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37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
CuriositiesJUL 23, 2024

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way

Ugnė Bulotaitė
Ugnė Bulotaitė
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6
Have you wondered what would happen if you did kind of a stupid thing? How it would have turned out and what your life would look like now? Well, it's natural to wonder. And sometimes, these ideas can be turned into actions.

And so, when people on Reddit were asked what they found out by "playing around," they did not shy away from sharing their stories. Let's just say that some of them certainly don't sound like something many would like to experience.

More info: Reddit

#1

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
A boy in elementary school was harassing me and said “What you gonna do about it? Hit me? I’m wearing glasses so you can’t!” So I took his glasses off his face, stomped them, and punched him in the face.
My 5th grade self regretted it because I had to pay for his glasses by working odd jobs all summer, but my 42 year old self pats that kid on the back all the time for doing it because that dude never messed with us again.
grumblebuzz, Ksenia Chernaya
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159points

#2

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
I used to think I was a tough guy and talked a lot of s**t about how I could kick my roommates a*s if I wanted to. He politely challenged me to a boxing match. I took two hits but didn't get a serious one in. I went down.
In retrospect he was way cooler about it than he should have been. I was talking a lot of s**t and he brought out boxing gloves and even some foam helmet things. I went down like a b***h lol. I firmly believe that every s**t talker needs a good a*s kicking once in a while because that s**t humbled me and I'm a better man for it. If you're out there Isaac, it's Jibs and I'm still sorry for talking s**t lol.
bigdreams_littled**k, Hermes Rivera
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143points

#3

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
My grandfather was an alcoholic. My father was an alcoholic.
Definitely wouldn't happen to ME though.
F*****g wrong.
Drank too much beer in college. Party, party.
Drank too much on weekends through my thirties.
Finally got sober when I had my daughter at forty.
Literally the best thing that ever happened to me other than my daughter was 100% stopping any form of alcohol in any way. Got my life back. Found happiness again.
ssshield, Maurício Mascaro
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128points

It is ingrained in human nature that we are curious beings. For instance, curiosity is a driving force for people’s development. It helps us learn new things when we’re babies and even when we grow up. 

When a person is curious, their brain releases dopamine. This hormone makes an individual feel satisfaction and motivation, as well as controls memory, mood, learning concentration, and many other body functions. The positive reinforcement acquired from curiosity fuels a person to continue seeking out new experiences and information. Learning about one’s environment is what makes a person a properly functioning social creature. 

#4

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
Was using and selling d***s. Got locked up. Now im starting life over with nothing.
Edit: thanks for all of the upvotes and kind words. Yes im sober and it is a big relief not to worry about the next time ill get busted or anything like that. Im very thankful to have a second chance.
Mysterious-Oven4461, RDNE Stock project
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126points

#5

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
About six years old. Having a picnic with my dad by the lake. Some ducks wander up near us. Dad says, “You know, ducks will bite you.”
“That’s silly, they don’t even have teeth.”
“Stick your finger out and see for yourself.”
Got bit. Cried.
kevinpro7, Pixabay
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115points

#6

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
When I was 14 I had a friend that was a track athlete. This kid was seriously the fastest person I've seen in real life. It had been raining for 3 days and we were mostly stuck inside and bored. When the rain finally stopped I called him and we met up at the canal in-between our houses. It was our usual meeting spot as it was halfway.
He had the bright idea that we should cross the canal, that was at max capacity and moving very quickly, by jumping from one concrete footing to the next. Mind you, these were about 10 feet apart but very wide. I was not interested in that. Truth is that I was scared but didn't want to show it.
He decided to jump from one to the next. He barely made it and declared how easy it was. At this point the foolish pride kicks in and I make a run for it. I was comically short of making it across. So short that I hit face first into he side of the concrete footing and broke my nose. What's worse is that now I was in rapidly moving flood water with my eyes blurry from breaking my nose.
This track athlete buddy hopped on his bike and pedaled from that bridge to the next one and beat me there. I was desperately trying to grab onto the shore and pull myself up. But is was so wet and muddy that all I did was slow myself down a bit. He climbed down the embankment by the next set of concrete footings and started yelling at me to grab his hand. I did and he pulled me out. He absolutely saved my life that day. But also my bike, that was left on the other bridge, was stolen by the time we got back to it.
Obiwan_ca_blowme, Blake Cheek
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94points

Learning isn’t the only benefit of curiosity. When a person's brain is driven to be curious, it doesn’t let their mind be passive. This trains mental strength, which helps people deal with life’s challenges effectively. It also trains coping skills, such as adaptability, emotional resilience, self-awareness, and others. 

Inquisitiveness also opens new possibilities for a person, as by being curious, they do not shy away from trying new things. Only by doing that can an individual find things, activities, or people they enjoy and enrich their lives by incorporating it all into their lives. 

#7

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
I thought after 4 years of sobriety I could celebrate with just a drink or 2. 6 months later and I almost lost my amazing new job, and am currently a week sober after a month long bender and suffering severe anxiety/panic attacks, paranoia, and audio hallucinations.
NagoGmo, Mario Heller
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91points

#8

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
Kept dating a girl legit my whole family told me to get rid of. She emotionally abused me for years, cheated on me after my dad died and probably was during and still, 8 years later cries about how im her abuser and blah blah blah.
If your whole family gives you an intervention, LISTEN.
Kalos9990, RDNE Stock project
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88points

#9

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
I looked at my now ex-wife’s phone and she was 100% in a relationship with another dude while I was at work.
Joke’s on her though. I got promoted and now making twice my salary at the time, and I’m about to be engaged to the most amazing woman.
Expensive_Dingo_1805, Thom Holmes
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79points

At the same time, curiosity isn’t always the best thing. The saying “curiosity killed the cat” suggests that there are some downfalls to being curious. Some things can be so interesting for people to find out about that they can even act in an overly risky manner. And while riskiness can sometimes be worthwhile, in other cases, it can end on a sadder note.  

Certain demographics are more likely to engage in risky behavior. According to Psychology Professor Matthew Tull, young adults are one of them. Since during early adulthood, the brain is still maturing, it makes people more impulsive and take more risks without consideration of the consequences. 

#10

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
I ran for Congress thinking I could change the world. It nearly ruined my life. Took years to recover professionally and emotionally.
Active_Letterhead275, Andrea Piacquadio
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77points

#11

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
On a construction site I didn't want to be a baby and take the stairs down the 3 flights to get to the can. Figured I could just climb down the scaffolding like a real man. The first step onto the metal piping was fine. The dew on the second step caused my foot to slip. I fell, hitting my chin on the way down, smashing my shin about halfway down, and bounced off something hard just as hit the ground (luckily feet first).
I also learned that there was another actual working bathroom on the 2nd floor.
frank-sarno, Troy Mortier
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73points

#12

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
Archery hunting on about 300 acres of hardwoods with about 150 acres cattle pasture. I had crossed over the electric barb wire a hundred times, usually just by placing my backpack or something similar on the fence to push it down enough for me to step over.
Once I lazily used my bow to push it down and the limbs slipped while my crotch was dead nuts over the electric fence. Despite multiple layers on, that fence fried my a*s and nuts so bad my kidneys and bladder felt it.
I f****d around and found out.
Miserable_Wrap_4914, mehdi benhamdi
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68points

Some say that biological sex can also have an influence on engaging in risky behaviors. It might be due to either the levels of testosterone or gender norms. Also, apparently, certain genetic variants influence an individual's willingness to make risky decisions. Just as there are certain genes, there are also some personality traits or mental disorders that prompt people to act in a risky way. 

Yet, just as we said before, sometimes, risks pay off in one way or another. That’s how we learn. Maybe you’ll get hurt in some capacity, but it’ll be a lesson for the rest of your life. If you want examples of it, just take a look at today’s list. 

#13

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
I grew up racing motocross. My dad rode as well and was pretty good. As I got into my teens, I started to catch up to him in speed. One day while we were out at a practice day I kept trying to pass him in not so respectful ways. Like I would try to make him fall over in corners and stuff. I finally pass him and as I approach the next corner, my dad is magically right next to me. Before I could even react, he slams his rear tire into my front tire and makes me crash. It didn’t hurt physically but it sure hit the ego. When I got back to the truck, my dad had a big grin on his face. “You mess with the bull, you get the horns.”.
PNW35, Rodolfo Clix
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66points

#14

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
Severe anger issues. Family & Friends kept telling me to take a step back and let it go. I never did. Yelled at my girlfriend of four years two months before the wedding. She called it off. Lost a an amazing woman because of a silly argument.
Four years later - I have taken steps to work on my anger issues. I know to recognize my triggers and I know to walk away. Cost me a relationship.
a220599, Christopher Ott
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59points

#15

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
I was always warned to not play with fireworks as a kid. My dad had set up mortar shells in the vertical tubes that launch them, and went inside to grab his drink. I thought it would be a good idea to light the mortar shell while he was gone. I didn’t realize how short the fuse was, and it went off a lot quicker than I had expected, with my face inches away from the outside edge of the tube. It launched so close to my face that my eyebrows and front of my hair were singed off.
Safe to say that I learned my lesson after having to appear like that in school the next week.
Most-Organization410, Markus Spiske
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58points

In it, you can see stories of people “playing around” and learning some stuff that they’ll hardly forget in their lifetimes. For some, the lessons were less harsh, like getting bit by a duck or getting a warning letter from the police. For others, the consequences were more severe – injuries, diseases, or even ruined lives. In fact, some are so harsh that it’s quite hard to see a silver lining. 

Well, maybe it can at least work as a warning for us to be more cautious if we don’t want to find ourselves in these people's shoes. And while it’s probably not as effective as experiencing it yourself, it can still be a form of a lesson. 

Do you have any similar stories? Share them with us in the comments!

#16

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
Wrap it up. Herpes is for life.
Krispyxb, cottonbro studio
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58points

#17

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
F****d around with a crazy girl.
Found out when she broke into my apartment and kidnapped my cat.
Then again when she popped out of my walk-in closet at 2am.
And again when she whipped me like a slave with a vacuum cord after breaking down my apartment door.
On that last one...man, I was wishing for the days when she only left 200+ texts or waited to ambush me in the parking lot at work.
Actius, Nataliya Vaitkevich
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56points

#18

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
Once while hanging out with friends at my house, we decided it would be funny if I ate an entire 8 oz bag of Haribo sugarless gummy bears. 
 We had a good laugh. 
20 minutes later, I had to sprint to the toilet and didn't quite make it. I had unbuckled my pants and the effort of bending down to sit on the toilet caused my a*****e to blow out with the force of a garden hose.  Because of the position only about half the stream made it into the toilet bowl.  
The wall beside the toilet, the, toilet seat and the toilet paper in the holder were sprayed with a stream of chunky liquid s**t. I was forced to sit in my own mess for about 10 minutes as an almost continous fire hose of diarrhea splashed noisily into the bowl.  My friends left early that evening.  
I had to clean it up myself in the end.
F**k.
KreedKafer33, Amit Lahav
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53points

#19

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
I got married young when everybody told me not to.
I learned that there’s a good reason they were telling me not to. I also learned that you can never judge a marriage from the outside looking in. Everyone was shocked that I left him, but I had been struggling for a long time and had even contemplated taking my own life just to escape how toxic it was. I was raised believing it was only okay to leave someone if they cheat on you or beat you. I then learned abuse isn’t always physical.
Yes I regret it lol.
ETA: Just in case it wasn’t clear, I regret the marriage, not the divorce. The divorce saved my life. The marriage is what almost ended it.
AmberKF13, Jeremy Wong
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51points

#20

37 Netizens Who Foolishly Played Around And ‘Found Out’ The Hard Way
Passed a slower vehicle on the shoulder in my younger years. I was being hasty and just thought f**k it. Like 20 mins later I was getting gas and they had followed me, gotten out and threatened to beat my a*s. Screaming about how unsafe what I did was, filming me and everything. Dude was jacked. I was mostly confused like who they were but eventually it clicked.
Bit of an overreaction on their part but yeah you shouldn't pass people on the shoulder. Also found out road rage is real and people will indeed follow you lol.
PartamRuhem, Kaique Rocha
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50points
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