Life is full of great mysteries. Whether it’s the mind-boggling size of space or what happens after we pass on, there are some things that keep us up at night. These people share what phenomenons in life confuse the living daylights out of them.
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#1 Zero Respect
I’ll never understand people who just misuse public spaces. Public spaces are a big one, but what about shared living spaces? Luckily, I don't live with roommates anymore but when I did I would come home to dishes piling out of the sink, empty cans all over the place, and mud on the floors. Some people are just raised to have zero respect for other people and their things.
#2 One of Them
People who display no spatial or situational awareness. Whether randomly stopping in the middle of busy walkways, cutting people off, not using car signals, the list goes on. These people make one wonder how they have survived so long. To those people: are you aware that you’re only alive because other people are alert enough to navigate around you? All while you're oblivious. If you're not sure whether or not you're one of these people, you are one of these people.
#3 IQ of a Potato
I’ll never understand why my cat will immediately swipe her toys back under the sofa and meow loudly in complaint at me even though I spent the last half an hour getting all of the toys out. No, it’s your fault. You put your feathers under there. I'm not getting it out again. People have told me that my cat is just trying to play with me, but I think it’s just more likely that my cat has an IQ of a potato.
#4 Appropriate for Kids
I went on a date to Saw III. The theater was almost empty since it was a later showing around 10:00 p.m. or so. During the previews, right before the movie started, a couple walked in with their three kids. I'd guess their ages were a one-year-old baby, a three-year-old, and a six-year-old. I still regret not standing up and calling them out.
#5 Cesspool School
I go to a liberal cesspool of a school. Don't get me wrong, I'm liberal myself, but you should hear the ridiculous arguments that people use for justification of their beliefs. A lack of exposure to opposing arguments has created this awful echo chamber. I’ll honestly just never really understand why this happens.
#6 Mind-Boggling Questions
Out of everyone on this planet, I consciously live through this body. This life. While at the same time, it’s the same situation for you. But why can’t I see life through your eyes? Why wasn’t I born a celebrity? Or in another country? In a different time? Or even my neighbor? Why am I me? Why are you you? Jeez, man. I think about this every day.
#7 Stop Sign Language
People who don't pay attention to the order that people arrived at a stop sign. You got there first, get off your phone, go through the intersection. No, don't flag me through, it's not my turn you go. Oh, now the guy across from me is going and he's a left turn. And now the person across from you that came well after any of us is going.
#8 It’s So Simple
Why people who clearly have commitment issues get into monogamous relationships. Like, there's always an open relationship, or polyamory, or friends with benefits. There are alternatives. Betraying someone is a choice, and a terrible one at that. If you can't handle monogamy, don't get into a monogamous relationship! It's so simple.
#9 Taste in Music
People who get upset over someone else's choice of music or entertainment. Back when I was more into metal or punk, I'd also listen to this random Danish pop band I really liked. I was given so much flack for listening to them. The whole time, I couldn’t help but wonder why it even mattered to these random people.
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#10 Raised in a Barn
People who enjoy chewing with their mouth open. Like, how do you literally not disgust yourself when you're eating? I can understand a bite or two where your mouth comes open a little bit accidentally, but I'm constantly around people where every single chew sounds like a dog eating oatmeal. Ugh, it’s really gross.
#11 My Head Hurts
I try not to think about existence. It makes my head hurt too much. Also, what happens after you cease to exist? That's something I'll never wrap my head around. Either there's life after you pass on or there’s not. You just don't exist anymore. I grew up religious, but I'm not now. However, both scenarios scare me.
#12 Tardy to the Party
people who are habitually late. I get that every now and then, life will force you to run late to a meeting or gathering, but for those people who are legitimately 99% late to every single event, I don't understand how and why. Furthermore, I really don't understand how you don't feel bad or think it's a big deal or think it's fixable. If you were fined — or even better, if you were rewarded with cash — every time you were late to a social gathering, I'm pretty sure you'd somehow find a way to make it on time.
#13 Eccentric Fans
Fans who seem to hate the thing they're a fan of. Like, nobody's forcing you to watch it. New stuff that you don't connect with as much (maybe because you've changed, the creators of the thing have changed, they're going in a different direction, whatever) is fair enough. But, I hate when they act like new stuff retroactively ruins the older content. Like, that still exists, go watch it.
#14 Unending Supply of Chips
My one dog cannot seem to get it through his head that there are no chips under the couch. If I eat chips and drop one, he’ll grab it. Fine, enjoy it. But that doesn’t mean there’s now an unending supply of chips on the floor if only you could reach them. Every time we eat chips, we have to move the entire couch when we’re finished just to show the dog that he got them all.
#15 Born This Way
How a person can completely alienate their own children because they’re gay. Do people not understand it’s better to have a live happy child rather than one who’s at higher risk for self-harm, risky behavior, and a host of other issues? Trust me, it’s better to love and support your kids than abandon them because you don’t agree with the way they were born.
#16 What’s the Deal?
Old people who turn aggressively in front of you. Sometimes, it’s so bad that you have to slam on the brakes and then proceed to drive as slow as possible. Are you unaware of your actions? Are you trying to teach me some kind of lesson about driving fast? Do you just want to be in front of people? What's your deal?
#17 Choosing Misery
How some people go through so much of their lives looking for something to hate. I'm not even necessarily talking about the usual suspects. There's the perpetually offended crowd who only seem happy if they can claim they're being oppressed by something or the folks who have so much disdain for a particular person or figure they'll not only wish poor things on them, but will be unable to enjoy events if that figure was involved. Like, you're choosing to be miserable all the time. I just don't get it.
#18 So On and So Forth
Just finished cooking, can't wash up now or the food will get cold. This pan's sticky, better soak it overnight and wash it tomorrow. I'm late, no time for chores! Ugh, I'm so tired, I need to sleep right now, dishes can wait. I really should wash up, but I need to shower and do laundry, so I can't use up the hot water now. And so on until it starts molding.
#19 Sound Waves
I've always been dumbfounded that sound functions as it does. That the air around us which seems so loose and soft is also so interconnected enough that something as minuscule as a plastic candy wrapper can send a wave of force through it. That and it can also be heard throughout the entire house in the blink of an eye.
It's also detailed enough that multiple forces pushing through the air can run into each other and, instead of just pushing on your ear-drums harder to make a louder sound, every little detailed vibration is still preserved well enough for this thin little skin flap to discern every instrument in a symphony. People trip thinking about quantum mechanics and black holes, but nah. Sound is some real trippy stuff.
#20 Why Are You Like This?
I’ll never understand people who don't take a second to think about how their actions will impact those around them. I’m only talking about some common courtesy type things. Like, how do you not have that? How can you care so little about what you’re doing? Seriously, why are you the way that you are, you idiots?
#21 Genuine Mystery
There’s no way this doesn’t happen everywhere else, but at my school, I don't understand how so many people can take a number two and not flush. It's disgusting and they're my least favorite type of people. I've also noticed it's usually the grade seven kids who decide to do this. Like, can you not because it’s gross.
#22 Hold the Applause
I’ll never understand people who praise and congratulate women for having kids even when they definitely shouldn't. The main reasons are things like being broke, being an addict, having no dad in the picture, or already having too many kids. Why do you people literally go out of your way to celebrate this kind of behavior?
#23 Musical Preferences
People’s musical preferences are insane. I had a friend who told a mutual co-worker that he didn't like The Beatles. She didn't talk to him for a while because she was upset about his opinion. She's also very serious about her musical preferences. I've never told her, but I'm not a huge fan of The Beatles either. Some of their music is okay, but overall, I can live without.
#24 Never Understand Them
Acting like betraying your partner is biological. It's not. You're just an awful person. You'll never convince me humans aren't meant to be monogamous. If you really believed that yourself, you wouldn't be in any monogamous relationships. You're just spineless. No, really… your excuse of "they would have done it anyway, so why not with me?" is just another way to alleviate your cognitive dissonance. I'll never understand these people. Ever.
#25 Cruel Without Cause
Bullies. I honestly just don't get how being an enormous jerk and hurting someone else's feelings could be a fun hobby. I would feel horrible for the rest of my life. I mean don't get me wrong, I've gotten into arguments and intentionally hurt other people's feelings, but that's totally different. Like, someone upsets you? Yeah, sure, you fight back. But someone who has literally done nothing to you and is minding their own business and you come over and harass them for the fun of it? I've never felt the urge to do anything remotely like that. I just can't comprehend how that is a fun thing to do.
#26 Excuse Me
Otherwise intelligent, educated people just stop in the busy hallways, entryways, cafeteria doorways and completely forget that there are dozens of people trying to get around them! I'm at work so I can't be rude, but I'll give them a loud “excuse me” and they usually give me a look like I’m the bad guy. What’s wrong with people? There are little alcoves and cafes and all kinds of places they could move but no. They stand smack dab in the middle of the intersection with the elevator, cafeteria and entrance.
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#27 Going Beyond Space
That there's nothing beyond what we call “space.” I find it annoying that I can't just picture the next “area” if you will. Here on earth, we have the next street, suburb, city, state, country, the sky, the ozone layers then boom. It’s space forever. I mean, we don't know for sure because we haven't got a space vehicle that's purpose is to travel as far as possible while keeping contact with the earth. For all we know, our universe could be a speck of dust in a farm field.
#28 Living in Filth
I cannot fathom how people live in filth. It absolutely blows my mind. I'm not talking about your standard messy room. I'm talking about letting the dogs mess wherever and never cleaning it up, leaving garbage and food that will rot and stink, or leaving things soaking in water so they turn putrid. That. I don't understand that.
#29 Original… Time… People…
Paradoxes. I just don't get how one thing can only happen if someone went back in time to make it happen. But how did they go back in time to do it if they wouldn't exist without the original person doing what they did! Any time travel movie or show does paradoxes and I just don't understand how they actually happen. No matter how much someone explains it to me.
#30 Dwight Schrute
Where I work there is a plaque to a guy who passed away shortly after I started. The guy was here 365 days of the year, even holidays. He had no home life and would never take time off unless he was really sick. He went in for surgery and never woke up. Before he went under, he asked not about his family but how a project at work was going. I’ll never understand people who devote themselves fully to work.
#31 Cat Haters
I’ll never be able to wrap my mind around people who have such virulent hatred towards cats. Like, it could be to the point where they threaten to harm them. I get why someone would prefer a dog to a cat, but you almost never see cat people going on about how much they hate dogs the way some dog people do with cats.
#32 Go Back to Being Miserable
How people can be so rude to others for no reason, especially people like waiters, cashiers, and custodians. Just being a decent human doesn't require that much effort, no matter what is happening to you in your life. It's not like your head is going to explode or something if you are just polite for one moment, then you can go back to being miserable in your own head.
#33 People Are People
The logic behind people who are so far on one side of the political spectrum that they immediately think anyone outside their party is evil and trying to destroy the world. Either that or anyone inside their party is an angel who can do no wrong. People are just people, there is good and undeniable corruption on both sides. But I have literally met people on both sides who think corruption is something that only happens on the other side and their guys are not corrupt at all. I've been thinking about this a lot lately while dealing with some people in my family who think this way.
#34 Atoms and Matter
How old the average atom is. If it's true that every atom we experience in this existence has been here forever and matter can neither be created nor destroyed, are we each just a re-arrangement of atoms that have been in existence for billions of years? From how far away? What percentage of atoms enter our atmosphere and are new to this planet every year? What percentage leave?
#35 Treasure Hunter
From time to time, my girlfriend's dog becomes legitimately convinced that there is a bone in the couch cushions. The little weirdo then starts freaking out. He’ll start whining, stomping, staring, barking. We can even show him the spot that he thinks it's hidden, but oddly enough, there’s no reaction from him.
#36 Wait Your Turn
Why people need to talk over others, especially when all they do is gossip. Like if someone is speaking to you, why are you talking to a friend? I’m in high school and when we have guest speakers and the group in the back are gossiping about Rebecca who was seen walking with another guy at lunch omg. It irks me.
#37 Something From Nothing
I’ll never understand how our brain is constantly working to keep up the illusion of reality. If you think about it, it’s relentless. Sometimes it glitches and produces a momentary lapse of reason. And sometimes it fails completely into insanity. But, for the most part, it does a really good job of producing a reality from "nothing.”
#38 Years of Evolution
I often think about how life even formed. Just a bunch of random atoms and billions of years of evolution led to conscious beings building rockets flying to other planets and a bunch of other stuff. Like, what? I mean, evolution makes sense to me, but the first step from nothing to an organism kind of hurts my head.
#39 Aggressive Tailgate
People who aggressively tailgate me on a stretch of empty two-lane highway. Or, more broadly, people who aggressively tailgate at all. How much time do you lose if you're 15 feet further back? I don’t think that I’ll ever be able to really understand their mindset. Like, what are you hoping to accomplish by doing this?
#40 Over the Line
People who have it in them to just not care about others even when they can't escape into ignorance. I once looked someone in the eye and asked, "So, you're telling me, you literally couldn't care any less that there are starving children in Africa?" He said, "Yes. Not my problem." Not a single fibre of me will ever get that. I'm not expecting everyone to be a saint, but being able to take selfishness this far is just sick.
#41 What Comes Afterward?
The afterlife. I'm not religious and don't believe in an afterlife. Every time I think about passing away and how our inner voice just ceases to be, it makes my heart race and I feel like throwing up. I'm actually curious how other people handle thinking about this. I wonder if I have some sort of anxiety issue I should look into.
#42 Customary Kisses
In my country, it’s customary to kiss on the cheek when you’re introduced to someone. I hate it overall, and I hate it more in a work setting. So, when being introduced to someone, I just extend my hand to show that I'm giving a handshake and not a kiss. So, why are there people who will grab my hand and pull me towards them to give me a kiss on the cheek?!
#43 Bad Driving Habits
So many people's long-term driving habits. Whether it's accelerating quickly from a green light only to slam on the brakes at a red light a block away; tailgating someone; lack of blinker use; braking going downhill because you just can't stand to go a tad over the speed limit; or the complete lack of understanding of how a zipper merge works, I just don't get it.
How have experienced drivers not realized how each of these individual actions slows both them and other drivers down? It even makes you need more maintenance (brakes from more use than necessary). It's one thing when it's a teenager or new driver, but it just seems like anyone could realize over time that overly aggressive or defensive driving doesn't help in travel time or safety.
#44 Not My Fault
Lack of accountability. People who, for some reason, can’t seem to wrap their heads around the fact their misfortune is often of their own doing. I had a friend that got arrested for assaulting someone and she said, “if she hadn’t upset me, I would have never hit her.” She still brings it up two years later because she’s had a bit of trouble getting a job in her particular field because of it.
#45 No Wiggle Room
Why people are so willing to entrench themselves into some belief or another without any room for compromise, debate or possibility of gasp changing their mind. And I mean this in terms of political, religious or even sports teams. I'll never understand why some individuals are completely inflexible with certain beliefs.
#46 Wait for the Next One
How people think that squeezing their way onto an already packed train is a good idea. Every day I get downtown right around rush hour. I always see people shoving other people onto the train so they can get on before the doors close. I mean, why don't you just wait another few minutes for the next train to come? I understand everyone wants to get home but it's so ridiculous. Whenever I’m there during that time and there are a bunch of people, I always wait for the next train. It’s maybe half full because all the people on the station rammed themselves onto the first train.
#47 Caution While Shaving
How people cut themselves while shaving. People get huge cuts and I always wonder how that happened. I’ve never once cut myself and I just don’t understand how it’s such a common thing? Like, every once in awhile I might get a tiny pinprick when I shave up around my knees, but it doesn’t ever actually get too bad. It just stings when the water hits it.
#48 Using the Phone
Why people cannot use a phone properly anymore. You put it against the side of your face, the top has the speaker against your ear, the microphone is pointing down to your mouth. Instead, people hold it out in front of their faces, have the mic closest to their mouths, then move the phone into the correct position to listen. Then they put it back in front of their mouths. What’s the point?
#49 Trying to Cook
Honestly? I don’t think I’ll ever really understand cooking. It's the same recipe, but somehow the taste changes with each person who cooks something. I mean, why can't we all cook like super chefs if we all use the same ingredients and recipe? I tried cooking, used the exact measurements, but the food tasted like garbage.
#50 No Privacy
Those men's rooms you find at some restaurants that are single-user restrooms (for men) with both a toilet and a urinal. They're definitely single-user since they have a lock on the door (which opens directly into the restaurant) and no stall walls or anything around the toilet. So, why the urinal? It'd be like if I put a urinal next to the toilet in my downstairs bathroom.
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