25 Accepted Behaviors Society Strange Habits and Customs

Posted by , Updated on March 22, 2024

We understand that certain practices may feel odd, yet, for a multitude of reasons, no one takes the initiative to address them. This isn’t necessarily about politics, but rather about common behaviors everyone’s aware of. Take the case of care homes for the elderly, for instance. In the Western world, it’s commonplace to send parents to a retirement home and rarely, if ever, visit them. We aren’t implying that everyone does this. Actually, the majority may not. However, this list seeks to shed light on behaviors that, despite their frequency of occurrence, are not deemed unacceptable. They are either regular or somewhere in between regular and irregular. We’re not looking to stir up controversy. These behavioral patterns differ from one nation to another. We’ll strive to highlight where they’re more common, but understand that there are always outliers. Many of the behaviors mentioned here should be taken with a grain of salt—they’re shared in a jocular, light-hearted manner. So, don’t read too much into them. The following are 25 quirky habits, traditions, and behaviors that society has come to accept as normal.

Featured Image: The People Speak! via Flickr

25

Businessmen passing out in public

Businessmen passing out in publicSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

In Japan and South Korea, it is normal for businessmen to pass out drunk all over the city. People just walk around them.

24

Bathrooms built with a gap

Bathrooms built with a gapSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

In the United States, bathrooms stalls have an enormous gap between the wall and the door

23

Kids having their entire lives documented on the internet

Kids having their entire lives documented on the internetSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

There’s going to be a lot of angry teenagers in a few years. Mom, seriously? You put photos of my potty training online?

22

Apps like Angry Birds requiring your location

Apps like Angry Birds requiring your locationSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

Why does it need to know that?

21

Multi level marketing

Multi level marketingSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

It leads to some of the most obvious scams and questionable business practices most of us are ever exposed to, but when your friend gets sucked in all you can think is “there goes another one”

20

Celebrity worship

Celebrity worshipSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

They’re just normal people with problems like the rest of us.

19

Embalming bodies

Embalming bodiesSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

We suck the blood out of the cadaver and seal up the body cavities so that people can stare at the corpse.

18

Giving out personal information

Giving out personal informationSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

These days even the cashier will ask you for your phone number and email address.

17

Rubbing pregnant women's stomachs

Rubbing pregnant women's stomachsSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

Yea, this doesn’t really need to be explained.

16

Senior homes

Senior homesSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

Primarily in the United States, it’s ok to put older people in a retirement home and never visit them. Yes, we know, not everyone does this. The point of this list is that if you do happen to do it, it is considered acceptable.

15

Lobbying presidential campaigns

Lobbying presidential campaignsSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

Yes, we know the good intentions and possible benefits. But sometimes it just gets out of control.

14

Memes

MemesSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

Imagine if that was your picture on some of those memes. It might (not) be as funny.

13

Taking pictures of people

Taking pictures of peopleSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

In the same vain as memes, we are really comfortable just posting pictures of strangers (“Saw this old guy eating alone”)

12

Beauty pageants for children

Beauty pageants for childrenSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

While most people probably don’t explicitly support this, we do tend to implicitly accept it.

11

Networking mannerisms

Networking mannerismsSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

Genuine human connection is great, but the fake smiles, fake compliments, and psychopathic character that is so prevalent at networking events is a bit…interesting.

10

Arranged marriages

Arranged marriagesSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

In many parts of the world this is a disappearing but still common thing. For most of your life the adults around you will tell you to completely steer clear of the opposite sex, and then one day they want you to spend the rest of your life with some random guy who’s photo your aunt liked.

9

Paparazzi

PaparazziSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

It’s legal stalking

8

Plants and fish

Plants and fishSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

We keep them as living decorations

7

Advertising

AdvertisingSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

It’s ok to spend hours everyday watching or listening to presentations that have been scientifically designed to manipulate you. We even like it.

6

The war on drugs

The war on drugsSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

We put kids in jail for a decade because they had a little marijuana but bankers and politicians crash the entire world economy and get a little smack on the wrist.

5

Clapping

ClappingSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

We slam our hands together repeatedly to show approval.

4

Trick or Treating

Trick or TreatingSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

Little kids dress up and go from house to house asking for candy. And they threaten the owner if no candy is provided (“trick or treat!”)

3

The presidential turkey pardon

The presidential turkey pardonSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

So…he pardons one turkey and then we eat the other 5 million.

2

Santa Claus at the mall

Santa Claus at the mallSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

You sit on a strange old man’s lap and tell him your deepest secret while your parents take pictures.

1

Social Media

Social MediaSource: reddit, Image: wikipedia

It actually makes us less social.