If you’re not careful, social pressure can have a powerful yet often subtle impact on your life. Even if you think you’re immune to other people’s and companies' opinions, they can still sometimes gently push you in one direction or another, where you pick up certain habits just because that’s how others behave.
In an intriguing AskReddit thread, internet users revealed the things that they believe society has “brainwashed” people into thinking that they need, even though they probably don’t. We’ve collected their most insightful opinions to share with you, and you can check them out below.
Bored Panda reached out to the author of the interesting discussion, redditor u/Beaner890, and they were kind enough to share their thoughts about social pressure and how to counter it. You'll find our interview with them as you read on.
#21
Climbing the corporate ladder. You spend years stepping on rungs made of stress and unpaid overtime, only to realize the top floor belongs to someone else—and they just pulled the ladder up behind them.
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33points
#22
Gonna keep this light. Most people don’t NEED a shower every day. Embrace the ponytail and wear that shirt a third time before washing. The earth will thank you. But PLEASE, however funky you get, brush and floss those teeth twice a day.
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33points
#24
To prove they're right.
You don't need to reply to every comment that denies the point you were trying to make. Your time is valuable. State your points and move on with your life.
You don't need to reply to every comment that denies the point you were trying to make. Your time is valuable. State your points and move on with your life.
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30points
#25
A million vitamins and supplements every day, like hundreds of dollars a month amounts.
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28points
#26
A lot of things for babies. Babies don’t need things, parents think they need things to make their lives easier.
Diaper genies are not easier and 100% more gross and that’s a hill I will die on.
Diaper genies are not easier and 100% more gross and that’s a hill I will die on.
26points
#27
A four-year degree for jobs that pay you $18/hr and ask if you’re 'passionate about Excel.'
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26points
#31
Make Up. No one actually needs it but we've unfortunately brainwashed women into thinking they need it.
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24points
#33
An opinion.
It's ok to not have an opinion on something. It's ok to just not care about something. It doesn't make you the anti christ to the person asking for it if you don't have one. It doesn't mean you don't support their cause or that you are vehemently against it.
It just means you've decided to put your energies into something else.
It's ok to not have an opinion on something. It's ok to just not care about something. It doesn't make you the anti christ to the person asking for it if you don't have one. It doesn't mean you don't support their cause or that you are vehemently against it.
It just means you've decided to put your energies into something else.
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22points
#34
Daily showers. Medical investigations have proven time and time again that someone who showers daily is really no cleaner or hygienic than someone who showers every other day, and showering too much can actually cause skin damage. It literally wasn’t a social norm to shower every day until fully fitted bathrooms become more common. And every time this is pointed out, people just say “Nooooo that’s groooooss!”
Obviously some people live in very humid climates or have extremely physical jobs, but the average person doesn’t get much benefit from showering once a day, certainly not more than once, which again, is bad for your skin.
Obviously some people live in very humid climates or have extremely physical jobs, but the average person doesn’t get much benefit from showering once a day, certainly not more than once, which again, is bad for your skin.
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21points
#35
Constant stimulation. Frequent long distance travel to places experiencing over tourism.
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19points
#38
The way our homes are with rooms and how they are decorated. It’s kinda all the same and we just have references to how they are supposed to be. Like you can make your house whatever ridiculousness you want, but most don’t .
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17points
