was being treated for diabetic complications at a hospital in North Carolina when he pulled out his IV and intentionally sprayed his bl**d into the eyes of two healthcare workers. Because he was HIV positive, prosecutors classified his bl**d as a de*dly weapon in the case. The workers reportedly suffered immediate eye irritation and underwent emergency exposure procedures. Gilchrist was not arrested until months later due to ongoing medical and psychiatric treatment following the incident. In December 2025, he pleaded guilty to two counts of ass*ult with a de*dly weapon and received a 91 day jail sentence, which had already been covered by the time he spent in custody before trial.

30 People Reveal The Most Shocking Double Lives They’ve Ever Seen Exposed

Mindaugas Balčiauskas — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:19:30 +0000

You might feel like you know the people in your life pretty well, but everyone has parts of themselves they keep private. Most of the time, it’s nothing dramatic. Every now and then, though, it turns out to be a very questionable side business or a whole second family in the town next door. It sounds like something out of a movie, until the truth actually comes out.

One Redditor asked others to share the biggest double lives they’ve ever seen exposed, and the answers were seriously shocking. We gathered some of the wildest stories below. Scroll down to read them and upvote the ones that surprised you the most.

#1

There was this kid at our church who started attending the youth group when he was about 15. Everyone loved him, but he was always a little standoffish. Fast forward 3 years to graduation time. Everyone kept asking him what he planned to do after high school and if he was looking forward to it, but he always changed the subject. Finally, he revealed to one of the adults that he wasn’t graduating because he hasn’t been to school since he was 8 years old. His dad removed him from school and never let him return.

A whole bunch of stuff went down after that, but the church members helped him do a fast-track hs degree in 3 years and have now paid for him to attend a 4 year university.

#2

In one of my previous jobs a few years ago, we hired this guy who turned out to be a really good partner, worked hard, never complained. After about a year and a half of working with him I get called into the office, he's there with the manager, assistant manager and two beefy guys in normal clothes with the exception of ear pieces. He wanted to say goodbye to the bosses and I and explain why he had to leave the company. Turned out he was the son of some leader in his country and they had to relocate him, an opposing faction found out he was in our state and would have kidnapped him for leverage.

#3

My family hosted a number of exchange students while we were growing up. We hosted about 7 high school students over the course of my childhood; each stayed for a year in our house, attended high school in our town etc. One girl, Irinia, from Russia came to us no differently than any of the other students had - through the AFS program. To be an student through AFS meant you had to fill out an application, be 17-18 yrs old, be attending high school in your home country, whatever. So Irina arrives as our exchange student. She goes to high school in our small home town on cape cod Massachusetts. But at Christmas time she says she has to go home to Russia because her mother was extremely sick. Going home during the exchange year is really unusual, really rare. So Ok fine she’s going to Russia for the Christmas break, nbd, she’ll be back in January. Except she never comes back. AFS can’t find her, we don’t know where she is, if she made it to Russia, if she’s hurt, nothing. And we’re terrified because we’re her host family during this year and we always took the students in like family. Anyways she’s gone. Maybe 3 months later my mom is driving through our tiny town (again, middle of nowhere cape cod) and she see Irinia, with what looks like her mom, and some other kids. Turns out Irinia has graduated high school in Russia already, was like 25 with children and had posed as an exchange student so she could ‘case’ the place before bringing the rest of her family.

#4

I worked with this guy once who was known for his stories. No matter how loose the connection was, he'd find a way to turn anything into a personal anecdote of a thing he'd seen or done before. All of them were interesting the first time (he'd lived an interesting life - grown up in America, moved to Australia in his early 20s, worked in a lot of really cool places over the years), but it wasn't long before he started repeating the same stories over and over again. I worked with him for just over three years, so it got pretty ridiculous. We knew how he'd met his wife, all the obscure things he owned, his pets, his kids - we knew every detail of his life.

It became a bit of an in-joke within the office about how the guy never shut up.

Then one day, he didn't come in. He'd passed away of a heart attack. The whole office was at a loss, especially our little department (which had about 8 people in it, including him). When it came to his funeral, our little group took the afternoon off and attended. And that's how we found out, none of his stories were true.

He'd grown up locally, his family wasn't at all who we thought they were, none of his old jobs had happened... Everything we'd known about him had just been made up.

The most interesting thing for me was that at one point, our boss needed someone to head to China to double check something in person at one of our company's factories. When the usual choices couldn't do it, he was picked. It seemed like a no brainier, since he was regularly going to and from America to visit family and had travelled a lot on his other jobs. We now think that may have been his first time overseas.

#5

Fellow grad student has two young kids; one that is struggling to walk and communicate and is in the process of being diagnosed. She is pulling 10-16 hour days (between interning and classes) plus being a mom and wife.
She gets a call from a friend that expresses how excited she is to see her at the husbands work party. What?! She didn't RSVP, and her husband said he would pop over for less than an hour than come home to be with her for a quiet dinner. Turns out he was bringing a date that wasn't her. They had been seeing each other for about 6 months and even had taken a trip together under the pretense of a business trip. Anytime he had been late or gone we assume he was with her.
Friend did her a solid and took a couple pics for the divorce lawyer.

#6

My aunt didn't come out as a lesbian until she was in her mid 40s. Coming from a pretty traditional Mexican family she was scared that nobody would accept her for who she was, so she hid and lived this double life for the longest time. When she finally came out it caught everyone by surprise, but everyone was extremely supportive of her.

#7

Guy I used to work with. He lived in a small country town with his wife and 3 kids. When he was fired from his job (where I worked) he could only find something at his level in the big city 2 hours away.

So he would go to work in the city Monday to Friday, and home to his wife and kids on the weekends. This went on for years. It came out about 5 years into the arrangement that he wasn't living in the small lousy city apartment as he said, he was living with his girlfriend, and their 2 kids!

So he had a wife and 3 kids, and a girlfriend with 2 kids (all his). Apparently the girlfriend knew about the wife, but the wife had no idea about the girlfriend. And his 3 country kids had 2 younger siblings that they knew nothing about.

It of course blew up spectacularly, the wife kicked him out and he went to live with the girlfriend. 6 months later she was sick of him and kicked him to the curb too. So now he pays child support for 5 kids to 2 different women and is actually living in that small crappy apartment!

***edit - Posted in response to a comment below - I mean it was in the city not the little country town, but the city isn't that big. Eventually someone who knew him/wife/kids was going to run into him with the girlfriend, or in a place he isn't supposed to be or just something! I actually can't remember how he got outed, I think the wife went to visit the 'small crappy apartment' and found the other woman there? I got my info through small town scuttlebutt - so I could be wrong..

#8

A work colleague was exposed as an illegal immigrant using a false identity. He absconded back to his home country of Iraq and on arrival was arrested and hanged for war crimes. We only found this out when his wife threatened to sue the company for exposing him.

#9

There was one dad in our mother's group* that lost his high flying big city financial job due to a market crash. To pay the bills, and because there were no jobs in finance at the time, he took the first job he could get - in a chicken abattoir. Bit of a change from a desk job to slaughtering chickens, but when you have a newborn baby and bills to pay you step up.

(I know that sounds crazy - it's a group of new mums that meet weekly to swap war stories about newborns, and occasionally there would be a bbq or something that the dads would come to as well.)

Every time I ran into him I was always impressed with how much he was up to speed on current events and world news. We would talk about the latest political, financial and scientific news; there was not much discussion about chicken butchering.

Turns out he was fired on his first day. Every day after that - for months - he would leave home in the morning, go to the pub, read newspapers all day, and then go home in the evening.

She eventually found out. They are divorced now.

#10

My uncle runs a business hooking up internet in hotels. He travels all over the West coast for it.
Recently he asked my aunt to have an open relationship. Turns out most of his "business trips" were actually trips to go meet with his business partner, whom he has been having an affair with for the last year or two. This business partner has even had two pregnancies with my uncle. Both were miscarriages, but both were also INTENTIONAL.

My aunt and uncle have been married for 12 years, and have a five year old son. My aunt also has terminal cancer. He's been introducing their son to his mistress as their son's new Mommy without my aunt's knowledge.

Needles to say, that open relationship isn't happening. They're getting divorced.

#11

We had a guy in highschool who faked a deep voice for the 7 years weve known him and senior year he revealed that it wasnt his real voice.

edit: typically kids in highschool also went to middle school with the same people.

#12

Not really revealed because it was always in the open, but my parents' friend has the weirdest double life situation I've ever seen.

Paul was married to Clarissa for 12 years, and they had a son together. However, Paul and Clarissa break up, and Paul moves out. Shortly after Paul starts dating Jenny. Shortly after Jenny get's pregnant Paul realizes he misses Clarissa, and somehow talks Jenny and Clarissa into sharing him. Then, a few years later, Paul adds Renee to the mix. (I should throw in these are decent looking women with jobs, and Paul himself is no rich Adonis either)

So, Paul has a wife and two girlfriends. They each have their own house on the same street, and their own individual family lives. Paul spends the night with a different one each night, and they trade Holidays. The women aren't romantically involved and they barely interact, so it's not like a poly relationship or even a Sister Wife deal. How he pulled this off and how they make it work is beyond me, but it's been years now.

Edit: I didn't think this was Poly because the women aren't with each other, but apparently it can be Poly by just them being with him.

#13

I served in the Navy from 1985 to 2005. While in my first squadron, from 1985-1989, we were away from home often, either on short detachments of 2-5 weeks or 6-month deployments. During one period when we were at home for awhile, I was on watch in the duty office after hours. Me and another guy just had to man the office, answer the phone, and monitor the guys on watch down in the hangar bay.

Shortly after our watch started we got a phone call from a wife of someone in our squadron. She was asking us when the squadron would be back from detachment. I asked the other guy if he knew about anybody out on det, and he just looked at me funny. I told her we didn't currently have anyone one on det. We've all been back home for a couple months. She insisted her husband had been out on det for 3 weeks and needed to know when he was coming home. I assured her nobody was on det, and told her I had seen her husband earlier that day at work. She just hung up after that.

Turns out, the guy was telling his wife he was out on det and shacking up with his girlfriend for a few weeks. She called the Commanding Officer to find out when her husband had been part of a detachment and found out he'd done it many times over the previous couple years. Infidelity is officially against the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It didn't turn out well for him.

Edit: Screwed up the dates.

Edit2: As pointed out, it's adultery, not infidelity, that against the UCMJ, and there does, in fact, have to be evidence or a confession of actual intercourse. In this case, the guy admitted to everything. He went to Captains Mast; I don't remember exactly what his punishment was, though. I don't think he got kicked out, probably a reduction in paygrade, restriction for several months, and 1/2 pay for several months. And a divorce, I'm sure.

Additionally, I had no idea what he was doing at the time his wife called. I thought maybe she was pranking me our something. I probably still wouldn't have covered for him, as some have suggested. He didn't deserve that.

#14

So went I first left home in my late teens I shared a big house (I think 6+ bedrooms) with a close friend, his brother and some other randoms. Think frat house except no college/university. Splitting the expenses worked out pretty well. So one of the guys worked at a port in customs or something. He had a uniform and ID etc. Left for work at the same time every morning and hung out with us after work. He was always down for attending social events with us and most of us liked him. Fast forward about a year and he starts telling us about how he can get us discounted TVs and other merchandise from the port. Unclaimed/seized property that apparently no one sweats about if just a few items go astray. Everyone gave it a pass as it seemed sketchy. Then one day we come home to one of our housemates in shock and bawling like a baby. Turns out not only did he give the guy his life savings he also gave him money borrowed from his dad. The customs guy had said he could get him a new car cheap! The long long con. Turns out the guy doesn't work at the port, the name he gave us doesn't exist and we have no idea how he spent his days or came up with his share of the rent/bills. Still creeps me out a little knowing I lived with a stranger for so long.

#15

My grandmother passed away a couple years ago. While going through her house, my family found a box with my grandfathers name on it in his handwriting. My grandfather died before I was born. It was taped closed and the dust on it suggested it hadn’t ever been opened.

Inside, my family found newspaper clippings and other documents.

Turns out that in the early 1900’s, my grandfather took a road trip with friends to see the ocean. During their time at the beach, their car was stolen. They decided to stay awhile; being in their late teens and out of school, they decided to earn some money and have a good time.

My grandfather met a Mexican girl and married her within the course of a month. There was an article on the vehicle theft, as well as another on the marriage and a marriage certificate.

We could never find information on what happened next. We don’t even rightly know if they married for love, to get her citizenship, if they had kids, or even if he was legally divorced when he married my grandmother in the 1930’s. We don’t think my grandmother knew.

We did find out his first wife returned to Mexico. She did have children (who say they don’t think their mom had kids before she remarried). We sent them copies of the documents we found and they were as flabbergasted as we were.

#16

My boyfriend’s sister’s friend was married to this guy and had started a family with him. They just had their second child actually (the first was probably 7-8 years old). Every year he went on a hunting trip to Missouri for about a week. Turns out he wasn’t hunting. Turns out he had another family there. Two kids, almost exactly the same ages as the other two. The friend divorced him immediately when she found it.

#17

On my grandmother's 85 birthday, a party was organized. My whole family was there. This is all happening in northern Mexico, so the invitation rules were pretty loose.

I was about 17 at the time, so were most of my cousins. One of them, Gerardo, didn't have a girlfriend at the time so he came with a friend, Oscar. They had been hanging around for about 4 years, but this was the first time Oscar was gonna meet the family.

When they arrived an older cousin was going around the parking lot collecting money from every cousin so we could buy some booze. Gerardo said he would ask his father for some money. Oscar accompanied him. When they entered the hall where the main party was taking place. Oscar ran back out. He said he had seen his father who he had only seen twice before. Gerardo couriosly asked who he was. They both entered and Oscar pointed to the man. Turns out my uncle was also Oscar's father.

Oscar got to meet all of the family. We all got to meet the cousin we didn't knew we had.

EDIT: Hi everyone. Regarding Steve. I started out with fake names, using Steve for Oscar, but then figured there must be at least a houndred thousand Oscars on Mexico, so I changed MOST of them back. So Steve is Oscar. Sorry it wasn't someone more interesting. You can imagine it was Oscar's boyfriend if the edit doesn't please you.

#18

A guy I knew was a tattooist so worked late hours at night. He had a family with 4 kids in one neighbourhood that was about an hour away from his shop. Then he had another girlfriend with a kid about 20 minutes away. The two didn't know about each other, he lived out of both of his girlfriends houses and when he wasn't at one of the houses, the girlfriend would think he was at his parents due to working late.
Anyway, it all unfolded on him when he got arrested and ended up in prison and both girlfriend, all the kids and another side girlfriend that he was "seeing" all rocked up to visit him one the same day...

EDIT: I believe in karma, this guy definitely deserved what was coming to him - I feel sorry for his partners. He treated them poorly but unfortunately some people are drawn to that type of person.

EDIT EDIT: Tattooist is just slang for tattoo artist where I am from...

#19

A friend of mine lives in San Diego, and was recently telling me the story of her grandfather who has an entire family in Mexico that he kept hidden for decades. Im talking he has kids that have kids, and one of his secret granddaughters has ANOTHER kid. Dude is a great grandfather and nobody knew. Her grandfather is nearly 90, so its unbelievable how much a quiet old man can keep from people.

#20

A local pastor in Florida gave me private marriage counseling many years ago. He was pious and godly, and I respected him very much. He insisted that the sanctity of marriage demanded that I make sacrifices of some of my desires, and that God would reward me later (in this life and marriage) for those sacrifices.

About a month after the counseling concluded, he was forced to resign from his church. Turns out he got caught with his assistant pastor’s wife.

#21

Probably my mum... she's a practicing Luciferian/Satanist but my upbringing seemed very normal and mostly absent of strict religious practice.

We celebrated Christmas and Easter, we owned a Bible (and a Quran, and a couple of other religious texts), I did scripture class at school, and I was even in a nativity play when I was five. She was really nice to my friends, had a good job, and volunteered for an animal charity and at a DV centre. The DV centre was run by a Baptist Church and she was well liked by the community. But behind the scenes...yeah, she was and still is really big into Satanism.

Edit:

I think I was pretty clear at the beginning of this comment: my mum is *Luciferian*.

Luciferian Satanism is not like LaVey Satanism at all. LaVey Satanism is the one where the rules are pretty light and it's roots are more closely tied to Ayn Rand's philosophies than any Christian mythology. Luciferian Satanism is more like occultism or wicca.

#22

My ex-step father was a well-off pilot for a local med-flight helicopter. He had three daughters who adored him and was always very nice to me and my sister. He was one of the nicest and most soft spoken men I've ever met. He worshipped the ground my mom walked on.

He also had blackout rage issues. After a year of marriage he gave my mother a concussion and broke her leg in three spots. I was told she slipped and fell. It wasn't until a couple years after they split that I was told the whole story. My mom was smart enough to get out while she could and even smarter for not telling me. I was and still am significantly larger than he is and have a lot less to lose.

I've seen him once since then. He tried to be nice. I told him I knew everything and if we weren't at the hospital that my girlfriend worked at, I would most likely have tried to end him.

We don't talk anymore.

#23

My high school football coach. This guy was a holy roller: church elder, started a chapter of Fellowship of Christian athletes at my school, made us run for saying bad words, the whole nine.

He was married to the school guidance counselor and had two kids who went you our school.

A few years after a graduated, it came out that he had an entirely separate and secret family in the next little town over. Everyone was shocked. This was a small town of 3,000 people, so it was amazing that he kept it under wraps as long as he did.

I feel bad for both families, but I must admit I was also a little delighted to see that smug, self-righteous SOB get exposed as a phony.

#24

My sister-in-law had a second child. She was still married, but separated with her husband (because she caught him cheating). The man with whom she had the baby was her father's old prodigy, who was also married with a couple of kids.

This all took place in China, while the one-child policy was in full effect.

So: to her parents, the separation and affair were secret, up until she had a baby. Once they were looped in, they helped her to maintain the lies, because 'face'. From her ex-husband's perspective, the child and the affair were secret; from the perspective of his family (with whom she remained in touch), the separation, affair, _and_ baby were secret. This was complicated by the fact that they shared custody of their first kid (in fact, they pretended they were still living together for years). So the older kid was warned not to mention _his brother_ to _his father_, while spending plenty of time with both. It was all a secret from _most_, but not _all_ of their close family (i.e. cousins, aunts, and uncles). And then there was the prodigy's family, and really the rest of the outside world, for whom there was no separation, no affair, and certainly no _kid_. That included the government. I'm not even sure how that worked.

She wasn't living _another_ life. She was living _fractals of lives within lives_. Just try to imagine the logistics of getting your nonexistent kid to school (under a false identity?) in time to pick up your older kid, who was waiting with your secret lover, so that he could get back to his real family, and you and your kid could meet up with your cheating ex-husband, so that you could all drive together to lunch with family from both sides, doing your best impression of a perfect platonic family who had come straight from a shared, loving home (while being careful that neither you nor your older boy mention to anyone that you have to pick up your other son from school soon).

Now I've got a headache.

#25

A manager at a Jimmy John's I worked at in Cincinnati. He was quiet, kept to himself, and was always on time and did a good job. I was in school so I wasn't there all the time but when we worked together he was reliable. He was taking online courses at UC (we were literally right across from it) for business, I don't really remember.

One day, he didn't show up for work. No one could get ahold of him and no one really knew where he lived (his address was checked, no one answered). While we were worried, we figured he just bailed and went on with our lives.

Well, one night when the shop was closed (we closed at 3am) a man knocked on the store door, wanting in. My coworker wasn't having it and tried ignoring and mouthing "we're closed". She figured it was a drunk student and figured he'd lose interest and leave. Until he held up his badge for Homeland Security.

Apparently our "missing" manager was a cyber criminal who was using our job and his online courses as a cover to steal money from old folks. Who knew.

#26

Our family cat.

Was outside one night and I see my cat walking directly towards my neighbor's house and then I see their front door open. Walks directly inside like she'd done it a million times.

She was outside quite a bit so we assumed she was outside doing cat stuff. Nope, little kitty was just at home #2.

#27

Not exactly a double life, but my cousin was a secret for 4 years.

When my uncle was 21 he and his girlfriend had a baby with out telling anyone in our large, very nosy family. No one suspected a thing and they went on dating.

When I was 8 and their daughter was 4, her adoptive parents perished in a fire and left in their will that they wanted her to go back to her bio parents.

My uncle and his girlfriend sincerely regretted giving their daughter up and so they were thrilled.

Everyone just went with the fact that they were essentially keeping a secret child for 4 years and were pretty much ok with it.

My cousin is 14 now and she has 2 full siblings and my aunt and uncle are great parents. Every now and again someone brings up the situation but it’s pretty much just laughed off. I do find it a little odd though.

Edit: this is what I understand of the story. I don’t know any more than what my mum told me and the few things my cousin has said, so I don’t know how the adoption worked really.
Also, when I said they laugh about it, they don’t laugh about the tragedy of my cousin losing her adoptive parents, they laugh about how none of them though to question why my uncle was acting so odd- you know, over losing a child and all.
Currently, my cousin doesn’t seem to be screwed up over the situation. But it’ll be something she has to deal with when she’s a bit older.

#28

A friend's mother is adopted - no big deal, she knows about it since she was 5 and loved her adoptive mom to bits, so it was never an issue. When she was in her late 20s, she discovered she had a brother which lived in a nearby city (for the Brazilians amongst us, we are all in São Paulo and her brother was living in Santos), so she decided to go after him.

It turns out her brother, who was in his early 30s, did not know he was adopted. He had a fit and even slapped his mom in the face.

#29

I lived with a Moroccan immigrant for two years. We were in a relationship and I worked with him as well.

He was married to a woman in a different country. France, I think. At some point early on in our relationship, he went home to visit family. Nope—he actually got married. Came back, and we went right back to our lives together. Eventually he came clean, and she moved in with him from France and I moved out, understandably angry and hurt, etc.

Allegedly she hated it here and wanted a divorce. So I was suckered back in with all the lies like “it was an arranged marriage. Our families forced us and it’s obviously not going to work out.”

Yeah, I’m an idiot. She moved back home because she was pregnant. He eventually admitted it to me, and then left the country again when she was going to have the baby. He said he was going to see his child and come back. He never did.

The funny part is, he was a Muslim and strict about no drinking or smoking and keeping halal around her. Around me, even before we lived together or were in a relationship, he smoked Marlboro reds and drank Bud Light. He ate bacon. He did follow Ramadan every year.

So...yeah. That.

#30

A friend close to me, who worked with me, had always talked about her boyfriend (let's call him Dave). She would talk about her evening plans with him, holidays they went on and so on.

Other friends tried to Google him, and search for him on Facebook (out of an morbid curiosity to see what he looked like), but never came up with anything.

Then, one Christmas party she took me outside and told me she was engaged! But that wasn't the full story. She was actually engaged to Danielle, a woman, and had spent the last few years covering up the fact she was gay by completely fabricating Dave. He had never existed, and all stories and anecdotes were actually about Danielle.

I remembered being so pleased she was engaged, but just had an overwhelming feeling of sadness for her that she had had to hide her true life at work.

I met Danielle later on and she introduced herself as "Dave".

76 Online Reviews That Have No Business Being So Funny

Eligijus Sinkunas — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:14:36 +0000

The world can be divided into two groups: those who take the time to write online reviews, and those who don’t. But all too often, consumers and customers will only bother to share their thoughts publicly when they’re unhappy with a product or service. Sometimes, their zero- or one-star reviews go completely off the rails, and deserve a review of their own. Other times, their chaotic critiques provide us with comedy gold.

Bored Panda has put together a compilation of the most unhinged, hilarious, and bizarre online reviews. From the drunk soul who bought an inflatable bed thinking it was a giant ice-cream sandwich, to the person who took the time to post a review simply noting, “Did not go there.”

We also explain why, while many of these are funny, bad online reviews are no laughing matter for businesses. You'll find that info between the images.

#1 Review For A Waffle Maker On Amazon

#2 Laughed Out Loud

#3 One Way Of Describing It

Some of these reviews prove that hell hath no fury as a shopper scorned. Others show us that certain people have way too much time on their hands. But while we may laugh our way through this list, the truth is that bad reviews can actually be very bad for business.

Not everyone will take the time to write a review, but research shows that the vast majority of customers will read reviews before purchasing a product. One survey of 800 shoppers found that almost all of them—95%—reported consulting customer reviews.

"Of those shoppers, nearly 1 in 4 (24%) consults reviews for every purchase they make," adds the PowerReviews report. "Among younger shoppers, those 18-44, that number jumps to 30%."

#4 Need The Owner To Respond "This Benefits Me In Ways You Can't Imagine"

#5 I’m Thinking Daniel Could Use A Free Dictionary

#6 I Don’t Know If That’s More An Accomplishment For The Mount Or The Installer

"Ratings and reviews have become a prime source of information for shoppers on their path to purchase," cautions the PowerReviews team. "An increasing number of shoppers are relying on reviews as they decide when, where, and how to buy."

The survey revealed that the presence of ratings and reviews ranked as the most important factor affecting purchase decisions—behind only the price of the product itself. For this reason, displaying online reviews is an expectation, not an option for businesses nowadays.

#7 Google Review From A Bakery We Ate At Today (It Was Actually Great)

#8 Funniest Review

#9 This Is Good

Even negative reviews can help your business sometimes. Paying attention to what customers are saying, what they like and dislike, and where they feel you can improve can be a useful tool when it comes to analyzing and improving your products and/or services.

"Reviews can tell a leadership team about common obstacles to customer loyalty, like a limited selection, shipping issues and high prices," adds a blog post published on job site Indeed. "They can also help the marketing and sales team identify popular competitors, which can help them differentiate their company from others in the industry."

#10 This Is A Review On Genshin Impact In Google Play

#11 This Review Triggered Me

#12 Local Attorneys Review

Goodfirms is a dedicated B2B (business-to-business) research, ratings, and review platform. The site notes that positive reviews directly impact your brand's online reputation. It adds that one of the best way's for a brand to display authenticity is to share customer reviews.

Meanwhile, a Goodfirms survey revealed that 91% of respondents trust online reviews more than the information provided directly by marketers. It also found that a single negative review can cause major damage when it comes to consumers' purchasing behavior and loyalty. The survey was conducted at the end of 2025, among 552 participants from more than 15 industries.

#13 Review Left For A Local Target

#14 Saw This Review On Amazon For A Pair Of Men's Heelys

#15 Best Review(S)

"When prospects search your brand, negative reviews are often the first thing they see — shaping perceptions before a single interaction occurs," explains the Goodfirms site. "First impressions are formed in seconds. Negative reviews immediately signal risk, causing potential customers to 'sign out' before engaging further."

80% of those polled said they change their purchase intent after seeing negative information online. So what action, if any, should businesses take if or when they have negative online reviews? Keep scrolling to find out.

#16 Most Honest Doordash Review Ever

#17 Common Sense Is Not Included In The Box

#18 This Bourbon Chicken Recipe Review

"Ignoring a bad review won’t make it go away," warns the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) site. "On the other hand, responding to customer reviews can result in better ratings and improve your business’ online reputation."

It's important to respond promptly and professionally. Never get angry or personal, no matter what the person said. SBA's experts advise apologizing to the customer and thanking them for taking the time to highlight issues with your business.

"Also, make sure you use the reviewer’s name and recap their specific complaint," they add. "Customizing responses will show that your business genuinely appreciates customer feedback."

#19 A Review I Got At My Store. My Bonus Is Affected By My Review Rating

#20 Top Review Explains The Bottom Review

#21 Helpful Reviews For The $120,000 Samsung TV

SBA's team suggests adding a video or photographs to your response message. This can help to show that you’re taking the complaint seriously, which in turn can help build trust with your customers and win them over — despite their negative experience.

As we've mentioned earlier, customer feedback and online reviews are an essential part of improving your business. They shouldn't be taken lightly.

#22 This Restaurant Review

#23 Your Reviews Help Other Customers

#24 It’s So Much Funnier If You Read It In The Tone His Character Speaks In

"If you’ve received a negative online review, showing that you’ve taken the steps to resolve the issue could help turn a negative review into a positive one," says the SBA team. "Once you’ve acted upon the issue your customer raised, reply to the complaint on the review site so that other customers can read what about what you’ve done."

And to all the keyboard warriors out there, think carefully before firing off an unnecessary bad review. You might be doing a lot more harm than you actually realize.

#25 Cave Can't Be Old Because I Said So

#26 This Is A Cocktail Bar With No Food

#27 Why Do People Review Places They’ve Never Been To?

#28 Bad Amazon Review Because Customer Cant Measure Properly??

I was looking for a craft supply and all the reviews are great except a few, but this one caught my eye ma'am you're using your ruler wrong lmao.

#29 Also You Passed

#30 Hole In None

#31 Not Sure What They Were Expecting From A Catholic Church

#32 The Power Of Gravity

#33 Can't Magically Boil Water

#34 It's Too Sharp

#35 Ironic, Considering They Needed A Delivery Driver To Give It To Them In The First Place

#36 My Girlfriend Is A Dental Assistant, And Her Office Had This Review Left On Google

#37 That Poor Christian Family, Forever Traumatized

#38 What Were The Salads Talking About?

#39 This Man Is A Genius

#40 One-Star Reviews

I almost overlooked these shoes due to the rating but I liked them enough to read what the issues were. Not a single negative comment.

#41 Customer Service

#42 Peanut Boy

#43 Amazon Review I Stumbled On

#44 Energy Drinks

#45 Smoothie

#46 Nice Hat But To Big

#47 Perfect 5 Review Streak Ruined Because I Didn’t Reply Within 24hrs

#48 Mariana Trench Review

#49 Honest Review

#50 Apple Should Really Review Their Reviews

#51 I Got A Good Laugh Out Of This One

#52 I’m Entitled To Free Drinks

#53 I Went To This Unhinged Car Wash

#54 So Excited

#55 Hamburger Bun “Donut”

A review from the deli/bakery I used to work at, which has since closed permanently.

#56 Thank You For Your Review!

#57 Bad Review

#58 I Check Reviews For Fun

#59 Bottles

#60 Absolute Disgraceful, The Lid Will Not Open

#61 Don't Build A PC If You Do Not Understand What You Are Buying

#62 The Haagen-Dasz Near My Old Middle School Is Run By A Family Of Idiots, And Here’s Proof

#63 Free Bonus Item

#64 Took Down Not Only The Restaurant But The Entire Star Rating System

#65 Just One Spoon

#66 What’s The Point Of Writing A Review If You Haven’t Even Used The Product?

#67 People Who Leave Reviews Like This

#68 Went Online Looking For A Bar To Hit Post Christmas In My Hometown. Found This Five-Star Review. Lots To Unpack Here

#69 The Ducks Love The Water Feature

#70 Spotted This In Another Group Thought I'd Share

#71 I Hate When People Leave 1* Reviews For Something That Was Their Own Fault

#72 Right So, I Wonder Why

#73 We All Know Someone Who Doesn't Like Yellow

#74 Harvard University Reviews

#75 Too Fat To Fit In The Plane

#76 Review Of A Haircutting Place

50 Funny And Awkward Fails When An Attempt Didn’t Go As Planned (New Pics)

Evelina Šiukšterytė — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:13:40 +0000

The best way to learn is often just to try, which is all well and good until you’re looking at the solid brick of “bread” that was the result of winging a sourdough recipe. It can sometimes be disheartening, since we mostly only see folks post their successes online, while failures get buried.

So we’ve gathered some of the funniest, well, attempts at something out there that really did not go to plan at all. Get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own thoughts and ideas in the comments section down below.

#1 Pressure Washing The Side Walk

#2 They Tried Atleast

#3 To Smoke A Brisket

#4 To Spell Fix The Spelling

#5 To Paint A Disabled Parking Sign On A Birmingham Street

#6 They Tried I Guess

#7 To Apply A Sticker…

#8 To Treadmill

#9 To Make A Cake

#10 This Hurts My Eyes

#11 Customer Asking For Price On A Tire Sent Us "Tire Measurements"

#12 [oc]this Is How The Roofers Lock Up Their Ladder Every Night

#13 A Last Ditch Plea

#14 Quality Work

#15 To Make A Building Facade Look Like Strong Masonry

#16 An Attempt To Send A Scam Email I Got This Morning G

#17 To Build A Sidewalk

#18 So If I Pull It… I Get A Fire?

#19 To Fold And Put Away The Towels (By My 6 Year Old)

#20 To Properly Install This Plumbing Equipment

#21 Well This Definitely Does Not Sound Like A Scam

#22 To Art

#23 There Was At Least An Attempt To Make Them Look Like The Mario Bros

#24 To Secure This Bike

#25 To Hide A Cell Tower

#26 .....to Promote The New One Piece Film

#27 To Do An English

#28 To Hitch A Ride

#29 To Hang A Recruitment Banner

#30 Motivation Into Monday Like…

#31 To Wish Patients A Merry Christmas…

#32 To Incorrectly Correct Already Correct Grammar

#33 To Make Gas Masks For Children

#34 Ah Yes, How To Survive Inflation

#35 To Offer Financial Insights

#36 For Kim Kardashian, "Billionaire", To Seem Relatable

#37 To Nurse

#38 To Celebrate Autumn

#39 Suspicious: Employee From Grocery Store Across The Street Buying Tons Of Strawberries From Walmart

#40 To Grab A Beer Glass In The Dark

#41 All Plastic Cup With A Paper Straw

#42 To Dispose Of Cake

#43 To Make A Neon Open Sign

#44 To Repave A Road

#45 To Paint An Elephant By A Mediaeval Painter Who Had Never Actually Seen One But Had Read About It

#46 To Label A Fan Remote Control With English In China (No/On)

#47 Was It Though??

#48 To Be Politically Correct ? To Advertise A Dating App….? Idk What They Were Going For

#49 To Make The Cookies Look Like The Cookies

#50 To Depict A Healthy Nutritious Lunch

62 Things That Are Considered Not Manly Or Feminine And People Can’t Get It

Jonas Žvilius — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:09:35 +0000

Boys don’t cry, only girls wear pink, and a woman’s place is in the kitchen. Throughout the years, we’ve been stuffed into boxes and told what is and isn’t ‘normal’ based on our gender. Thankfully, times have changed and many of these beliefs are considered outdated.

Yet, some people still have surprisingly strong and very strange opinions about what is or isn’t ‘appropriate’ for men and women. Owning a cat is gay, trail running is reserved for guys, drinking tea is feminine and don’t dare order cognac or whiskey if you’re a woman. Those are just some of the warped ideas floating about out there.

We know this because someone recently asked, “What is the dumbest thing you have been told is 'not manly' or 'not feminine,' depending on your gender?” and thousands of people didn’t hold back. Bored Panda has painstakingly gone through 4,8k comments to select the most absurd responses. Slip on your pink robe, grab some tea, buckle up and keep scrolling. Some of these posts might have you "screaming like a girl."

#1

This is from childhood: The steps that i take when I walk are too long. Very unladylike.

The idea that boys wear blue and girls wear pink is about more than just clothing. Putting kids into boxes based on their gender can have far-reaching consequences that go way beyond their future fashion choices.

"If we impose rigid ideas of masculinity and femininity on children, we limit their potential and actually cause real harm in later life," says Eva Pemberton from Birmingham City University School of Education and Social Work.

Pemberton is an author and researcher who specializes in child development, with a specific focus on the negative impacts and implications of childhood gender stereotyping. The expert warns that gender stereotypes can impact not only career choices, but also contribute towards poor mental health in young people, and allow a culture of toxic masculinity and violence against women to go unchecked.

#2

So i need to preface this, i knew the dude very well for about 3 years at this point, and I could tell when he was serious and when he wasnt. He was stone cold serious for this, legit got angry when asked about it.

He said I was gay because I kiss my wife.

The 25 other inmates (I was a guard) all were just as confused as I was.

#3

FIL said using a straw in my drink at a restaurant means I'm gay.

It's a sentiment echoed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency's experts have previously warned that specific beliefs about masculinity may encourage boys and men to smoke, take certain other health risks, misuse alcohol or substances, and not seek help or health care.

"Such gender norms also contribute to boys and men perpetrating violence – as well as being subjected to violence themselves," notes WHO, adding that rigid gender norms also negatively affect those with diverse gender identities. These people are often subject to violence, stigma and discrimination, including in healthcare settings.

#4

I’m not a cat owner. But I’ve met men and women who thinks that men with pet cats are “gay”.

#5

My mom refused to buy me a Macho King Wrestling Buddy because it was only for boys. Also, she would tear up my comic books and posters because they were only for boys. It upsets her to no end that I have adult money and am able to buy whatever I want. Oh and I finally found the Randy Savage Wrestling Buddy. I was so happy I when I bought him that I cried LOL even the dude who sold it to me was teary eyed.

#6

My brothers mock me for loving to cook/bake.

The way I see it, if a man can't cook himself a good meal, and do laundry and keep a clean place, he can't really take care of himself. And there's nothing less "manly" to me than not being able to take care of yourself.

Nowadays, more and more young people are choosing to identify differently to the gender assigned to them at birth. Many of them already face a struggle fitting in or feeling accepted. Gender stereotyping and discrimination can make life even more difficult for them, and in turn, negatively affect their mental health.

As Pemberton explains, children’s attitudes towards gender are fully formed by the age of seven.

"From an early age, they latch onto stereotypes as a way to categorise and make sense of the world," says the expert. "Their social need to belong and fit in with their ascribed gender - along with the constant ways gender roles are reinforced to them throughout society - can be difficult for parents and caregivers to challenge, even with the best intentions."

#7

Barbies. Playing with long legged big breasted dolls will make you gay but a shirtless hulk hogan beef cake doll will keep you straight as an arrow.

#8

Told I (cis woman) drive like a man because I have my legs open... Like what? Am I supposed to sit side saddle in the driver's seat?

#9

I became a stay at home dad. My wife got a once in a lifetime chance to pursue a career she’d had to abandon while she was 6 months pregnant. The only way for her to take advantage of it was for her to leave her job and become a student again, and my bad retail job could never pay for day care. So, I’ve spent the last 18 years being treated like a bad person and insufficient man for taking care of my kids so that my wife could go to school and get a job that got us everything we have today. And unlike the father in law who treats me like trash, my sons like me.

Experts warn that we all hold unconscious biases, and many of us may be guilty of gender stereotyping without even realizing it. Unconscious bias happens when our subconscious makes assumptions about people based on their background or perceived background, explains a report released by the Institute of Physics (IOP).

That report goes on to note that we can be unconsciously influenced by a stereotype even if we do not rationally subscribe to it. This is because our brains have to process huge amounts of information every second. "In order to avoid being overwhelmed, our brains have to make assumptions based on previous experience and find patterns to speed up decision making," say IOP's experts.

#10

I was called a sissy on several occasions for using lotion. I get cracked hands and feet in winter without it. It hurts.

#11

When I was with my son getting him a phone when he was a high school kid, he chose rose gold for his phone colour and the sales person asked him if he was sure, my son replied that he was, so the sales person told him he was brave. It was a stupid moment.

#12

My husband was told that drinking tea was gay. I was like, yeah tea is gay; That’s why there’s only 1.5 billion people in China. The tea has been rendering them gay and unable to produce for thousands of years.

Awareness and introspection are key to combatting our own unconscious biases, and thus doing away with harmful gender stereotypes.

"Even just creating awareness of the issue and working towards challenging stereotypes in whichever arena of life they arise, we can all make a positive contribution to tackling gender inequalities in later life," says Pemberton.

But retailers, marketers and the media need to come on board too...

#13

Drinking certain beverages.

I enjoy cognac; I drink it more than any other form of alcohol.

I've been told that enjoying a glass of cognac after dinner is a "masculine" thing and it's not ladylike, and I should have some wine.

#14

My sister and I were at a distillery and we both got whiskey. Someone said she shouldn’t be drinking whiskey “because you’re a lady”.

Genuinely the dumbest thing I’ve heard in a minute.

#15

Being French (I am French)

Drinking wine

Enjoying foreign films

Loving art

Really having any culture. The US is a strange place .

Too often, toys, clothing, books and films are divided into "for boys" and "for girls." This is sending the wrong message to children.

“When all of the marketing consistently revolves around gender, it teaches our kids to look at the opposite... as a different species, because in order to market gendered toys, you have to point out the difference and not the similarities,” warns Melissa Atkins Wardy, author of Redefining Girlie.

#16

That if a boy does not get a blue lunch box he is not getting a manly one.

#17

Dinosaurs are for boys. Dolphins are for girls. So, I found my way to sharks. Grey area. And then I realized it was stupid and now two of my special interests are dinosaurs and sharks.

#18

Reading books from the Star Wars extended universe. This was back in the 90s.

Edit: I was told it wasn't feminine. Sci-fi/Fantasy were often considered boy genres in the 90s in the same way romance is still largely written by and marketed for women now. Shake it up, my dudes!

#19

Having a sweet tooth. Only women are supposed to like chocolate, apparently.

#20

I (female) was driving with one hand on the wheel and my ex said I drive like a man.

#21

“Men should not eat bananas”.

#22

Hearing protection isn’t masculine, real men go deaf. I was in the Navy, none of the guys in the engine room wore it.

#23

Being independent. apparently being dependant on a man is feminine. idk.

#24

Years ago when I was a teen, I went to my best friend’s family reunion at a park in July. It was 85+ degrees outside and every, single person there was wearing sandals except for her uncle and two cousins, both boys of about 8 and 10 years old, who were wearing boots. I asked my friend why, she shushed me quickly, then said when we were out of earshot that it was a whole thing at last year’s reunion.

Apparently, everyone said it was cruel and their father countered that he was “raising men” and “men don’t wear sandals.”.

#25

As a man I've been judged for getting manicures and pedicures. Let me tell you something guys. You don't know what you're missing.

#26

Asking for help when you’re lost. Apparently I was supposed to telepathically know where I was going or meet my end trying.

#27

A while ago I had a picture of myself with my pet cats on my dating profile. I was told by a coworker that it wasnt manly enough. Well if she can't accept me and my kitters id rather be single!

#28

It isn’t manly to care about your hygiene.

#29

In kindergarten, which was like 100 years ago, we had a girls side and a boys side of one corner of the classroom for playtime. The girls side was all pink, included aprons and a big play kitchen and plastic dishes and cups. The boys side was Tonka trucks and Army men. I remember, as a female, being so pissed off. I wanted the Tonka trucks and Army men, the hell with the kitchen. That year's experience influenced me more than any books, lectures and stories ever did about the roles of men and women in society. I purposely ventured over to the boys side one day and was reprimanded by the teacher, told that was NOT feminine.

#30

Trail running. I’ve been told it’s not a very “feminine” sport for women.

#31

I’ve been told it’s not manly to talk as much as I do… I think half of society wants men to be Terminator robots 😭.

#32

Used to be called gay for having an umbrella. Like it’s gay to not want to get soaked. I did grow up 80s and 90s and everything was gay to us to be fair.

It was hard not to call something not good gay even when I had a gay housemate but he was chill with it and now don’t use gay to mean bad.

#33

I never wanted to wear dresses when I was a girl/teenager. My mom hated that. Now if I ever wear one she makes a big deal about it. “WOW, I thought you hated dresses?!”

Just stop.

#34

Short hair made me “look like a boy”.

#35

I worked at a country store in the mall, and we had these cute decorative ceramic birds. They were painted lifelike, like a chickadee. A little boy maybe 8 years old and his mom came into the store and the boy was holding a ceramic bird in his hand, petting it as if he was caring for his own pet. It was adorable! His mother however kept saying something like, "are you SURE you want that? A girl toy. Seriously? I'm going to tell coach! Okay fine I'm going to tell him!".

#36

I swear like a sailor. A man once told me “you know, it isn’t very lady like to talk so filthy.” I replied with a swear tirade.

He was stunned. I walked away smiling.

#37

I am not feminine because I wear jeans and t-shirts and not dresses, and play hockey cause that’s a man’s sport.

#38

As a girl, history. I love the medival theme and play many medival video games, but I often get weird looks for it.

#39

Every time my son’s hair (same haircut as prince george) reach the middle of his ears, my parents say it’s girly.

My father grew up in the 70s were they all had hair to their shoulders.... and my mother always had very short hair.... 😑.

#40

Having larger feet as a woman isn't very feminine is what I've been told... But I can't figure out how I'm supposed to change that lol.

#41

Had a barber in a shop telling me my more pointed beard was feminine and it should be more squared off to be manly. I just said no, keep the shape. Feminine beard?

#42

I know a Ukranian guy. He's really good at making soup. We were talking about cooking one day. I said something about pie dough. He told me that's a woman thing.

I've known people who discriminate about cooking based on gender, i.e. "only women cook" or "only men can be great chefs." This is the first time I've heard someone discriminate about types of cooking.

#43

Wearing shorts in the summer was girly. My dad, who is 90, never wore shorts, that I have ever observed. I’d rather be cooler and girly than masculine and sweaty.

#44

Not very feminine because I’m open/opinionated and not submissive.

#45

“If you don’t wear makeup, do your nails, or like fancy bags, you’re not very feminine.”

Which of course silly!

#46

“Girl’s shouldn’t own swords, that’s a boy thing.” - My dad

Maybe I just want a sword, Dad.

#47

"It's just creepy when men smile and wave at [my toddlers] in the store. Like, why would they even do that?" -my sister

I pointed out that both of our husbands make faces at kids when we're waiting in line. And our dad. And our grandpa. And- she jumped in at this point and admitted that she needs therapy for post-partum anxiety.

#48

Enjoying tabletop RPGs isn't for girls.

I went to a card shop and bought a DnD mini for an upcoming campaign and the guy at checkout criticized my choice in character (was playing a Dragonborn sorcerer) and then proceeded to inform me that "DnD is for guys who want to play out their 'fantasies' and having women bring their 'drama' into it, just ruins it for us(guys)"

Also similarly anything related to Warhammer 40k. A friend of mine was in a tournament, and I tagged along to watch because I like hanging out with him and I like looking at people's models and some guy asked why I was even there because "girls aren't into 40k." I wasn't even the only girl there...

#49

I’m a woman who has been told that working with my hands isn’t feminine. I love to build things and even built an extra room on to my she shed all by myself.

My husband and I kind of have a “role reversal” situation. He enjoys cleaning and I don’t. He doesn’t enjoy maintenance that much. It works out.

#50

According to my father, wearing sunglasses is not manly.

#51

I used to do MMA in the days before UFC went mainstream. I was once told by a woman that real men don't do martial arts, they just street fight.

#52

I think people who say “lifting weights isn’t feminine” are suspicious.

#53

Playing with the family dog was un-feminine, apparently.

#54

Yesterday I was told that, as a man, I was not allowed to use to word “lovely” for any reason.

#55

Sitting cross legged (crisscross apple sauce or whatever Americans call it) is not ladylike.
I was 8(?) and in school wearing a skirt and shorts underneath, my teach exclaimed people could easily look at my knickers and lady bits if I carried on sitting that way.
Very odd statement to make to a child tbh. Maybe just don’t look at children’s crotches?

#56

I was made fun of a bit on the football team for being in glee club. They said singing and dancing were gay. I pointed out that I had watched them play tag football in the showers a few weeks earlier. Meanwhile, I was in a class with 30 guys and 70 women. I got to kiss a cute girl twice a day for a week when we were doing a performance for visiting 8th graders. Super gay though.

#57

I was a rough and tumble girl growing up - I could be found climbing trees, racing my bike, jumping off monkey bars, you name it. Every time I would get a scrape or a cut or a bruise, my adults insisted “if you have scarred knees or beat up skin, no one is ever going to marry you.” Also: stop being so smart. Men don’t marry intelligent women; you’ve got to play dumb or you’re not girly enough.

Still working through those voices in my 40s.

#58

My teeth had a shape that was “not feminine enough,” according to my orthodontist.

#59

I asked for a straw for my drink and the waitress said, "Men don't use straws." I replied, "This man uses straws and doesn't measure his manhood by what other people think. ".

#60

Enjoying listening to singers that are women.

#61

My mother always insisted playing pool (billiards) is NOT ladylike.

#62

Im REALLY old. I was a young woman when self service gas stations came into being.

Whenever i would pump my own gas, people thought i was just amazing.

I have friends my age today, that still cant gas up their cars. Their husbands have always done it for them.

Some women can work on their own cars. I can't but i can at least check my hood and air my tires. When my Dad taught me how to drive, the service stations were all full service with garages. Dad taught me to check the car stuff myself. He told me that a lot of service station workers weren't that bright or caring. So he didn't want me to trust anyone but myself. That proved to be good advice.

People used to check hoods and tires at the gas pumps. Whenever i did that, a ton of people would stop and ask me if i was having car trouble. So i started doing the check at home in my garage.

Mom Wants A Whole Year To Celebrate Her Birthday, Tells Daughter Her Wedding Can Wait

Laura Radavičiūtė — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:00:57 +0000

Postponing a wedding is quite common nowadays. Planning takes a long time, and sometimes the unexpected happens, so, rather than have an imperfect wedding, many couples choose to reschedule. In fact, about 20% of couples call off their weddings, but usually the reasons are inside the relationship itself: infidelity, irreconcilable differences, or changed priorities.

Seldom does a couple postpone or call off their wedding because their in-laws request it. Yet, that’s exactly what this mother asked of her daughter. She requested that she not get married the year she turns 50, as that would take the spotlight off her. Unsure of whether this was a reasonable request, the bride decided to seek advice online.

A bride clashed with her mother over the date of her wedding

Image credits: www.kaboompics.comFollowDonate / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Since it was the year of her mother’s 50th, she believed the wedding would take the spotlight off her and demanded the wedding be postponed to the next year

Image credits: SHVETS production / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: No_Megan

“Her birthday is in February and the wedding is planned for August, so many months apart,” the bride clarified in the comments

Commenters speculated why this was so important to the mother: “Your mom must be the star of the show, huh?”

Image credits: Timur Weber / Pexels (not the actual photo)

After talking to her mother one-on-one, the bride came back with an update

Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: No_Megan

Most commenters sided with the bride: “Elope and don’t invite her”

“Intense Stress And Burnout”: 55 Health Trends Doctors Wish They Saw Less Often

Gabija Palšytė — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:00:43 +0000

With so much easily accessible information online, you would think everyone would be an expert in physical and mental health, diet, and fitness. However, medical professionals are seeing a huge number of worrying trends these days, and they are genuinely getting scared for the future of humanity.

Doctors took to a very candid online thread to list all the health trends they’re watching become increasingly common, and they’re getting worried. Take a look at what keeps these professionals up at night. It’s a good reminder to always prioritize your health and look after your present and future self.

#1

The number one for me is the increasing influence of all the woo-woo alternative health stuff, but especially Anti-Vaxxers. Had to treat a case of freaking Diptheria not long ago. Diptheria has been gone for so long they didn't even really teach it to us at med school beyond "this used to be a big deal but you'll probably never see it".

F anti-vaxxers. I don't care so much if their choices only harm them, but when their kids are dying it pisses me off so much.

#2

I’ll preface this by saying that I’m Gen X so my view of this is through that lens.

I work in psychiatry. I have a lot of concerns about teens and young adults. Specifically:
-The impacts of social media/Tik Tok, AI, etc on attention span, overall cognition, independent problem solving, patience.
-Helicopter parents. This one is huge. This type of parenting really handicaps the kid long term. It creates a weird dependency on the parent and prevents individuation, self sufficiency and the development of the skills to live a full life.
I worry about what the future will look like.

#3

Med student here, the amount of people that take some sort of supplement, and don't even think to mention it to their doctor when asked about any medication they use regularly, is insane.

It may not be medication per se (it's often the exact opposite), but it can definitely have a big impact on your health, and your doctor should know about it!

One major concern is the mass use and misuse of energy drinks among kids, not just young adults. In the United States alone, there are over 500 energy drink products on the market. Sales are expected to exceed $50 billion by 2033.

Johns Hopkins Medicine stresses that a whopping third of teenagers aged 12 to 17 consume energy drinks regularly. The worry here is that this will lead to a proliferation of health issues due to excess caffeine, sugar, and “energy booster” herbs and other substances.

Dehydration is just the tip of the iceberg. Energy drinks can also lead to elevated blood pressure, abnormal electrical activity in the heart, and general heart problems.

#4

Honestly, the hours people have to work just to survive. You become fatigued , financially stressed which leads to mental health issues.

#5

Energy drinks as a daily survival tool and people treating 3 to 4 hours of sleep like a personality trait is getting kinda scary. Bodies are not meant to run on that combo forever.

#6

Work in health tech and some of the notable themes coming through from our analysis work:

Referral to mental healthcare providers for work related stress

Output of templated letters for insurers and occupational health providers for stress leave attributed to the workplace

Referral to cardiologist/neuro specialists for high blood pressure, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and risk of stroke also attributed to workplace stress or sedentary lifestyle

Turns out that employers telling workers to “do more with less”, coupled with hybrid or fully remote work, as well as the general fear around the current job market has led to intense stress and burnout and the physiological and psychological impacts are brewing right now.

Most healthy adults can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day. Meanwhile, teenagers should not consume over 100 mg per day.

Research shows that from 2022 to 203 there was a 24.2% increase in cases of kids and teens being exposed to energy drinks. In the vast majority of cases (78%), children did not even realize they were consuming energy drinks. In other words, their exposure was unintentional.

In the meantime, between 2017 and 2023, doctors saw a doubling of emergency room visits related to consuming too much caffeine or adverse effects.

#7

The number of younger people showing up with preventable health issues from being sedentary is way higher than most people realize. Sitting all day is becoming the new smoking in terms of long term damage.

#8

I’m a family doc and frankly the thing that scares me the most that’s cropped up quite significantly (in my patient population, at least) is people using online services to get prescription meds then not telling me or any of their other doctors. I’ve had patients tell me they only take the blood pressure med I give them, then later find out they’re also on testosterone, viagra, Ozempic, and all kinds of other stuff. Makes giving any medical advice really tough when I’m not certain what someone is on.

#9

Pediatrics resident here. I see a concerning amount of vaccine preventable illnesses. Rotavirus (this is an oral vaccine. Not even a poke) and pertussis are becoming increasingly common.

I’ve had the same conversation about vaccinations with so many of these parents and I’m met with the same pretentious smile and stare. They just wait for me to finish and then spew some nonsense about what they know of vaccines. Often times they are incredibly rude about it too. Some parents have responded very positively though. Sometimes it’s genuine fear and lack of information that led to that decision and at the end of the day, they are trying to look out for the health of their child (as am I).

When I sense one of the types that I know won’t listen to a word I say, I’ve begun to just start with a “this is a vaccine preventable illness. Is there anything I can say that might change your mind about getting your child vaccinated?” Most of the time they just say “No.”

We are at a point that people are unwilling to listen to evidence. They’ve made their “informed” decision based on “research” they’ve done online, and are unwilling to hear anything that contradicts it. Not even the fact that their kid could be admitted for days to weeks on end is going to sway their opinion.

It’s absolutely mind-boggling to me the way some of their minds work. Feels like they’re putting their pride over their own children’s health.

The Harvard Medical School warns that it is safest to avoid energy drinks if you are underage, have heart problems, or suffer from blood pressure issues.

It’s much safer to opt for a cup of tea or coffee if you need energy. But the healthiest alternative is to live an active, healthy lifestyle where you get plenty of movement and proper sleep, and eat a varied, balanced diet.

Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins Medicine adds that you should choose water over other drinks to stay hydrated. If you’re not a big fan of water, you can also opt for diluted fruit juice, low-fat milk, or unsweetened coconut water.

#10

Freebirthing is on the rise because the body knows what to do (really is that why maternal/infant passings were so high in the good old days?), most get away with it, every now and then you get a passed or seriously ill baby and mother.

Oh we're worried about the cascade of medical interventions that might happen if we get monitored in labour. Well congrats, your obstructed labour and sepsis means we're going to suggest them all so you don't pass away.

#11

Taking medical advice from internet strangers.

#12

I had a discussion on a related topic with my GP. He had added a PSA check to my labs and didn't want to "scare me" into thinking he suspected prostate cancer.

Then out of nowhere, he mentioned that he had a lot of older patients who were refusing to get routine cancer checks like colonoscopies or endoscopies (or PSA level checks). But the justification wasn't that they didn't want the procedures. It was that
"didn't want to spend money on treatment because they needed to leave it to their kids and grandkids."

In essence, Boomers are refusing to even *check* for cancer because they don't want to spend money on treatment because their kids and grandkids are struggling financially.

Someone in the hospice industry is going to figure out how to capitalize on this trend. I guarantee it.

What do you do to stay healthy, fit, and educated? What unhealthy habits do you struggle with the most?

What are some creepy and scary health and lifestyle trends, pushed by influencers, celebrities, or companies, that you personally think are the most dangerous, and why? How do you protect yourself from hyped up new health trends these days?

Share your experiences, insights, and wisdom with all of us in the comments at the bottom of this post.

#13

People working long hours and/or several jobs to afford bare bones living, and then having no energy to exercise, cook healthy meals or socialize afterwards. Society may praise "hustle culture" but that is going to catch up to everyone eventually.

(I'm a therapist, not a doctor).

#14

The whole "only need 4 hours of sleep and a monster to function" thing is wild, like congrats on the badge of honor but your heart's about to unionize and walk out. anti-vax stuff terrifies me too, especially the parents who skip the basics and just gamble with their kid's life for clout. and honestly the burnout pipeline from work straight to a cardiologist is way too real, we're all just ignoring the warning signs until something pops.

#15

I was at a kids' birthday party the other day, and this "dad" brought his 7 year old kid. The hostess (mom of the birthday boy) said "You look tired little Billy, everything okay?" He just had this kind of dazed stupefied look and said "yeah, I'm okay, just tired." His dad says "don't worry, I brought some Red Bull for him."

I looked at the dad to see if he was joking, nope. Kid chugged a Red Bull and was off the rails for the next 3 hours.

#16

Family doc here.

General distrust of medicine.

I recommend starting a statin to reduce cholesterol and lower heart attack/stroke risk? “Oh, I read online statins cause cancer, I’ll just try to eat better, doc” (spoiler: they never do)

I recommend getting pneumonia/shingles vaccines now that you’re over 50? “I don’t trust that stuff, do you know what they put in them?”

Then in the same breath they’ll ask for a GLP-1 but not want to actually make any lifestyle changes.

#17

Influencer medicine …

What I cannot fathom is how readily people trust, “I’m oBsEsSeD with this XYZ,” “my hair/skin/sleep has never been betterrrrr,” delivered in a haze of vocal fry by someone with a financial incentive, whose last obsession was 15 minutes ago and whose next one is already on deck being negotiated.

We routinely struggle to convince people with large, independently funded, multicentre, double-blind trials involving thousands of participants. As if all they hear is one person’s recommendation. Yet an N=1 anecdote from a stranger with a discount code and the speech affectation of an adolescent seeking belonging cuts straight through. Psychologists have known for decades that vivid stories are more persuasive than statistics, and that confidence often masquerades as competence. We are wired for anecdotes, not evidence. And for those who forego their logical brains and give in to that “wiring” as feels and vibes in some preferential fashion of a truth test, it can be absolutely exhausting to attempt to challenge their literally baseless pointless belief system.

I will admit, I understand how difficult it is. We spend countless hours teaching even medical residents how to critically appraise research. And to those without knowledge, complex machines and thoughts can appear as magic. But the growing rejection of the scientific method is deeply troubling. Science is not a belief system. It is a process designed to find the truth, test it, challenge it, replicate it, and keep testing it again.

A civilisation that loses faith in that process is not progressing. It is drifting back toward the dark ages, one influencer recommendation at a time with their cancel culture and attacks on science being no different that past inquisitions. A fitting punishment would be to have every tool and comfort provided to them by science removed ….

#18

Parents who don't give their kids the proper vaccinations. I mean the standard ones, MMR, polio ect.

I can understand not wanting a flu shot or covid shot, but these full anti vaxxers are putting so many young lives at risk its crazy.

#19

I swear if i see one more patient coming in with liver failure from "parasite cleanses" they bought on tiktok im gonna lose my mind.

#20

Dentist here, the ammount of people refusing to use fluoride toothpaste because it’s “the reason it causes cavities “ is a real big health thing promoted by influencers.

Also oil pulling, yeah, right. That will heal your ended pulp and treat the enormous cyst you have on the root.

Also also, blaming your poor hygiene on genetics. No miss, just buy a freaking toothbrush.

#21

Primary care drifting from real primary care and more into aesthetics. So many PCP's have signs on their offices offer botox injections, vitamin infusions, etc.

Some folks here mentioning GLP-1s, but I personally think they're game changing meds for the better. I have had so many patients come of insulin and lose 100s of lbs thanks to these once a week injections. The halo of benefits is incredible. A colleague in nephrology recently told me the hemodialysis industry is terrified of GLP1s because it will likely reduce the amount individuals needing dialysis.

#22

1. Testosterone. I’m starting to think every guy will end up on roids now.

2. People blaming everything on ADHD because they watched some tiktok videos and think they have it too and that it explains everything wrong in their life.

3. People taking ozempic and then eating like trash and get surprise when they regain all their weight after stopping it.

#23

I am a Ph.D. psychologist who works in primary care. Off of the top of my head:

-People relying on caffeine way too much, and not sleeping.

-Everyone thinks they have ADHD while simultaneously they don't sleep enough, have untreated trauma, use substances etc., these things need to be dealt with first.

-Anti-vax attitudes are through the roof. People are skipping things that frighten me.

#24

Parents refusing vitamin K shots for newborns, putting babies at risk for dangerous bleeding. It seems to gets lumped in with vaccine refusal. .

#25

Everyone buying the $500 vitamin supplements that do nothing.

#26

Not quite a new trend but my dad who’s a doctor is not a fan of e-scooters 😅he’s seen too many injuries from them . Therefore I never ride them.

#27

Theres an article about young girls starting a skin care regimen at like 9/10 years old. Using chemicals and cleaners that are damaging their skin. Sad.

#28

People treating sleep like it’s optional. So many try to out-supplement, out-caffeinate, and out-hustle chronic sleep deprivation instead of fixing it, and it quietly affects almost everything.

#29

Patients using ChatGPT to pre-diagnose themselves before the appointment. Bringing in pages of printed conversations discussing their medical info with AI and then asking for the specific meds 'recommended' to them, and then not believing actual medical professionals and their opinions.

#30

Not a doctor (yes yes), but people saying sun doesn’t cause cancer and the whole anti sunscreen movement.

The beachiest, warm and sunniest climate in australia, Queensland, also happens to be the melanoma capital of the world.

The amount of cancers I’ve seen cut out of peers and parents from there is insane!

#31

Metastatic Colon Cancers.... or just the guts in general. As well as a lot of people lately having reoccurring cancers from years and years ago... It's been insane in my opinion.

#32

Vaping. Really starting to get common in teens and young adults. We just don’t know what effects they will have. Its possible we are going to see a lot of ILD in 20-30 years but who knows honestly .

#33

Orthorexia.
Normal food is fine. Eat plants, mostly. Fresh things if you can. Your body will even things out over time. It evolved to do that, and has been quite successful at it for a few 100.000 years at least. It is NOT necessary to bombard it with daily supplements, high-dose micro-super-whatevers and huge amounts of protein.

Seriously, people eat as if they were in some extreme sports competition when they're just getting ready for a day at the office.

Wasting so much mental effort on eating *perfectly* every day is an eating disorder.

#34

Fear of vaccination. Please please do not pass of completely preventable causes. We spent years trying to perfect technology to ensure our children are healthy. Please don't put them at risk by not vaccinating them.

#35

Nicotine patches on children!!!! I’ve been sounding the alarm on this in the UK for months but a growing number of parents of ADHD and Autistic children are using nicotine patches as a ‘cure.’

There is hundred of Facebook groups led by a chiropractor who popularised this insidious treatment.

#36

Married to a family nurse practitioner. Her main gripes seem to be how easily people are swayed by misinformation and how stubbornly they cling to their beliefs.

#37

Erosion of public trust in medical professionals- it’s coming from a lot of sources, but Sick-Tok, other social media, pretty much every news source and of course, our fearless government leaders are spreading misinformation way too fast to overcome by educating our patients, and vilifying doctors along the way. It makes it impossible to build a therapeutic relationship and counsel patients about their health effectively because they either don’t trust us, think they know better than us because they asked Chat GPT, or both.

And also, colon cancer in very young patients.

#38

Probably not the kind of doctor that you meant, but in the college students that I teach, I see an inability to problem solve due primarily to instant gratification via the internet. You want an answer? You click a button. If that doesn't work, a decent percentage of my students will simply surrender. Had an intern simply not do a project because the printer needed a paper refill and she didn't know where to go to get more paper. (It was in the cabinet behind her). Didn't mention it to anyone, ask anyone, or even tell me she wasn't going to do it so I knew. Just didn't do it and I found out the day I needed it. I get emails all the time from students asking questions that could easily be solved by reading the directions, syllabus, or even thinking "oh I don't remember this concept... I'm going to go back and check the reading again." Most of them don't do that. They email me and expect me to be their personal Google search or they don't do it at all. Which brings me to #2: because everything comes to them in bite-sized chunks, they struggle with things like reading (even directions) and lectures. The focus and concentration just isn't there. The internet did not do kind things to our current generation of kids and those of us who are seeing them for the first time as adults are seeing the results of it in real time.

#39

Not a Dr., but I have noticed that Orthoexia Nervosa is growing really quickly in both male and female and the concerning part, a lot of the "healthy" and "clean" food is based on fudgey science. Carnivore Diet is definitely in this mix.

Plus, you gotta eat some junk food once in a while. Candy in moderation is all good.

#40

I’m a dentist and have worked in both rural areas and urban areas.
When I see kids whose parents refuse fluoride because of some woo-woo science (and there’s more and more of them) and X-rays, and the kids end up needing treatment under general anaesthetic to pull multiple teeth out, I feel like screaming.
It’s not like they are improving their diet, or even making the kids brush better.
This is happening more in urban areas.

Most of my patients in smaller towns/rural areas are so much more aware of the benefits of both fluoride and regular checkups and X-rays, because they have experienced first hand how both have improved dental health in just once generation.

#41

Can someone please say burnout so I don't feel that bad?

#42

Anti-Vax is now becoming Anti-medication. There are people in the heart attack groups I'm part of that are actively trying to get people to stop taking their meds. Its absolutely insane.

#43

My sister is a dr in the Netherlands specialised in stomach and intestinal problems. Here there is a trend for young women who claim to have stomach issues to go to Spain for super experimental operations where they get their organs reorganized. It is not proven to work and it causes other more complicated problems. She has had several young women who had done surgeries abroad come back with really bad problems because of it.

Another problem is extreme diets doing damage to the intestinal system. Diets where people only eat one type of food for so called health reasons.

Lastly the unchecked usage of these peptides for almost everything. Boys as young as 12 using hormones for muscle growth and testosterone because some American guy told them on YouTube to do it.

#44

The supplement thing gets me too. i see people at my gym downing 8 different powders and pills and they couldn't tell you what half of them actually do. a friend was spending $200 a month on gut health stuff that turned out to be mostly magnesium and sugar.

#45

Distrust of science.

#46

Internal medicine physician here, the trend of people self diagnosing or questioning physicians. I hate to say it, but no matter how much research you do or even how much I explain it to you, you will never understand to the same level unless you go to medical school and residency like we do.

#47

As a 50-year-old mom of two grown kids (and now a grandmother), one health trend that’s really starting to scare me is how young people are developing serious metabolic problems that used to only affect older adults.

I’m talking about obesity, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease showing up in teenagers and people in their early 20s. My daughter’s friends are already dealing with things I didn’t see until people were in their 40s or 50s. The amount of ultra-processed food, sugary drinks, constant snacking, and sitting in front of screens all day is destroying their health.

It breaks my heart watching the younger generation struggle with this. I feel like we’re setting them up for a lifetime of health issues, medications, and lower quality of life.

I’m genuinely worried about my grandchildren’s future. It feels like it’s getting worse every year.

What trends are other parents noticing?

#48

Diseases from tick bites. Use to get a tick bite, pulled it off and didn't give them another thought, now find a tick, freak out and go to doc for lab work. These things can mess you up for LIFE.

#49

Black market injected peptides.

#50

This isn’t a trend I’m just venting:

I just called to make my husband a doctor’s appt for a specialist. His appt is August 2027.
So yea…. This not being able to see a doctor for 14 months. And the lady on the phone said he will just have to figure out ways to deal with pain til then.

#51

Deep tanning is back in fashion with teens.

#52

Absolute lack of knowledge on how to cook or do any type of basic food preparation… now seeing an adult generation whose parents and grandparents didn’t cook anything ever. I’m NOT talking about underprivileged people, I’m talking educated middle class people who genuinely have never bought salad ingredients and assembled them into a salad.

#53

Dudes need to address their health if they want kids. Unhealthy bodies equals unhealthy fertility.

#54

GLP 1s being administered by beauty clinics or to non diabetics who don't need to lose weight.

#55

People treating social media as a medical degree.

76 Mad Lads Who Saw A Rule And Took It As A Personal Challenge

Mindaugas Balčiauskas — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:00:11 +0000

Some people break the rules for comedy, for chaos, and just because they can. For example, someone pressing a “Do Not Push” button just to see what happens. Or the guy who uses an expired coupon at a grocery store and actually gets away with it.

They’re just troublemakers with impeccable timing, and the internet has a name for them: mad lads.

Somewhere along the way, they got their own hall of fame: a subreddit that celebrates their unhinged acts of defiance.

We went through hundreds of posts to bring you the absolute best of them. Some of these will make you laugh, others will make you shake your head, and at least one will make you wonder why you never thought of it first.

#1 Proper Madlad Move

#2 This Guy Is A Mad Man

#3 Everybody Say Thank You To Andy

The origins of the term “mad lad” can be traced back to the UK slang “absolute madman” — someone who does something incredibly wild, dangerous, or rebellious. It’s a compliment reserved for people who pull off mundane stunts.

It was usually a badge of honor, even if a slightly ridiculous one.

The term took off on the internet around 2016, when a Dublin student noticed the phrase popping up all over Reddit, so he built a subreddit around it and called it r/madlads.

#4 What A Guy

#5 Madlad Rickrolls Youtube

#6 Absolute Madlad

What makes the subreddit interesting is that it’s a compliment and a joke at the same time.

As Philip, the subreddit’s creator, told Vice, “A lot of the time, people will be led to us by an ‘absolute madman’ comment, and they’ll understand pretty quickly that it’s a parody of lad humor.”

#7 The Great Escape

#8 What A Real Madlad

#9 Not Wrong Tho

Over time, though, the definition has blurred.

For example, it features the woman who hit a Nazi with her purse — an act that was emotionally charged, deeply personal, and entirely unplanned.

Others sit in murkier territory, like a prison escapee convincing a cop he’s just out for a jog.

The subreddit doesn’t really take sides. It just respects the nerve and the courage it takes to act.

#10 I Don't Know What To Put Here

#11 Barry Is A Total Madlad!

#12 This Mad Lass

So why do some people follow the rules to a T, while others love breaking them?

Experts call it reactance. First proposed by Jack Brehm in 1966, the theory says that the moment you tell someone they can’t do something, they want to do it more. It is the motivation to regain a freedom after it has been lost or threatened.

“Everyone experiences some psychological reactance. If someone gives you an order, tells you what you should be doing, even a friend giving forceful advice, it can get our backs up,” says Trevor Case, associate professor in the department of psychology at Macquarie University.

He believes that even little kids show this. “Classic experiments with children show that it is the toy that they are prohibited from playing with that they want the most. Adolescents, too, are renowned for their psychological reactance to parental restrictions.”

#13 Vengeance

#14 Mad 4 Year Old Spitting Lava

#15 This Is Not A Drill

But the thing about rule-breaking is that it is a slippery slope.

Research shows that people who break rules experience genuine cognitive conflict when they do it, but still choose to go through with it anyway. And the more often they do it, the easier it gets.

Ultimately, people no longer feel guilt. Instead, they think they’re more capable than others.

#16 Madlad Copyright

#17 Respect

Research from the University of Washington, Harvard University, and other institutions found that people who break small rules actually feel smarter, and surprisingly cheerful.

It’s often called the cheater’s high.

#18 Congrats My Dudes

#19 Me_irl

A 2011 study found that rule-breaking is strongly associated with how powerful a person feels.

In one experiment, people who watched someone break a small rule — arriving late, throwing their bag on the table, putting their feet up — rated that person as more powerful and more likely to get what they want.

#20 Madlad 30 Year Old Lady Bashing A N*zi

#21 Shame This Lad Doesn’t Have Name

#22 Madlad Is Stepping Over The Line

Ultimately, rules exist for a reason. Not all of them apply in every situation, and not all of them deserve to be followed forever.

The reason why you’re breaking the rules matters. Is it for freedom? For laughs? For a story? That’s a mad lad.

Is it to gain power at someone else’s expense? That’s when you have gone too far.

#23 An Absolute Madlad

#24 Seems Perfectly Reasonable To Me

#25 Honest Madlad

#26 This Mosquito:

#27 French Madlad

#28 Respect For This Reporter

#29 Facts

#30 What A Madlad

#31 Absolute Chad

#32 Tricky Madlads

#33 Fartman

#34 Mad Lad Fixes Bug

#35 This Man Did It

#36 He’s Done It

#37 Water Opener

#38 He Dressed Up As A Bulldozer For A Jungle Themed Party

#39 I See Your Lad, And Raise You A Mad Lad

#40 Reddit Unite We Must Find Who Tf Asked

#41 How

#42 A True Hustler

#43 An Interesting Title

#44 Turned Around To Return The Child Safely, Cussed The Parents Out For Leaving The Baby Alone, Then Hopped Back In The Car

#45 Dishonest Madlad LOL

#46 His Yahoo Chess Account Ban Got Lifted This New Year

#47 Madlad Creates A Unescapable Labyrinth Just For The Heck Of It

#48 An Interesting Title

#49 I’m Imperfect. I Had No Pancakes. But I Still Tried To Right The Century Of Injustice

#50 A True Alpha Move

#51 Absolute Champ

#52 Mad Dog

#53 Well What A Lad

#54 Intelligent Madlad

#55 Smart Socks

#56 She Flew 4,000 Miles To Him Just To Tag Him, Then, On The Same Day, She Flew Back!

#57 Made A Post Asking For Some Cents Instead Of Reddit Awards And One Madlad Sent Me 1¢

#58 I Dont Know Who Put It There But Damn

#59 Madlad Covers His House In Waifu Ping Pictures

#60 Just Watched A Middle-Aged Man Row An Insulation Board Across Bray Harbour With A 2x4

#61 He Bought A $600 Car, Registered It In His Ex's Name, And Left It At The Airport. The Parking Bill Hit $105,000

#62 My Grandpa, 94 And Still Climbing Trees To Pick Fresh Mandarins, What A Madlad!