Social Faux Pas You Never Understood

tr00per · Jul 1, 2018

So in raising my child, I have the responsibility to teach good manners and how to behave in general. It occurred to me recently that I never really grasped WHY we do some things as a society the way that we do. For instance:

No elbows on the table

Maybe I'm just not high class enough (I have no idea which fork goes where) but I've never personally subscribed to this one. If anything, it's a compliment to how good the food is. How would one eat a 3/4 pound double cheeseburger without putting their elbows on the table?

Don't point

I feel like this is a holdover from the days of the Salem witch trials or something. Pointing is a really effective way to communicate with someone. I could see how pointing to someone and saying something disrespectful could be bad, but surely that's more on the words than the gesture, right?

So what are some "Do"s or "Don't"s you never understood?

Kevers · Jul 1, 2018

I think the elbows thing is more about slouching down onto the table.

Dad · Jul 1, 2018

Socks and sandals

BlueTsunami · Jul 1, 2018

I remember getting into a kerfuffle over elbows on the table. I believe its due to the tendency to slouch and look a bit slovenly, especially in higher dining environments. And yet, it shouldnt be an issue in a casual environment.

Cyanity · Jul 1, 2018

Not giving the bride and groom lots of money or an expensive gift at their wedding. Like, I'm broke. Why am I expected to give you $200 when I show up to your wedding?

And if your counter-argument is "because weddings are expensive", then maybe: stop throwing expensive weddings?

Deleted member 7130 · Jul 1, 2018

Scratching with foreign objects. What is the difference of scratching in public with my hand or some keys? It’s not like I’m scratching my nut sack.

Coyote Starrk · Jul 1, 2018

Elbows on the table never made any sense to me.

FRANKEINSTEIN · Jul 1, 2018

Don't eat the last cookie.
Someone has to. Why not me?

Colin Robinson · Jul 1, 2018

FRANKEINSTEIN said:
Don't eat the last cookie.
Someone has to. Why not me?

My wife won’t finish off a box of cereal. So there’s like 4 boxes of cereal on top of my fridge-each with 2 small portion of cereal remaining.

whatsinaname · Jul 1, 2018

So I don't know which is the faux pas here. You get invited to a birthday dinner at a restaurant. Is it a faux pas for the host (whose birthday it is) to expect the guests to pay. Or is it a faux pas/cheap of the guests feeling weird about paying?

TheUnseenTheUnheard · Jul 1, 2018

Kevers said:
I think the elbows thing is more about slouching down onto the table.

Putting my elbows on the table would keep me from slouching.

FRANKEINSTEIN · Jul 1, 2018

Dalek said:
My wife won’t finish off a box of cereal. So there’s like 4 boxes of cereal on top of my fridge-each with 2 small portion of cereal remaining.

Mix it all together and put in 1 box.

Deleted member 22490 · Jul 1, 2018

whatsinaname said:
So I don't know which is the faux pas here. You get invited to a birthday dinner at a restaurant. Is it a faux pas for the host (whose birthday it is) to expect the guests to pay. Or is it a faux pas/cheap of the guests feeling weird about paying?

In my group of friends, everyone paid for themselves except the person whose birthday it is.

Angry Grimace · Jul 1, 2018

Pineapple on pizza is fine

Bobo Dakes · Jul 1, 2018

Being expected to wash your hands after going to the bathroom.

5taquitos · Jul 1, 2018

Angry Grimace said:
Pineapple on pizza is fine

Better than fine

PeakPointMatrix · Jul 1, 2018

Took mine OP, elbows on the table make no sense.

Mine is peeing in the sink. I mean it’s all pipes. It all ends up in the same place, what’s the big deal?

jk

BDS · Jul 1, 2018

tr00per said:
Don't point

I feel like this is a holdover from the days of the Salem witch trials or something. Pointing is a really effective way to communicate with someone. I could see how pointing to someone and saying something disrespectful could be bad, but surely that's more on the words than the gesture, right?

The faux pas is that you aren't supposed to randomly point at someone on the street and start whispering to your friends. The person has no idea what you're saying about them. It's rude.

PhazonBlonde · Jul 1, 2018

Pointing is rude: especially in foreign cultures at times. People could think you're pointing at them.

Xiaomi · Jul 1, 2018

Shin Bobo Dakes said:
Being expected to wash your hands after going to the bathroom.

:/ :\ :|

Einchy · Jul 1, 2018

FRANKEINSTEIN said:
Don't eat the last cookie.
Someone has to. Why not me?

Wut

Dalek said:
My wife won’t finish off a box of cereal. So there’s like 4 boxes of cereal on top of my fridge-each with 2 small portion of cereal remaining.

WUT

I’ve literally never heard of this. It’s so...weird.

Khanimus · Jul 1, 2018

Shin Bobo Dakes said:
Being expected to wash your hands after going to the bathroom.

Jesus christ

Powdered Egg · Jul 1, 2018

Mandatory hat removal in church and court.

Bobo Dakes · Jul 1, 2018

Khanimus said:
Jesus christ

Clearly a joke.

TheInfinityGauntlet · Jul 1, 2018

Dalek said:
My wife won’t finish off a box of cereal. So there’s like 4 boxes of cereal on top of my fridge-each with 2 small portion of cereal remaining.

it's me I'm your wife

Shin Bobo Dakes said:
Being expected to wash your hands after going to the bathroom.

Nasty Ass

whatsinaname said:
So I don't know which is the faux pas here. You get invited to a birthday dinner at a restaurant. Is it a faux pas for the host (whose birthday it is) to expect the guests to pay. Or is it a faux pas/cheap of the guests feeling weird about paying?

Unless it's been said assume you're paying for yours and yours only

Angry Grimace said:
Pineapple on pizza is fine

Incorrect.

Televator said:
Scratching with foreign objects. What is the difference of scratching in public with my hand or some keys? It’s not like I’m scratching my nut sack.

Keys on nut sack >>>

Khanimus · Jul 1, 2018

Shin Bobo Dakes said:
Clearly a joke.

You say that, but someone is going to post this shit genuinely.

Fat4all · Jul 1, 2018

i was told never to stare at people

kids stare at me all the time cuz im a fat

tr00per · Jul 1, 2018

Kevers said:
I think the elbows thing is more about slouching down onto the table.

BlueTsunami said:
I remember getting into a kerfuffle over elbows on the table. I believe its due to the tendency to slouch and look a bit slovenly, especially in higher dining environments. And yet, it shouldnt be an issue in a casual environment.

I was about to say

TheUnseenTheUnheard said:
Putting my elbows on the table would keep me from slouching.

Dalek said:
My wife won’t finish off a box of cereal. So there’s like 4 boxes of cereal on top of my fridge-each with 2 small portion of cereal remaining.

Oof that would drive me nuts!

BDS said:
The faux pas is that you aren't supposed to randomly point at someone on the street and start whispering to your friends. The person has no idea what you're saying about them. It's rude.

PhazonBlonde said:
Pointing is rude: especially in foreign cultures at times. People could think you're pointing at them.

But I swear I've seen children being chastised for even raising a hand to point at an object.

Deleted member 14002 · Jul 1, 2018

Elbows on table is a good one.

Needing to make eye contact during a toast is one that never made sense to me.

Prophaniti · Jul 1, 2018

Elbows on the table thing has always been weird to me. Just eat however lol.

TheBaldEmperor · Jul 1, 2018

It’s got to be removing a hat when indoors. How on earth is it disrespectful to wear a hat inside? Is it disrespectful to the building?

Admiral Woofington · Jul 1, 2018

Shin Bobo Dakes said:
Being expected to wash your hands after going to the bathroom.

signal · Jul 1, 2018

This seems to be mostly a western or american thing but the stigma against eating outside alone always seemed stupid.

sph3re · Jul 2, 2018

Fat4all said:
i was told never to stare at people

kids stare at me all the time cuz im a fat

I'm skinny-fat if that helps, it's literally the worst of all worlds. I'm a long-bodied alien man with a mini-kegger in the front, it's the fucking worst

ishan · Jul 2, 2018

whatsinaname said:
So I don't know which is the faux pas here. You get invited to a birthday dinner at a restaurant. Is it a faux pas for the host (whose birthday it is) to expect the guests to pay. Or is it a faux pas/cheap of the guests feeling weird about paying?

Depends on the culture here in America evidently everyone buys for the birthday person . In India the birthday person pays for everyone

Sai · Jul 2, 2018

Cyanity said:
Not giving the bride and groom lots of money or an expensive gift at their wedding. Like, I'm broke. Why am I expected to give you $200 when I show up to your wedding?

And if your counter-argument is "because weddings are expensive", then maybe: stop throwing expensive weddings?

lol this for sure

UltraMagnanimous · Jul 2, 2018

signal said:
This seems to be mostly a western or american thing but the stigma against eating outside alone always seemed stupid.

never heard of this stigma until literally this minute.

AnansiThePersona · Jul 2, 2018

Dalek said:
My wife won’t finish off a box of cereal. So there’s like 4 boxes of cereal on top of my fridge-each with 2 small portion of cereal remaining.

I do this too. I don't want any cereal crumb bullshit

azeke · Jul 2, 2018

People ritually pretending to be offended, grimacing and wincing after someone says a pun.

spam musubi · Jul 2, 2018

Shin Bobo Dakes said:
Being expected to wash your hands after going to the bathroom.

lol @ this

in the old forum, there was a guy who was defending not wiping after taking a shit. at least you can take solace in knowing that there are worse people than you, I guess.

Sparkedglory2 · Jul 2, 2018

nynt9 said:
lol @ this

in the old forum, there was a guy who was defending not wiping after taking a shit. at least you can take solace in knowing that there are worse people than you, I guess.

Oh my god I remember that. So nasty

At least the wash your hands thing was a joke

ZackieChan · Jul 2, 2018

ishan said:
Depends on the culture here in America evidently everyone buys for the birthday person . In India the birthday person pays for everyone

Is India located in the Shire?

Lumination · Jul 2, 2018

While I get why people don't like talking about salary, there is so much benefit if they could just set their egos aside for a minute.

Bobo Dakes · Jul 2, 2018

nynt9 said:
lol @ this

in the old forum, there was a guy who was defending not wiping after taking a shit. at least you can take solace in knowing that there are worse people than you, I guess.

I'm joking. And we had a thread recently about a guy defending not always wiping recently, it got locked.

Kayo Police · Jul 2, 2018

Holding the doors open for people.

Rendering... · Jul 2, 2018

Sometimes I got criticized for writing on my hand. Fuck off, it's my hand.

Bobo Dakes · Jul 2, 2018

Lumination said:
While I get why people don't like talking about salary, there is so much benefit if they could just set their egos aside for a minute.

Depends where you're at on the food chain. I'm at the bottom at my job, so it's only good for me to hear what others make, but it's weird to hear others complain about being underpaid when they make $10,000 more than you.

PersonAndStuff · Jul 2, 2018

What is wrong with going to the movie by yourself. You're sitting quietly in the dark.

Z-Beat · Jul 2, 2018

I get not reaching over the table to get something during a meal, but I don't get not being able to reach if it's within your reach and you don't have to reach over anyone else to get to it.

gutter_trash · Jul 2, 2018

the whole silverware dining order.

I don't give a fuck what this fork or knife is specifically used for, this knife IMO is for everything LOL

Social Faux Pas You Never Understood

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