Everyone else is crazy!

[Drew Dowdell]

Stole this idea from a blog I read and thought it would be fun for us here.

What widely accepted practice, custom or societal norm do you regard as irrational, absurd, offensive, silly, nonsensical, counterproductive, or morally wrong?

Here's your chance to challenge the conventional wisdom. Anything that is already a matter of intense controversy, like abortion or the death penalty, doesn't count -- that aside, however, take liberties with the question.

[CanadianBacon94]

people talking on cell phones while driving

[Drew Dowdell]

Some examples from that other blog:

Cursive!

I have three kids in elementary school wasting countless hours learning cursive. Why? I can't remember the last time I wrote anything longer than a grocery list by hand. With technological development, they'll do that even less frequently than I do. Sure, everyone needs a signature, but why not teach a signature alone? Kids in countries that are our largest competitors worldwide are learning advanced math while America's kids have to struggle to make a proper freaking Q. Moronic.

[AAS]

This might piss a lot of people off, so I'll be a coward and make it fill-in-the-blanks: r _ _ i _ _ _ n

[z28luvr01]

Paying sales tax on a used car.

[the_yellow_dart]

The public's right to own handguns. I really don't think (especially in Canada) that the fact that somebody might have a gun will stop a criminal with a gun from doing something. I think we should ban non-hunting gans.

The anti-nuclear idiocy that misconceptions like The Simpsons have spread. Nuclear power is a great alternative to coal, and is safer than most people realize. The Russian design that exploded had obvious flaws that we've learned from. The Canadian CANDU design in particular is very safe, yet we have idiotic newspaper articles every year or so spreading fear based on absolutely nothing. Idiotic.

The perception of big cities in Canada as 'dangerous' by those in smaller towns. Often, the crime in the smaller towns is higher, per-capita. You just hear about more crime in the bigger cities because there are more people and therefore more crimes per day.

..and obviously...

The perception of Toyota as "The Only Car Company that Matters". Get your head out of your a** already.

[Blake Noble]

Paying school tax on everything.

[loki]

is income tax in the abortion deathpenalty catagory?

taxing anything that is not new, aka like whatz28 said.

taxing money.

this face. :/ :\

lol

[balthazar]

Getting right up eye-2-eye and talking baby talk and/or kissing your dog.

Hypocrisy is widely practiced, and it's irrational, absurd, nonsensical AND counterproductive.

[SAmadei]

I have a bunch of these... but I'll just include one for now...

The idea that everything new automatically trumps whats old. Newer! Better! Faster! Too bad most new crap today is cheaply made and engineered to not last, work poorly, buggy, or perform less that what is expected. Sure, some new things are great... but most is not.

This goes from cells phone that reboot constantly to wireless routers that constantly freeze to cars that struggle to get fuel economy similar to cars 20 years older...

[balthazar]

^ ABSOLUTELY RIGHT !!

[daves87rs]

Attacking others because of their or because they have a religion. We have a first amendment the guarantees the freedom of it. Not freedom from it, not freedom to attack those who have one, but freedom of it. Grow a pair and deal with it.

Case in point: http://religion.blog...-if-hes-muslim/

I don't care if you don't like people with religious convictions, but you don't stab them.

*****

Abusing a vehicle and then filling yourself with righteous indignation when someone buyers refuse to pay full price for it. Case in point: http://stcloud.craig...1892942146.html

The engine is knocking, the clutch is shot, holes in the floor and the TTB front suspension has the classic "death wobble." It's worth scrap ($120 a ton around here, last I checked) if that, and they want $1,200 for it. Sure, you could get away with that with houses before the economy tanked, but we're in a recession; lower the price!

*****

Using your home equity as your own personal ATM then whining you owe $800,000 more than your house is worth.

*****

Having no job, no down payment and a credit score in the 500s and yelling at the dealers and banks because they won't finance you. Maybe you shouldn't be driving a newer car if you can't afford one? Maybe you should get a decent older one and learn how to fix it if you want a car so bad?

*****

This.

[Camino LS6]

Suits and ties.

[Croc]

Greeting cards. No one should be surprised when I open an envelope, read it, remove anything that may be inside it, and then promptly throw it in the trash. I mean, where else did you think it was gonna go? Waste of paper, trees, money and landfill space.

[Drew Dowdell]

Good one croc!

[FAPTurbo]

The 'Knuckle-Knock.' We're gentlemen, let's shake hands when getting acquainted. Try to Bro-fist me, and I leave you hanging ice cold, pal.

[Croc]

The 'Knuckle-Knock.' We're gentlemen, let's shake hands when getting acquainted. Try to Bro-fist me, and I leave you hanging ice cold, pal.

But you don't always wash your hands after you pee, you sneeze into your hand, and I don't know if anyone has ever told you this before, but you have a serious palm-sweating problem. Plus it's flu season.

[FAPTurbo]

lol! I've never concerned myself with other people's hygiene. That's what Purell, and soap is for.

I sneeze into my elbow, thank you very much.

[Croc]

lol! I've never concerned myself with other people's hygiene. That's what Purell, and soap is for.

I sneeze into my elbow, thank you very much.

Well, I don't like being sick, and it's generally considered poor social etiquette to Lysol the $h! out of someone as they extend their arm for a handshake.

[Nick]

The idea that bigger is better.

[Drew Dowdell]

The idea that bigger is better.

To guys that claim the converse, there is no replacement for displacement....

take that any way you like

Well, I don't like being sick, and it's generally considered poor social etiquette to Lysol the $h! out of someone as they extend their arm for a handshake.

just where nitrile gloves everywhere.

[Croc]

just where nitrile gloves everywhere.

These?

I'd rather fist-bump than walk around looking like Super Mario.

[Robert Hall]

I'd rather fist-bump than walk around looking like Super Mario.

The good thing about wearing gloves is you don't leave fingerprints.

[Drew Dowdell]

Mine are blue

[Robert Hall]

Mine are blue

Cool..I have the blue ones and matching blue masks. Wear them when picking up dog doo from the yard at 5:30am the day that the yard guy comes (he doesn't like mowing through poo for some reason).

[Intrepidation]

What widely accepted practice, custom or societal norm do you regard as irrational, absurd, offensive, silly, nonsensical, counterproductive, or morally wrong?

Lack of personal responsibility, ignoring facts, failing to do fact checking, religious nuts, getting religion involved with government, lack of religious tolerance, being a tea-party moron (I bet all of the above falls under the tea party category).

Buying everything on credit/spending beyond your means.

[crunksoulbrotha!!`]

Auto tune, Soujah boy, men in skinny jeans,Tyler Perry,Toyota

[Cory Wolfe]

The idea that bigger is better.

I'm a fan.

[the_yellow_dart]

Man you guys made me laugh sometimes.

The Lysol and Super Mario comments made it really hard not to laugh out loud in the office.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Oh my god... Where to start?!?

Critics.

I really hate the people who READ about something, then judge it based on what they've read.

Example: "I only drive a Toyota because that's what Consumer Reports recommends" Have you ever driven another brand? Answer 1: "No." Answer 2: "Well, not in 10-15 years."

Then how do you know that your Toyota is actually better than any other car?

Too easy? Okay, how about this one: ME: "I want to go see A-Team tonight, wanna go?" FRIEND: "No, the critics panned that movie; said it didn't have a plot, so I'm not gonna waste my time."

What ever happened to THINKING FOR ONES SELF? Go EXPERIENCE the movie, THEN judge. If it was a waste of money, then so be it! You spent time with your friend and that was probably worth it anyway.

And yes, I realize that some of you might think I'm a critic. But that's why I've always made it blatantly clear that my rants are MY opinion. For example; I hate Toyota, the media and most politicians. But that doesn't mean you have to agree. My goal is merely to raise the idea.

Feeling obligated to be social

I know you think you're god's gift to gatherings, but I'm an introvert and I don't always want to be around you.

So when I come in to the room or see you at a gas station, sometimes I don't even want to acknowledge you. It's not an asshole thing, it's me trying to AVOID becoming n asshole when you FORCE socialization out of me.

I get so tired of the "Ohh, Detroit's in a bad mood today" comments at my place of work, just because I simply want to be left alone. I'm NOT in a bad mood, I just don't WANT to entertain you and be responsible for YOUR happiness.

Stereotypes.

In psychology, they teach us that stereotypes, like em or not, are generally based in fact.

So, when people see my 6'9" 330 lbs ass, they automatically assume that I'm a blue collar simpleton that 'don't know no better 'bout nothing' and 'obviously shouldn't be here at this social event'

"Lemme guess, you're a car guy, right?" Yes. "Most big guys are"

"Can you lift this heavy object, you look like a hard worker."

"Not from around here, in the city, are you." No.

Ya know what? I am a big metal loving car guy that loves the country and hard work. But I'm also someone who has a lot of college education, would love to be a florist, understands the rules of interior design and fashion and plays the violin on the side.

Anyway, enough rambling...

The 'Knuckle-Knock.' We're gentlemen, let's shake hands when getting acquainted. Try to Bro-fist me, and I leave you hanging ice cold, pal.

That's one I actually enjoy, because I don't want to shake hands.

I'm not even sure I care enough to get to know the person on the other end of that arm, so why should his/her hand be all up in my personal space?

I sneeze into my elbow, thank you very much.

Like Elmo, right?

(Sorry, they ran that Elmo ad here in NC about 3 times every 5 minutes.)

Edited August 30, 2010 by FUTURE_OF_GM