The idea of expectations seems very tame at first. It is a standard the collective hivemind adheres to and expects that nobody strays away from this norm because collective stability. That’s how societies work, right?
Well, the concept has a lot of nuance to it—nuance that isn’t all that positive as it can cause unforeseen damage to relationships, cause harm to oneself, or is just flat out toxic all around. All because someone is comfortable with pushing the boundaries for the sake of stability.
And when someone snaps and breaks, folks wonder why it happened. Because not everyone is cut out for this. And that’s fine. But some don’t see it that way.
Folks online recently tackled this issue with an AskReddit thread listing what things are not for everyone, but society acts like it is?
#1
Social Media. Imagine being a 6th grader and having people think you’re weird if you don’t have an Instagram.
That s**t is poison. Wrecked our interpersonal skills. Ruined relationships. Perpetuated bullying into cyberspace when it used to end at the school day. Cemented embarrassment if you get recorded. The list goes on.
Image source: aSentientShadeOfBlue, Plann
#2
Religion. That’s fine if you’re a believer and it brings you peace or purpose or whatever, but it’s really not for everyone.
Image source: xraig88, Leo mandala
#3
The whole “early bird gets the worm” mentality. Society tends to glorify being a morning person and waking up at the crack of dawn, but not everyone’s wired that way. Some of us are night owls who do our best work after midnight. So, let’s remember that not everyone thrives on the same schedule, and it’s okay to be a night-loving creature in a world that often praises the early risers. After all, owls are pretty cool too!
Image source: Stock_Strawberry2306, Kampus Production
#4
Having children.
Connect_Office8072:
I worked for the State’s attorney in the Neglect and Abuse Division and I swear, you should need a test before you can become a parent.
ServiceCall1986:
I’m a woman who has never had that “motherly urge” and I never plan on having kids. People don’t seem to understand that can happen. It’s always “you’ll change your mind once you find the right person”.
No, my right person will feel the same as me. People want to change me, but I’ve always felt this way.
Image source: InsightfulBlonde
#5
Crop tops. Some of us still want the whole entire shirt damnit!
Image source: slpeach91, Ketut Subiyanto
#6
Romantic relationships. So many people can’t fathom the fact that I’m perfectly happy being single. I have a solid support network from my friends and family and feel perfectly content without a romantic relationship. I’m always happy for my friends who end up in good, loving relationships, but it’s not something I am interested in.
Image source: spaceturtle1138, Jasmin Wedding Photography
#7
Having the most expensive extravagant wedding.
Image source: Thebazilla, alleksana
#8
Alcohol – some people can’t fathom that others can’t be arsed to drink it, or choose a sober lifestyle after a bad experience.
Image source: zombsters, ELEVATE
#9
Team sports. There are other ways to learn teamwork and be part of a group, such as orchestra, marching band, scouting and a lot more.
Image source: DiligentAdvantage475, jeffreyflin
#10
Hustle/grind/climb the corporate ladder culture. I just want to do what I’m good at and enjoy my life, not kill myself getting to the top.
pumpkinpretzel:
And also, (kinda on the flip side) the idea that everyone should start their own business and be their own boss.
Not everyone can/should/wants to…
Image source: Wishilikedhugs, Tima Miroshnichenko
#11
Talking to toxic family members.
Image source: Magazinegurl, Andrea Piacquadio
#12
Christmas. I really don’t like Christmas, but people look at me like I have two heads if I say that out loud, like I’m not allowed to not like Christmas. Not a religious reason, I just find the holiday to be too intrusive. It insists upon itself, and everywhere you turn, Christmas gets jammed in your face, down your throat, up your a*s. It’s October 29 and my neighbor just put his Christmas lights up. They won’t come down until the end of June. Is eight months of Christmas really necessary?
Image source: Muttandcheese
#13
Driving. Maneuvering thousands of pounds of metal at speeds that can easily kill you and other people, yet we encourage people to do it before they can vote or drink or live alone, and at least in North America you’re seen as some sort of immature freak if you can’t or don’t want to.
Image source: Illustrious_Town_163, Norma Mortenson
#14
A 9-5 job. I’m a bartender/server and a natural night owl. I honestly think that’s why I even prefer the service industry because I just feel more normal at night lol. I have my degree and did the 9-5 for about 2 years but everyone’s energy all day kinda makes me nauseous 🥲 But the relentless judgment for being on a different schedule than the rest of society is constant.
Image source: ServerAgent88, https://www.pexels.com/photo/bartender-pouring-drink-into-glass-of-ice-4818176/
#15
Guns, well at least in US society.
Image source: Jengus_Roundstone
#16
Sex. Nobody should be shamed for having sex or not having sex.
onemanmelee:
Similarly, hookup culture. Not everyone glorifies the idea of “anytime with anyone, anywhere.”
Image source: Minute-Shoulder-1782, Ketut Subiyanto
#17
Being extroverted and constantly craving social interactions.
Cute-Landscape7610:
this. i love being at HOME. i love my small circle of close relationships – those are the people that can be recharging for me.
i do not crave being in loud, overpopulated environments or making small talk with a bunch of strangers or distant acquaintances that i have no bond with. even being around extremely social, extroverted people that i do love dearly (my almost in laws) gets exhausting, because they nearly always have their family friends over. i just could never.
Image source: lehmx, Matheus Bertelli
#18
Marriage.
Im_100percent_human:
I used to believe that Marriage was a societal invention that really did not serve an important purpose. I decided at one point that I never wanted to get married. My views have evolved on this as I have aged. While I still believe that marriage, as an institution, is a societal invention, but it does serve an important purpose. It provides a default legal contract that defines the sharing of property and responsibilities. While this may sound trivial, it is not. This is particularly important for couples as they age, become sick, and die. It really defines how another person can make decisions on your behalf and benefit from a shared life. If you are to couple with another person, you should marry at some point…. You really don’t need to have a wedding or even tell anyone. Just do it for the sake of your partner.
Image source: Louis-grabbing-pills, Jeremy Wong
#19
Interest in sports.
Image source: grondfoehammer, Andrea Piacquadio
#20
“Sucess” in our modern way of thing about it. Not everyone wants or can handle being extremely wealthy, famous, or powerful. Some of us just want our slice of a good life and live it.
Image source: Major-Language-2787, Karolina Grabowska
#21
40 hour work week.
xMadxScientistx:
I don’t honestly think it’s for anybody. People say there are a bunch of psychopaths out there who just love working every waking moment, but I kind of think they just tell people they feel that way to look like they’re virtuous.
Image source: Ambitious_Surround36, Christina Morillo
#22
Sexually provocative imagery on everything, being seen by kids. We steep in it all our lives
Image source: doesanyonehaveweed
#23
College.
xSmittyxCorex:
I don’t know about society at large, but media sure acts like it. I swear almost every show and movie ever it’s assumed the entire cast went to college. And not a local college either, they left home, stayed in a dorm, and somehow in between all the studying, a lot of partying and weed was involved. And if it involves highschoolers, its assumed they’re going to go, and if not, it’s cause they’re the stupid/trouble-making one.
Image source: DarkRose_92, Emily Ranquist
#24
Capitalism?
I mean, it literally is only for the capitalists. Everyone else gets to labor, or die, or both…
Image source: Poet_of_Legends
#25
Probably gonna get crucified for this but…
Rap/hip hop or any type of music in that style… including a lot of this new Bro Country stuff.
*goes and hides under the table now…*
Image source: One_Evil_Monkey
#26
Credit cards.
DEVILDORIGHT:
Living in and with debt is just lunacy to me. What sense does it make to live your entire life in debt to a corporation? None. If I cannot afford to pay for a thing outright, I don’t need it. “Oh but a credit card/debt, allows you to have what you want.” NO. It allows the bank to come take your shit and throw you to the wolves and out on the street should you fail to pay the debt incurred.
Image source: gottarunfast1, Anete Lusina
#27
Being connected ALL the time: Wifi, TV, streaming.
Upstairs-Radish1816:
I was in my 50’s when my son gave me his old smart phone. He couldn’t understand how I could leave the house without it. I kept telling him I’ve gone this long without one I couldn’t see the need to have a phone all the time.
Image source: Ob1cannobody, Andrea Piacquadio
#28
Owning a pet.
Tim0281:
I agree. I’d love to have a dog, but I’m a childless bachelor that lives in a second floor apartment. I don’t have the time or space to properly take care of a dog. It wouldn’t be fair to the dog if I got one.
Image source: SydneyTheCalico, Mikayla Meeker
#29
The idea that in order to be part of this world, you have to focus on events that don’t concern you. We’re expected to be ‘aware’ of conflicts all over the world, poverty, crime, social problems and all other kinds of horrible things that happen daily but don’t concern us. This leads to constant panic and stress, caused by events and situations that aren’t in our sphere of influence but we’re expected to be aware of them. There’s almost no way to live a stable life when we’re constantly battered over the head with events happening in other parts of the world, but if we ignore them, we’re horrible people.
#30
Small talk.
Image source: RudeSympathy259, Kampus Production
#31
Homeownership. Some people just don’t have the budgeting skills, willingness, time and knowledge to do maintenance, or the discipline necessary for homeownership.
Image source: sconnie64, Scott Webb
#32
Working the same job/career for 40+ years.
Image source: Dregnaught42, Andrea Piacquadio
#33
Veganism.
Image source: Tiggeribby
#34
Based on recent unpopular opinion posts, Halloween costume parties for adults. Every time someone says they don’t like them, they’re met with “you just don’t like fun” comments.
Image source: BLUFALCON78, Black Iris Visuals
#35
Desk jobs. All through school they preached that we were failures if we were anything less than doctors, lawyers, middle management, etc. So we all trained for those things and did really well. Now there aren’t enough jobs to go around in those fields. Now it’s just “your degrees are useless! Go work fast food! You failed!”
Really getting tired of the out of touch 50+ crowd ruining people’s lives.
Image source: CodenameJinn, Antoni Shkraba
#36
Cohabiting with an intimate partner.
Image source: Bimblelina
#37
Taking dogs everywhere. It’s become ridiculous in the UK now with people taking them on shopping trips to big stores, but worse still, restaurants are now allowing dogs in eating areas. It’s gross …
Image source: antlered_godi
#38
Monogamy *and* polyamory. The main reason people think polyamory is bad is because non-polyamorous people attempt it and inevitably fail at it because they think polyamory is something you can just switch on and off and “try out”. At the same time, society acts like monogamy should be the standard for everyone, when it’s just not suited to everyone.
Image source: early_onset_villainy, cottonbro studio
#39
Math teacher here: Algebra. EDIT: I’m not saying “Mathematics” I’m saying “Algebra”.
Image source: revdj
#40
Some sort of political opinion.
Image source: MagicHoops3
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