Our brain takes shortcuts to save time and effort, but that, in turn, hinders our judgment. Even when better options exist, we might default to what feels easy, familiar, or immediate instead of what is rational and beneficial in the long term. Sadly, we do this in high-stakes situations, too.
Recently, Reddit user Extension-Try-3531 asked people on the internet to share the quickest way they’ve seen someone wreck their life, and, hopefully, these cautionary stories will remind you that, oftentimes, it’s best to blame either yourself or no one at all.
#21
Popular guy in high school, graduating in a couple weeks, university bound. During prom weekend people went to a cottage to party. After drinking all day and night he went out on to the lake in the middle of the night in a small boat with no life jacket, and apparently he couldn't swim. Tipped over, ended up in the lake, drown. There were rumours it was a s*****e since it seems ridiculous to do that but everyone who actually knew him said there was no way it was.
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17points
#22
Not going to say “fast,” but have an ex currently in prison for attempted to k**l her then 9-month old infant. In high school, thought I could “help her,” even though my friends warned me about her behavior. She would constantly threaten to off herself, would pick fights over small stuff, I would receive text from random numbers claiming to be her “friends” during these fights, etc. Finally cut contact before I left for college. She found another guy, and had a couple kids (possibly three but she claims she had a miscarriage). Her social media posts seemed suspicious, but I never said anything. Next thing I hear, she was arrested when a nurse at our local children’s hospital caught her injecting something into her infant, which sent them into cardiac arrest. Luckily, they were able to save the kid, but now she gets to send over a decade behind bars for it.
17points
#23
Bipolar manic episode.
AdDiligent1688:
Correct. If untreated, it can really ruin up your life. You can do things you’d never normally do, become a person you aren’t. And what’s nuts is this can happen sober. When you least expect it.
AdDiligent1688:
Correct. If untreated, it can really ruin up your life. You can do things you’d never normally do, become a person you aren’t. And what’s nuts is this can happen sober. When you least expect it.
16points
#24
Had a friend named D. Growing up. Guy was a certified genius! We're talking no effort, was in pre-calc in high school with him, didn't study at all, sat down and took the tests and aced everyone of them.
He joined the military and scored into intelligence whatever that means.
Problem was, he was a raging alcoholic from 16. Got kicked outta the military, couldn't hold a job, nothing.
He joined the military and scored into intelligence whatever that means.
Problem was, he was a raging alcoholic from 16. Got kicked outta the military, couldn't hold a job, nothing.
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16points
#25
He was a music teacher at a small town high school. He sent students inappropriate texts. He got arrested and fired from his job. He used to play music at my church. He was 27 years old at the time. He knew better.
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15points
#26
This one homeless dude ended up on our psych ward, and they did everything they could to help him and get him housed. He got into an argument with staff one day, found out he could just walk out, and did so. We all watched him get in the elevator to go disappear back to Lower Lower Wacker Dr.
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15points
#28
They didn't know it, but anyone doing the things on Epstein Island to those poor women and girls and boys were ruining their lives in those moments.
And for what?
And for what?
10points
#29
Dated an attorney. He was the only few to practice criminal federal trials on our state.
He chose overdosing.
He chose overdosing.
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10points
#30
So there was a businessman who owned a beauty product store chain worth hundreds of millions. He married a woman twice younger than him. Suddenly he died because there was arsenic, or rat poison, or some other completely normal substance in his food. The culprit was never found and the grieving widow inherited all his stuff.
What do you do if you suddenly get a healthy and very lucrative business? You might keep running it in the exactly same way it got so successful. You might hire a competent exec who'd do it in your place. That woman, however, came up with a genius idea: use it for money laundering. That, as you can guess, got her in jail with the company going bankrupt.
What do you do if you suddenly get a healthy and very lucrative business? You might keep running it in the exactly same way it got so successful. You might hire a competent exec who'd do it in your place. That woman, however, came up with a genius idea: use it for money laundering. That, as you can guess, got her in jail with the company going bankrupt.
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8points
#31
My mother, when homeless guy with one milion debt to his former emlployee, asked her out. They got married soon after and ended up divorced, also soon after. Now he got half of OUR stuff and suits for more. Some people just doesn't listen to reason until it's too late. .
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7points
#32
Ex friends boyfriend lost everything including his health to drinking.
Also local homeless person who used to be a semi famous musician lost everything to schitzophrenia.
Also local homeless person who used to be a semi famous musician lost everything to schitzophrenia.
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5points
#33
A guy I worked with had a beautiful wife with money, 3 beautiful little girls, the perfect family really. He cheated with a super mid co worker and lost everything. His wife absolutely hated his guts. She took his kids and dogs him every chance she gets. He barely ever kids to see his daughters. He also keeps very little of his money because that goes to her also. There is a saying that, “It’s cheaper to keep her.” Something every guy should consider. Because it can literally cost you everything.
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5points