Share your own in the comments below!
Social norms control a lot of our day-to-day actions, but you can fight back by breaking them unapologetically. Here are a few ways to do just that…
Many thanks to the Redditors who responded. You can check out more answers from the source at the end of this article.
1. I always stand with my back towards the elevator doors and face everyone.
ng17
2. Talking to a stranger about needing a number 2, with said stranger currently having a number 2, in a public toilet. Happened to me at a pub before New Years, and whilst I was hovering over the filthy toilet seat trying to be graceful, this piddly-flipped drunk was asking if I could hurry up as he hadn’t been to the toilet all week due to constipation. We had a brief conversation about bowel movements, and the part that really made it, was the eye-contact as I came out of the cubical. That moment will always be treasured deeply in my… heart.
McZanderson
3. I like to eat at restaurants alone.
GeorgeFromManagement
4. I’m a male knitter and I like to knit in public and it’s actually funny watching people look at you and say is he knitting.
bobbie18912
5. Shake hands left and right instead of up and down.
CynicScientist
6. No courtesy laugh at lame jokes.
My name is Luke and I get the “I am your father” thing more than you’d think. Stopped the courtesy laugh years ago. Dead stare, they get very uncomfortable and sometimes backpedal. I enjoy their uneasiness. No exceptions. I did to a client once…
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Fired soon after, 10/10 would do again.
lukasmn
7. I go to the movies by myself, and often have lunch dates where all I have to do is talk with the server then enjoy my own company. It may look lonely, but it’s nice to treat yo’self.
LiterallyHades
8. Pretending to not know even the names of very well-known, recognizable celebrities whenever someone tries to talk to me about them.
areyoukidding_meh
9. Wish the cashier a good day before they get to say it to you.
THE_LOUDEST_PEN
10. I recently discovered that I like to talk with my superiors, like professors or boss like we were equal. I like to look them in the eye, smile and address them naturally, while still being professional and not going into the too informal extreme.
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I always had this stupid fear of talking with people with authority and always respected that unspoken norm that you should be always serious and respectful around people who are in a higher position than you.
So it is a social norm that I enjoy breaking, and I saw a few positive consequences of doing so, one of them being that these people also started to smile at me more and let go of the aura of self importance.
emerald_green92
11. Doing a full loop in a roundabout before making my turn. Never fails to put a smile on my face.
MrPeterNincompoop
12. Answering frankly when people ask how it’s going.
comm_matthew_perry
13. If you’re introducing yourself to a girl you’re never met before (like at a bar/party), is it normal to shake her hand? Sometimes I feel awkward doing that.
goldrush7
14. I use two dollar bills.
I’m sure it irritates the cashiers, but I want to get them back in circulation!
PMYourCleavageToMe
15. I spent around two years with a watch drawn on my wrist, just waiting for someone to ask me the time.
Eventually, in a train station, an elderly lady asked me if I had the time.
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I rolled back my sleeve, looked at the crude doodle on my wrist and said “twenty to three.” It was actually around 9am.
She looked at my ‘watch.’ Looked at me. Said “great, thanks” and walked off with a blank expression on her face.
I still laugh about it, although I realise I’m probably alone in that.
BunglefromRainbow
16. I sometimes say “hello” to strangers I pass on the street and smile.
Back2Bach
17. When you don’t hear what someone said, instead of saying “What” or “Excuse me”. Shout “What did you just say to me?” or “Did you just call me dumb?”
unwanted-input
18. Mismatch socks.
I always hated matching socks, it was like an irritation cherry atop the chore sundae that is laundry day. So I stopped matching them. One in a while, people are like “your socks don’t match” and I’m like “yep. They don’t.”
It has zero consequences! People never bother to even take it further than pointing it out. I’ve saved minutes of my life this way.
bizitmap
19. If I’ve got my headphones in while in public and the song is great I like to dance a bit. Just a lil extra head boppin while I walk, some feet shuffling on the bus, get the shoulders jiggin.
Paperbackhouse
20. I feel like it is a lot harder for guys to do it, but wearing clothing of the opposite gender is awesome.
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Once you find your men’s sizing equivalent there’s no going back. Especially when you have the option of buying a five dollar Pokmon men’s shirt or a 25 dollar women’s one.
FutureSomebody
21. Stand directly next to whoever is at the urinal, then don’t pee. Just stand there.
CURRENT76
22. I am the head coach of a Middle School Girls Basketball team, and we had a game in a neutral location last week. social norms in the US dictate that there should be a rendition of the National Anthem before the games, however, the neutral location happened to be the “family center” ( i.e. a gym) of a Korean Baptist church. so no US flag was present. for some odd reason the AD decided to have the anthem sung any ways.
So the whole crowd looks to the south wall. The teams, referees, fans, everyone. looking at a wall, with no flag on it, with hands over their hearts, while a girl sings the Star Spangled banner.
One kid decided it was time to be the anarchist. he faced north, and began to loudly sing along. I couldn’t help but crack up as this little 5th grade kid was the only one singing along in the opposite direction of the crowd, everyone looking directly at him, and just, off-key, belting it out. then suddenly, he switches to the Canadian Anthem ( just the one “Oh Canada” line) and I lose it. Most hysterical anthem I’ve ever witnessed. That kid was a little Anarchist.
sarcastic-barista
23. I like to go months without shaving my legs. I feel so free.
Princess4getme
24. Whenever strangers approach me on the street to ask me something or ask me for something, I put my hands together like I’m praying, look them straight in the eyes, and say “no thank you.” Gets just the weirdest reactions all the time. Plus they leave me alone after that.
sugypop
25. Answering truthfully to those standard questions you’re supposed to just say ‘good’ to.
How are you? Yeah fine but actually, lately it’s been a bit busy, etc etc. It makes for far more conversations and people look really funny when they get a different answer than expected.
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A friend of mine does this even more Extreme. Some stranger asked her how her New Years Eve was and we had just spend fifteen minutes talking why hers sucked so bad. To this stranger, she also answered truthfully – not fifteen minutes of course, but she just said ‘ahh well, pretty bad actually’. She has this really dreamy voice so it was pretty hilarious. It’s nice to just really talk with someone instead of ‘yeah good good’. Don’t make it too long though.
Anyway, answering truthfully to ‘how are you’s and stuff, gives better conversations. The best part is that people on their turn, will also be quicker to give a truthful answer. 10/10 would advise.
Throwandcatchawayfar
26. Using “not with that attitude” as a valid comeback for everything.
techsuppr0t
27. This is one for people using public toilets or restrooms, but who aren’t using a cubicle, or come out of the cubicle and find themselves in a situation where they are alone in the restroom foyer (where the sinks are). You need a minimum of one person in the cubicles but the maximum amount is infinite.
Have a quick listen to see if anyone is approaching to come in, or there is any rustling etc to suggest that the occupant/s are about to exit their stall. Silence? Great, the anony-stage is set for you to make someone’s day.
You now have free reign to create whatever scenario you want. You’re completely anonymous. Fill this space with whatever would make you laugh if you were sat silently laying one out.
Wanna exit a cubicle, whistling, then abruptly stop, make stifled grunts and say “oh gees, I wasn’t done……hgghhh…….nowIam ……Oh well, I guess I’m hot dogging this one all the way to walmart for some fresh whites”. – do it.
Wanna stick a piece of toilet paper to your shoe, stamp your foot down near the view point of the engaged cubicle, say “not this time poop paper, you’re staying here”, before acting out a voiceless struggle, crashing into cubicles etc. – Go for it.
Wanna do two sides of a conversation?
“Hey Harry.”
“Hey Hugh!”
“What happened to your shoes, Harry?”
“The force of my poop blew them off, Hugh. Don’t ask how, but I think one of them is in the U-bend of the stall a few doors over. The other one came out here and I’ve only found the laces.” – Dooo ittttt.
Think about it. You have the chance to comically enter into someone’s life. Put a smile on their face and give them something to tell their SO about when they get home. Or even, dare I say it, give some terribly shy person a conversation starter for when they get back to the office. Remain anonymous and it’s the perfect crime, has no repercussions on your reputation (so long as you don’t do it in your work bathroom) and can make someone’s day. Try it, but get ready to run. And bear in mind, the floor can be slippy.
Allaboardthejayboat
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