In the perfect world, everyone would get along. But that's just not realistic—disagreements are an inevitable part of life. Every person is unique with their thoughts, beliefs, and opinions. In many ways, this makes the world a more interesting place to be. However, sometimes disagreements can get under our skin. It's especially frustrating when you know you are the correct party in a situation, but the other person refuses to agree or give in. Sometimes the only thing you can do is simply agree to disagree. It doesn't always have to be over something major or pivotal to be irritating. In fact, the stupidest arguments are often the ones that are the most frustrating. Just take it from these people who recently shared their petty "you're wrong and there are no winning here" stories.
Don't forget to check the comment section below the article for more interesting stories!
#1 An Impossible Exchange
A woman with three boys under the age of 12 walked into the shoe store I was working at. The woman came up to the counter.
Woman: "I need to exchange these shoes in for a different size."
Me: "Okay let me get that started for you."
Normally, we could exchange shoes for the same model just in a size up or down. It's pretty common for parents to buy shoes underestimating how much their kids have grown and come in for a bigger size. Anyway, I opened the box. The shoes were completely trashed—the toe was blown out, the sole was peeling off, and they smelled abhorrent.
Me: "Ma'am I'm sorry but I can't make an exchange for these shoes."
Woman: "Well, why not?"
Me: "I wouldn't be able to resell them but I think we still have this style if you wanted to purchase a new pair."
Woman: "Why can't I just exchange these shoes for a bigger size?"
Me: "Uh... Ma'am, I'm sorry that someone has told you we do that but that's not a policy we have. I can return or exchange shoes that are in good enough condition to be resold but I can't resell these."
Woman: "Other stores have let me exchange them."
Me: "... which store have you done this with?"
Woman: "Can I speak to your manager?"
And that's when I knew there we no winning with this woman.
#2 Weather Allergy
After asking to go home because I was quite sick with a cold, I was told, "Don't be stupid, there's no such thing as colds, it's just allergies to the cold weather." The manager who said this to me is also the one at work who is notorious for taking multiple days off without vacation days or a valid medical reason. He's the worst.
#3 Stubborn About Stephen King
He had an aversion to Stephen King. I thought Stephen King only wrote gory trash with no redeeming value. He truly believed that everyone who read Stephen King had mental issues. Yet, his favorite movie was The Shawshank Redemption. Even after I showed him the credits both on IMDb and Wikipedia, he refused to believe that Stephen King was in any way, shape or form involved with his dearly beloved film.
#4 Down To Delegate
We had a new assistant at work who was not fitting in with the team. I sat her down, talked to her about expectations and reviewed the responsibilities of the position several times. In one last effort to help her, I thought I'd see which parts of the job she liked. I asked her, "What skill do you think is your strongest skill?" And she said, "Delegating."
#5 Late With No Explanation
This friend of mine was always late when we were to hang out. Sometimes, she even canceled last minute; like 10 minutes before the time, we were supposed to meet. I once made a joke saying we all knew she was the worst at arriving on time because she was so unorganized. A few days before she was leaving for college, we were meant to meet, so I arrived late knowing she was going to be late anyway.
I waited for her for about an hour or so, but it was the last day I could meet with her so I didn't mind that much and I asked a friend to wait with me. I received a message over an hour later saying, 'I'm not coming and don't even bother me asking why. I don't have to justify when I arrive later." That day, I realized she wasn't worth it, because YES, I deserve an explanation after I waited for almost two hours.
#6 Breakup Battle
It ended up being a win-win situation. After a week of constant arguing and telling my now ex-boyfriend in no uncertain terms that we were done, we came to me one morning and said, “Well, if you don’t want to work on this, I don’t think we should be together anymore.” I just agreed.
#7 War On Waste
The girl who is dating my roommate considers herself to be environmentally conscious. She claimed that napkins were bad for the environment and that they increase one's carbon footprint. She ranted about it to me once in my own home, even though I don't even buy napkins. Maybe a week or so later, she noticed I use a reusable coffee filter and berated me for not using disposable paper filters.
I told her that using a reusable filter cuts down on the amount of waste that we produce when brewing coffee, so not only do I not contribute to filling up landfills with paper filters, but I also save money from not buying them in the first place. She then told me that since paper filters are biodegradable, there is no reason for me to refrain from using them.
But napkins are made of paper. Napkins. Are made. Of paper. She literally just wanted to stand on a soapbox and hear herself talk. She derives pleasure from telling others that they are wrong, regardless of whether or not they are actually wrong. There is no winning an argument with her. I just don't even bother anymore.
#8 That's The Tea
When I was arguing with someone about why milk doesn't go in first when making a cup of tea, hi argument was: "When you add boiling water to cold milk, you're warming it up, but when you add cold milk to boiling water, you're cooling it down. I don't want cold tea". I tried to explain how the end temperature will be exactly the same regardless but he was already celebrating his self-awarded victory.
#9 Driver's License Debate
I had a "discussion" with someone about the process of getting a license. Obviously, he didn't have one and didn't believe that you had to do a five-hour driving class to get one. The moment came when he tried the whole, "You can't always believe stuff from the internet" spiel. I was just like, a) You jump on pretty much any conspiracy theory you find on the internet, and b) We're on the DMV's website!
He seriously still didn't believe it and tried to go the whole "you gotta use Google to win arguments" route... I'm from New York and I am very aware that laws are different in other states. The thing is, we were talking about the laws in the current year, and he refused to believe the DMV website, just because it was a website... Also, I'm not saying that you don't need driving practice—you need 50 hours, in NY.
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#10 The Pull Of Gravity
In class, we were discussing what would happen if the sun disappeared and this one girl said, "We would all fly off the earth." I told her the earth has its own gravitational pull and she just said, "No, it doesn't."
So I said, "Do you know what gravity is?"
"Yes."
"It's the force that pulls you to the ground, right?"
"Yes."
So I pointed out the window to the sun and said, "If the sun is up there, how does it pull us down?" She said, "I don't know but it just does, stop trying to make me feel dumb, I saw this in a YouTube video once about what would happen if the sun disappeared."
I just walked away.
#11 Ticking Off A Teacher
A coworker went on a rant about how all teachers are lazy and only work from 8-3 while taking loads of holiday time and doing minimal work. I come from a family of teachers, so I could see the time put in at home, the lost weekends, the days of doing work until 7 p.m., the last two weeks of every summer holiday spent in school prepping the classroom for the next year, and buying materials out of their own pocket because the school budget wouldn't cover it. My coworker's response? "Well, I'm a parent so I know more about it than you do." I nearly flipped my lid.
#12 Army Argument
My best friend knows I'm headed into the military and he keeps saying have fun in the army. I keep telling him I'm enlisted to the navy. "I know, isn't the navy part of the army?" We had a back-and-forth argument about how the navy is part of the military and the army is a separate branch, BUT he insisted that the word "army" and "military" have the same meaning...
#13 Causes Of Cancer
My coworker would constantly preach against GMOs, parabens, oils, etc. She told me once that I was going to get cancer from my deodorant, and that the corn I bought was 'mutant.' Yet, she'd go indulge in adult beverages and microwavable popcorn every night while watching shows on Netflix... Yeah, makes total sense.
#14 Gunning For An Answer
I fix guns. One customer had a problem with his gun, saying he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. I check it out for mechanical problems, but there were no issues. Next, I went outside and shot it—it grouped about a fist-size at 10 yards. Not amazing, but standard combat group. I showed him the evidence and he started talking about how he never said anything about accuracy.
The guy was full of it. No matter how many times I explained how guns work and showed him that his gun was fine, he wouldn't believe me because some guy told him it wasn't. We went through a long thing about what he would consider good and acceptable. What was the point of him coming for help if he clearly didn't want it?
#15 Ditzy About Daylight Savings
I once had a debate with my mom about what happens on the day that daylight savings time occurs. She insisted that something happened in space to make the day be longer and that was why we changed the clocks. It was at that moment I realized that I got all of my brains from my dad. Sorry mom, but that's just not how it works.
#16 Cold Milk
Back in high school, I had an argument with my then girlfriend’s mom about drinking milk on a hot day. As soon as she informed me, “Well, when you drink it on a hot day, your stomach is warmer, so it will curdle and make you sick,” I disengaged. Apparently, she doesn’t realize that humans have self-regulating body temperatures. I want to be clear... She was not stating the milk would be bad because it was left out on a hot day. She was, in fact, arguing that on hot days, our stomachs and internal organs heat up so hot, that it curdles milk faster.
#17 Printing For A PDF
I overheard a coworker explaining to a new employee that “the only way to convert a document to a PDF is to print it out and then scan it back into the computer.” I mentioned that she could just click "Save as PDF" in the top right corner.” She rolled her eyes and snorted with laughter before saying, “Well, I’ve never heard of that before, so I doubt it works.” I avoided contact with her after that day.
#18 Phantom Tumor
A life insurance company sent me a letter saying they couldn't insure me because I have a brain tumor. I called the company and told them I don't have a brain tumor... I'm not sure who told them the wrong thing. I asked if the representative could give me the name of the doctor who sent them the diagnosis but he said that information was confidential. I asked him how I could prove I was healthy, and he said that I would have to get the doctor to swear that I didn't have a tumor. "Which doctor?" I asked. "The one who said you had one," he replied. So I said, in my sweetest-singsongy voice, "Uh, okay thank you. Have a nice day."
#19 Scared Of Scratches
About two years ago, I was about six months pregnant. I was at work, in the breakroom, scratching my pregnant belly. A woman (who is a supervisor) said sternly, "DON'T DO THAT, YOUR BABY WILL COME OUT WITH SCRATCHES ON HIS FACE!!!" She was dead serious. My jaw dropped and I didn't know how to respond. I didn't go back to that job after having my child...
#20 Raging In Red
I wrote a note for a neighbor who kept stealing my parking space in red marker since it was the only pen I had. He yelled to me that the red color looked too aggressive...
#21 Can't Make The Car Payments
She insisted that she could do $600 car payments, even though she could barely do the $230 payments on the last car. I told her she didn't have a good concept of budgeting and she got upset. Well, when you have a decent, well-paying job but consistently have a bunch of late, unpaid bills on your kitchen counter, I think it's fair to say you suck with money.
#22 Magic Medicine
Clients want me to diagnose and treat a sick pet, but they don't want to pay for tests or get prescribed medications. Mmmm, kay. I'll try practicing magic instead of medicine next time. I will never understand people who deny basic science. Sometimes that answer is literally as simple as one test or one prescription.
#23 Facebook Fights
Just about any argument on Facebook ever. If they can see who you are, they will always revert to childish tactics if they no longer have a point. That's why I've avoided reading Facebook comments altogether. The comments section is supposed to promote positive discourse, but it's literally just a place where people can be toxic behind the safety of their screens.
#24 Wrong About Russia
My friend got into an argument with a girl online. The girl was completely convinced that Russia was entirely in Europe. My friend tried telling her that it’s both in Asia and Europe and even sent her a screenshot showing that it’s in both. The girl still insisted that Russia is only in Europe. She’s also convinced that someone born in the Asian part of Russia isn’t Asian because they’re white. The girl is completely forgetting that nationality exists.
#25 Senior Complaints
I work with a guy who will constantly complain about another coworker to everyone (even the part-time students) when the other coworker is not present. When I complained just one time, he said that it was rude of me to do so, so I mentioned that he did it all the time. His response was, “I worked here longer so I have the right to.” We all have the same title. No one is above the other...
#26 Worried About Warranty
I work for an electronics store and a guy ordered two dashcams, but they were shipped to the store. I called him to let him know they were in. When he came to pick them up, he asked if we added the warranty on it. After searching for his original receipt, he did not originally purchase a warranty—there was no entry to be found on the receipt.
He continued to state that it should be free because it was our fault that we didn't add it. I told him that whether he purchased the warranty when he originally ordered the item or purchased it now, it would be the same price. We spent 20 minutes arguing in solid frustration. They opted out of purchasing the warranty altogether.
#27 Suing The Server
I argued with my father because he said he was going to sue Minecraft for banning my little brother from a server. When I told him he couldn't sue Minecraft over a private server he said he would sue the company who owned it. I then told him it is usually servers run at home. He then proceeded to get mad saying how much more experience with computers he has than me.
#28 Childish Encounters
Not quite an "idiot" moment, but when I realize someone I'm arguing with online is just a kid, I stop. I love a spirited debate, but it's just not fair to dogpile on someone who is younger. Young people are not dumb, but there's no point in arguing relationships, work choices, etc., with someone who hasn't been there yet. Not fun for me or fair to them.
#29 Asking For Answers
When I was in 4th grade, we were in the middle of a test and a kid stood up to say, "Does anyone know the answer to #5?" I don't even know...
#30 Heated About Headphones
One night when my dad was particularly tipsy, he got mad at me because I was using the earbuds that came with my PlayStation VR. One side is way shorter than the other, which I assume is to help them not catch on the headset. He was absolutely livid I was using such weird headphones and insisted I throw them away. They were the only pair I had, so I didn't want to. This started a 45-minute altercation that even became physical and ended with me calling the cops.
#31 Humiliated By Husband
My husband didn't only yell at me for crying in an argument, but he also started mocking me. That was the moment I realized he's not worth it and left. My life totally crumbled since then, but it was worth it. I'm still single now, but I would rather be single than put up with someone who humiliates me for being human.
#32 Possibility Of Polio
Once, my five-year-old daughter was ill with the flu at her mother's house. She had texted me notifying me that she was sick and I told her that it was probably a bug going around at school. Then, out of the blue, she says, "I don't know, I’m nervous she might have polio." I actually had to read it again out of disbelief in the comment. My daughter has the polio vaccine, by the way. I just put my phone down and walked away because that was obviously a dead-end conversation.
#33 Lying For Love
I asked my ex-wife why she lied all the time. Her response was, “Because you would be upset if I didn’t.” I was flabbergasted that I was both given the truth for once. I was also afraid to find out exactly what lies she had been telling me the entire time we had been together. Although we aren't together anymore, I still loved her very much, so the truth would probably hurt me.
#34 Very Adamant About Vaccines
My mother and I were arguing over vaccines. She has become anti-vax over the last decade or so, and it's starting to negatively affect relationships within the family. She called out my cousin for vaccinating her children and they don't talk with us much since. I was trying to figure out why she has this position, and what evidence she has to back up her views.
This was especially important to me because SOMETHING has obviously corrupted her view in the last decade. She couldn't come up with anything that I couldn't refute with dozens of examples, reports, and articles debunking her views. In the end, I asked her if there could be anything I can say that would change her mind? Any piece of evidence that would be so overwhelming that she would at least question her anti-vax stance?
She said no. Flat out, "No, nothing will change my mind." That's when I realized my mom had gone off the deep end on this topic. At that moment, I saw her as on par with any hardcore Trump supporter, Flat Earther, or conspiracy theory nut job. When someone admits that their view can and will never change, regardless of any piece of evidence, even hypothetical evidence, there is no hope for a true debate or changing minds.
#35 Lazy Worker
My family is always fighting over nonsense. My sister is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was in an argument with my mom. She was trying to say anything to get under her skin. While my mom is the guardian of my niece, she also works as a nanny. It was hilarious when my sister was huffing and puffing trying to get gas money while rudely saying to my mom, "You don't do anything, all you do is work." I just started laughing mid-argument because my sister doesn't even have a job nor has paid for anything in her life.
#36 Radio Rationale
We were talking about cars and I made a joke about how the Honda Civic is the most popular car in Los Angeles according to a radio ad I heard. A friend started arguing that it's not true because no one listens to the radio anymore. Yeah... The funny thing is, a lot of people still listen to the radio, so even his argument didn't make sense.
#37 Air Head
I was trying to explain to a classmate that balloons don’t float when you inflate them by mouth: They. Need. Helium. However, my classmate was convinced otherwise. She insisted that she had blown up balloons by mouth before and that they definitely floated. I couldn’t compete with her infallible memory. I just dropped the whole thing.
#8 Dog Bones
When my best friend's sister was about 12, she was being really rough with their Chihuahua. I scolded her, saying "You're going to break him." She scoffed back, "Animals don't have bones!" We will never let her live this down.
#39 Frustrated By Flat-Earthers
When I first talked to a Flat Earther, it was unbearable. To them, the entirety of science is fake, and any observation not made by them personally or someone supporting their world view is also fake. They have to deny heliocentrism, gravity, the laws of motion, etc., just to get their "theory" to resemble any sense.
For example, I used the example of parallax to try to explain one of the ways we know Earth orbits the sun. If you pick out a single star and track it in comparison to other stars, it will seem to move over the course of the year dependent on how far away it is. They told me I was making it up, and when I told them it was something that they could observe themselves, they said, "Oh yeah, you expect me to go out every night and measure star positions?"
Well yeah, if you're gonna discard all of the science then you're going to have to make your own observations. If anyone else does it, you're going to call them a liar, so looks like the job falls to you.
#40 Monkey Business
Back in school, I had a friend who just couldn’t grasp the concept that we came from apes. We were learning about evolution at the time. Basically, as soon as my science teacher said it, my friend went into a full-blown argumentative mode and started laying down facts about how we don’t look anything like apes. The highlight of the argument was when he said, “I don’t even like bananas, explain that one to me, Mr. Science Expert,” but the icing on the cake was definitely this: “If I’m descended from monkeys, then why aren’t I hairy or walking like a monkey, huh? Huh??” We had a good laugh about it and it became a running joke in our class.
#41 Guzzling Gluten
I worked at a pizza place for a while and we would often make gluten-free pizzas for people who had allergies or were just health-conscious. It's kind of set up like a Subway, so we make the pizzas in front of you, but the gluten-free ones we would make in the back. A woman came in and told us that she had a severe allergy to gluten (like she would die or something if she had any) so we made her gluten-free pizza in the back.
When I start to ring her up, she added that she would like a Bud Light, which is definitely NOT gluten-free. I figured maybe it was for someone else or something but she was just there with her kids so it was definitely for her. I asked if she was sure she would like a Bud Light as it is not gluten-free and she started getting upset, saying, "Bud Light is fine, I drink it all the time. The gluten in beer doesn't bother me!" Seriously? So I rang it up and watched her guzzle her beer while she ate her gluten-free pizza. Weird lady.
#42 Fossils And Faith
A coworker at the time was heavily religious and we always had our debates to kill time at work. One day, she asked me if I believed in dinosaurs. I said yes and she asked me what proof I had that they existed... Obviously fossils right? So I fired back with, "Do you believe in God?" She said yes and I asked what proof she had. She said the bible... Needless to say, I had to stop and walk away after that.
#43 Relationship Realizations
I was arguing with a friend, saying the relationship felt very one-sided. Her response was, "I didn't realize I was your girlfriend. We're not in a relationship." I had to explain to her that "relationship" doesn't mean you're romantically linked with someone. Fun fact, we're no longer friends anymore. We haven't talked in months.
#44 The Correct Approach
When you realize it's less about their point being correct and more about them being correct. Like, when they suddenly shift viewpoints to yours after they realize they're wrong and hit you with the, "You didn't say that, I've been saying that this entire time," or "That's what I meant" when they were just arguing the complete opposite.
