Certain practices may seem odd to some, but often, no one chooses to address or question them because of various reasons. It’s not necessarily about political issues but more about commonly recognized behaviors. Consider the situation of elder care homes, for example. In Western societies, it’s quite normal to place aging parents in care homes and infrequently visit them. This doesn’t imply that everyone behaves this way; in fact, the majority probably don’t. However, this list seeks to expose behaviors that, regardless of their regularity, aren’t viewed as inappropriate. They perhaps fall within the range of ordinary to somewhat irregular. Our intent here isn’t to provoke debates; behavioral patterns indeed vary from country to country. We’ll aim at noting where these behaviors are prevalent, acknowledging there are always exceptions. The behaviors highlighted here are not meant to be taken too seriously—they’re presented in a humorous, light-hearted context. So, don’t overanalyze them. Observe the following 25 distinctive habits, traditions, and behaviors that have become deemed as normal in societal norms.
Featured Image: The People Speak! via Flickr
Businessmen passing out in public
Source: 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.
Bathrooms built with a gap
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia In the United States, bathrooms stalls have an enormous gap between the wall and the door
Kids having their entire lives documented on the internet
Source: 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?
Apps like Angry Birds requiring your location
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia Why does it need to know that?
Multi level marketing
Source: 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”
Celebrity worship
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia They’re just normal people with problems like the rest of us.
Embalming bodies
Source: 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.
Giving out personal information
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia These days even the cashier will ask you for your phone number and email address.
Rubbing pregnant women's stomachs
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia Yea, this doesn’t really need to be explained.
Senior homes
Source: 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.
Lobbying presidential campaigns
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia Yes, we know the good intentions and possible benefits. But sometimes it just gets out of control.
Memes
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia Imagine if that was your picture on some of those memes. It might (not) be as funny.
Taking pictures of people
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia In the same vain as memes, we are really comfortable just posting pictures of strangers (“Saw this old guy eating alone”)
Beauty pageants for children
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia While most people probably don’t explicitly support this, we do tend to implicitly accept it.
Networking mannerisms
Source: 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.
Arranged marriages
Source: 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.
Paparazzi
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia It’s legal stalking
Plants and fish
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia We keep them as living decorations
Advertising
Source: 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.
The war on drugs
Source: 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.
Clapping
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia We slam our hands together repeatedly to show approval.
Trick or Treating
Source: 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!”)
The presidential turkey pardon
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia So…he pardons one turkey and then we eat the other 5 million.
Santa Claus at the mall
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia You sit on a strange old man’s lap and tell him your deepest secret while your parents take pictures.
Social Media
Source: reddit, Image: wikipedia It actually makes us less social.
