c/broken-social-norms

So I decided to stop pretending to laugh at my boss's terrible jokes for a whole Tuesday

After the third 'why did the chicken cross the road' variant before 10 AM, I just stared blankly and said 'I don't get it', which led to a full hour of awkward silence in the shop before he finally asked if I wanted to help him with a tricky brake job on a 2015 F-150.

Appreciation post: I used to get weird looks for not wearing makeup to work, but after a year of remote meetings, nobody even notices anymore.

I realized the shift happened around 2021 when my boss, during a video call from her kitchen, said, 'Honestly, I haven't worn lipstick in months, and it's kind of great,' which made me feel like the old office norm of a full face was just quietly forgotten. Has anyone else found a social rule that just faded away without a big fight?

Shoutout to the guy who just started clapping in a quiet movie theater

I was at the 7:15 showing of that new action movie downtown last night, and after a big explosion scene, one guy just started clapping loudly by himself. It was totally silent otherwise, and you could feel everyone freeze. He kept going for a solid 10 seconds before stopping. I found out later from a friend that some people do this to 'break the tension' of a shared experience, which honestly surprised me. Has anyone else seen someone deliberately break a norm like that in public?

My friend Jake told me to try grocery shopping at 2 AM to avoid people, and it was a weirdly peaceful disaster.

He swore the 24-hour store in Glendale would be empty, so I went last Tuesday. I was the only customer, but the staff were restocking everything, so I had to keep moving my cart out of the way of pallets. It was quiet, but I felt like I was in everyone's way the whole time. Has anyone else tried shopping at a truly odd hour and had it backfire?

I finally wore pajamas to the hardware store

I was grabbing a box of breakers at the local supply house on a Sunday morning, still in my flannel pants. The cashier just smiled and said 'rough night?', and I realized nobody actually cared. Has anyone else done something small like that and gotten zero reaction?

Serious question, I chose to wear pajama pants to the grocery store on a Tuesday morning

I picked comfort over the weird expectation to be 'presentable' for a 10 minute milk run, and honestly, the only look I got was from a guy in a full three-piece suit. Has anyone else just stopped dressing for errands?

Pro tip: I chose to wear pajamas to the grocery store on a Tuesday afternoon just to see what would happen.

The cashier in Denver just smiled and said 'I wish I had the guts to do that', which made the whole thing feel pretty great, honestly.

I chose to quit my job without another one lined up

My choice was between staying in a job that made me sick every Sunday night or leaving with no safety net. I picked leaving, even though my family said it was crazy. For the first month, I felt free, but then the money worries hit hard. I had about $3,000 saved, which only lasted six weeks. Now I'm doing odd jobs and it's scary, but I don't miss the panic attacks. Has anyone else made a big jump like this and how did you handle the money part?

I stopped saying 'sorry' at work for a month and my boss noticed

I got tired of apologizing for every small thing like asking a question or taking a day off, so I just stopped for 30 days and used 'thank you' instead, like saying 'thanks for your patience' when I was late. My manager actually pulled me aside last Friday and said I seemed more confident and decisive now. Has anyone else tried cutting a specific polite word out of their work talk and seen a change?

I spent $400 on a 'social detox' retreat that was just awkward silence

I signed up for a weekend in Sedona that promised to break the norm of constant small talk, but it was basically just 20 people refusing to speak for 48 hours. The organizers called it 'structured silence,' but honestly, it felt like a very expensive, weird camping trip where no one would tell you where the bathroom was. Has anyone else tried one of these 'anti-social' experiences and actually gotten anything out of it?

I stopped saying 'bless you' after sneezes for a month to see what would happen

I work in an open office in Austin, and I just quietly stopped acknowledging sneezes (you know, like a normal Tuesday). After about three days, a coworker actually asked if I was mad at him. The weird part was, by week two, two other people in my section had unconsciously stopped saying it too. It made me wonder if we're upholding these tiny norms just because everyone else does, or if there's a real social glue there. Has anyone else tried dropping a small, automatic politeness ritual and seen it spread?

I started clapping for the pilot after a bumpy landing in Denver

We hit some bad weather coming into Denver last week and the landing was rough, like everyone was holding onto their armrests rough. When we finally stopped, the cabin was dead quiet, the way it always is. I just started clapping, not loud, just a normal clap. A few people looked at me like I was nuts, but then this older guy a few rows up joined in, and then a couple more. The flight attendant gave a small smile over the intercom. It felt silly but also kind of nice to break that weird post-landing tension. Has anyone else ever done something small like that in a super quiet public space?

I started clapping at the end of movies in an empty theater

I was the only person left in a screening of a superhero movie in Phoenix, and when the credits rolled I gave a slow, sarcastic clap for about ten seconds. A cleaner poked their head in, gave me a weird look, and just said 'really, dude?' lmao. Has anyone else done something pointless just because the usual social pressure was gone?

Stopped wearing shoes inside my own house after a trip to Japan

I used to think it was normal to track outside dirt everywhere... but spending a week in Osaka with a host family changed my mind. Now I have a strict no-shoe policy by the front door, and my mom thinks I'm being weirdly intense about it. Anyone else get a weird look for making people take their shoes off?

I stopped saying 'sorry' at work for a month and it turned into a huge mess

I read this thing about women over-apologizing, so I decided to cut the word 'sorry' from my work emails and meetings for 30 days. The first week, my boss asked if I was mad at him because I sent a correction without my usual 'sorry for the confusion' opener. A project handoff got really tense when I just stated a fact instead of cushioning it. It actually took me about three months to figure out a balance, using phrases like 'thanks for your patience' instead. The social pushback was way stronger than I expected. Has anyone else tried to drop a polite habit and had it blow up?

Showerthought: My cousin said he never says 'bless you' when someone sneezes

He told me at dinner last night that he stopped about two years ago because he thinks it's a pointless habit. I realized I just do it on autopilot without ever questioning why. Does anyone else have a small social rule they just decided to ignore?

Hot take: I thought 'no small talk' was rude until I tried it for a week

For years, I felt forced to ask people about their weekend or the weather. It felt fake. Then, after a really draining chat with a neighbor about his lawn, I decided to stop. For seven days, I just said 'good morning' or 'hello' without a follow-up question. At the grocery store, the post office, even to coworkers. I was sure people would think I was mad at them. The weird thing? Almost no one seemed to notice or care. One person at the gas pump even looked relieved. It saved me maybe 20 minutes of my day and a lot of mental energy I used to spend thinking of what to say next. I'm not saying to be cold, but skipping the script felt like breaking a rule that wasn't even a real rule. Has anyone else just stopped forcing conversation and found it was okay?

I wore pajamas to the grocery store on a Tuesday morning and got a weird look from my neighbor, Karen.

It was 10 AM last week and I just didn't feel like changing out of my plaid pants and old t-shirt. I needed milk and figured, who cares? Karen from down the street gave me this long stare in the cereal aisle, like I'd broken a law. It felt oddly freeing, but also a little awkward. Has anyone else done something small like this and gotten a strong reaction?

Can we talk about when I quit saying 'bless you' after sneezes?

I just stopped saying 'bless you' when someone sneezes. It always seemed like a weird thing we do without thinking. My friend sneezed three times in a row and I didn't say a word. She stared at me like I broke some law. But it made me realize how many tiny rules we follow. Now I just let the moment pass. It feels kind of freeing to ignore that norm.

Pro tip: I stopped using fancy words with customers when explaining electrical work

They understood better and I learned how to make complex ideas simple.

It hit me how much better holidays are without a kids table.

PSA: I look at mouths, not eyes, during conversations

Everyone says you have to look people in the eye, but it makes me too tense. I started watching their mouths instead, and it lets me focus on what they're saying. This way, I feel less stressed and listen better.

I stopped pretending to like baby showers and it changed everything

I used to force myself to attend, but now I skip them and no one has disowned me yet.

Why I quit taking work calls on my days off

I see clients in my roofing job message me on weekends hoping for fast answers. I started only replying on weekdays, which felt like breaking a big norm in my trade. What's your way of handling folks who want you on call all the time?

Vent: I broke the office norm by exiting meetings on time. Now everyone thinks I'm rude.