Did you know that according to Ipsos, a multinational market research and consulting firm, on average across 30 countries, two in three adults (67%) consider themselves “happy”?
A pretty decent number, isn't it?
Well, life is not always blissful. It loves to kick you in your bottom, and as a result, you often find yourself facing some serious obstacles and hardships.
Whether it’s work-related stress, responsibilities that you find overwhelming, situations that you have little to no control over, or perhaps you’re simply going through a period of uncertainty – most of the time, all you want to do is talk to someone who’ll be able to knock some sense back into you by offering you a piece of wise advice.
But here’s the catch, most of the advice is complete and utter garbage.
“What’s a common ‘life pro tip' that is actually bad advice?” – this web user took to one of Reddit’s most philosophical and enlightening communities, asking its members to offer their serious takes on the world’s poorest life advice. The thread managed to garner nearly 24K upvotes as well as 6.3K comments containing some pretty eye-opening statements.
More info: Reddit
#1
If a girl has declined to go out with you, that means you stop asking her. It’s not her playing hard to get, she just isn’t interested, unless she surprises you and says otherwise. So don’t follow the “If she says no, you’ve just gotta keep trying” b******t, just respect her boundaries.
Image credits: HouseFanatic64
#2
“You can do anything that you put your mind too.” No...you can’t. Not everyone is good at everything , and the sooner you make peace with your own limitations, the more successful you’ll become.
Image credits: Idothis4me
#3
“If you can’t love yourself you can’t love someone else”Makes everyone with any mental illness feel unlovable and hopeless
Image credits: jessicajelliott
#4
ABSOLUTELY DO SAVE BIRDS THAT FELL OUT OF THEIR NESTS! You're letting them die if you don't, their mom doesn't give a single s**t about their smell so please save them.
Image credits: anon
#5
“Never give up.” Sometimes you should give up. Sometimes you’ll try your best and it still won’t work out.
Image credits: Phase3isProfit
#6
"You can't smell vodka."Yes. Yes you can. And you reek of it.
Image credits: nabiyonbeh
#7
"Just come out, even if your parents hate you it's better than being someone you're not!"No. No nono noooooooooooo. Come out when it's *safe*. when you have somewhere else to live. You've faked it for this long, you can do a little longer and stay alive. It sucks, it hurts, it's a b***h and unfair, but you'll live.
Some parents realise they're jerks and become accepting, some realise they were too accepting and outright murder thier child. Be. Safe.
Image credits: Kalaan
#8
Anything that advises you to be a d**k to someone who seemingly doesn't deserve it."be macho, women love that s**t"
"Don't worry about your friend that says you're mean, he's a pussy"
"Your employer will appreciate you being agreessive and brutish"
As a general rule, being a d**k is rarely, RARELY a good idea
Image credits: Astro493
#9
Never go to bed angrySometimes you just need some time to chill the f**k out and ruminate in why you’re angry. Constantly talking about everything is what they show on TV, but if you don’t have time to process your feelings you can just end up fighting even more than if you just took a day to chill
Image credits: nonnoodles
#10
"Always listen to your elders" and "Old people are smarter / wiser"I don't care who you are, what relationship I have with you, or expecially how old you are. Anyone can be a dumbass.
Image credits: ItsOnlyLava
#11
"Looks don't matter."No matter how confident you are with yourself it is inevitable that people will judge you based on your appearance.
Image credits: GurgleQueen636
#12
“Ignore the bullies and they’ll stop.”This advice makes me want to slap a b***h. You are giving them and everyone who sees it permission.
Silence is acceptance. That is the real advice.
Image credits: SillyGayBoy
#13
“Just be happy” or “look on the bright side”. Great overall advice, but sometimes in the moment, it can be the absolute worst. Sometimes things just suck and we want to break down and cry. That’s okay. We shouldn’t be talked out of those emotions when we’re upset and obviously feeling low.
Image credits: Dehos3
#14
“If a boy is mean to you, it means he likes you”No, it means he’s likely a bully and leads women to staying in abusive relationships because ‘he Loves me”
Image credits: janesyouraunt
#15
"If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best."Absolutely wrong and super self-centered. At our worst, we're all super s****y and our loved ones don't deserve that. Some may not be able to handle us at our worst due to their own life stress and mental health conditions. This is just a recipe for pushing important people away.
Image credits: anon
#16
"You should do some math before accepting a raise, because it might put you in the next tax bracket and you actually take home less money."THAT'S NOT HOW TAX BRACKETS WORK.
Let's say the first tax bracket is $10,000 at 10%. That means you fork over $1,000 to Uncle Sam and take home $9,000.
For the sake of simplicity, let's assume the next tax bracket is 20%. You are offered a raise of $500, making your total income $10,500.
This does not mean *the entire $10,500* is taxed at that 20% rate!
That first $10,000 is taxed at 10%...then the remaining $500 in the next tax bracket is taxed at 20% (which is $100).
Out of that $10,500, you fork over $1100, and take home $9,400. You take home $400 more!
**Never reject a raise *just* because it puts you in the next tax bracket. There is no such thing as taking home less money because you are "in" a higher tax bracket.**
Edit: this is *only* about tax brackets. There are still plenty of good reasons to reject a raise - i.e. benefits cliffs, pay not matching new workload, etc. I'm just here to say that "losing money because you get taxed more" *is not one of them*, because that doesn't exist/that's not how the tax brackets work.
Edit 2: this is also specific to the U.S. Not commenting on other countries' tax structures.
Image credits: Nyxelestia
#17
"Just be yourself" "you're perfect just the way you are" and "never let anyone change you" are double edged swords preventing many people from growing out of horrid habits or bad personality traits.If a lot of people are telling you to change your behavior, chances are you're gonna f**k up your life if you dont pay attention.
Image credits: lurklurklurkPOST
#18
"You can be *anything* you wanna be"No, you can't. People with money *could* be anything they wanna be. The rest of us probably have to work really hard to *maybe* attain our goals if we are lucky.
#19
There's no real catchy way to put it, but the sentiment that your life revolves around your job. You don't have to have a "career" or be ultra-successful in your field. You just have to have a job that lets you earn enough money to enjoy your life and achieve all the things you want to do outside of work.#20
"I have an idea. [Propose, announce pregnancy, come out, announce divorce] at [name]'s [wedding, funeral, birthday, birthing, reception, graduation].No. You are stealing their attention and ruining it. If you do that, that is selfish.
#21
I kind of have "no excuses" drilled into me but...sometimes there are legit reasons why you can't do something.Also, not everything has a Hollywood ending. Sometimes you can't do something, sometimes you fail and have to give up. Being realistic about that isn't a bad thing.
Image credits: rabbles-of-roses
#22
“Practice makes perfect.”No it doesn’t. Practice makes permanent. If you continuously repeat shoddy work, you’ll just become very efficient at making that shoddy work, and it’ll be hard for you to ever improve.
Practice along with introspection, analysis, and feedback makes perfect.
Image credits: anon
#23
"If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life."Many people use this advice thinking they'll be able to easily coast through life and are shocked when they have to face the reality of it being an actual job. When you do something that you love as a career rather than as a hobby, it becomes much more serious and has more responsibilities. Sometimes it can even lead to you hating the thing you used to love.
This isn't to discourage anyone who wants to pursue a career in something they enjoy, like a photographer or a chef. If you want to have a career doing something you enjoy, that's great. But you have to go in knowing that it won't be all sunshine and rainbows 100% of the time. There will be difficulties from time to time and you won't have the same amount of freedom that you used to have when it was just a hobby. As long as you go in knowing that and are willing to adapt and work hard, you'll be fine.
Image credits: ThatLaloBoy
#24
You can’t run away from your problems/bloom where you’re planted.Not always bad advice, but sometimes you absolutely do need to leave a toxic environment before your life can improve
#25
"If you work harder than everyone else, you'll *always* get what you want."No. Just no.
Sometimes s**t happens. Hard work doesn't guarantee success. Some people, though untalented and lazy, cruise through life. And some people who work hard every single day struggle to make ends meet. There's no guarantee that hard work will get you to where you want to be.
Edit: Okay this blew up overnight and I feel like I should clarify some things. The emphasis here was on the word "always". You don't *always* get what you want. Yes, hard work is important and necessary in life. But you don't *always* get what you want just by working hard. If I wanted to be as rich as Jeff Besos tomorrow, I wouldn't be able to do it *just by working hard*. Maybe I can do it, maybe I can't. But I'm going to need a lot more than hard work to get me there. Some other things you also need are perseverance, resilience, discipline and a good plan. You don't *always* get what you want by *only* working hard. That being said, yes, hard work is important, kids. So is working smart. Have there been people who have succeeded without having to work hard? Yes. Have there been people who have received opportunities that the "hard-worker" did not get simply because they were born richer or they had better connections? Absolutely. Have there been people who have succeeded by working hard? I sure hope so. But hard work doesn't guarantee that you will get exactly what you want all the time.
Image credits: cheesecakeandchill
#26
"Getting a 4-year degree is essential for a successful career"Acquiring marketable skills in a field you enjoy is what matters, not spending X amount of time in college. Many 4-year degrees leave you with very few skills that are needed in the job market, while many trade school programs only take a few months and put you on the track to a high paying job.
Image credits: DeathSpiral321
#27
Not posted on reddit much, but almost any boomer advice is useless in 2020.**-Just go up to the manager, shake their hand, and ask for a job!**
*They will think you are weird and tell you to apply online*
**-Keep asking out that love interest over and over! You'll wear them down!**
*Borders on stalking and is likely a giant waste of time that won't turn into a lasting relationship*
**-Pull up your bootstraps and work a part-time job to pay for college/a home!**
*College and homes have gotten markedly more expensive and wages have stagnated for the past 30 years*
#28
I think the pursuit for perfection, especially in the age of social media. Aiming for an ideal 8 hours of sleep, all fresh veg/fruit/wholegrain diet, perfect study and work habits with Instagram shots of colour coded notes, expensive skin care routine, 1.5L of water a day, getting up at 5 AM for a run, abstaining from all vices.It's good to strive to be the best version of yourself, but the unnecessary pressure to excel at all these things seem detrimental more than anything else. I put a lot of time/effort into work and am good at my job, I have great physical and mental health. If I want to eat doughnuts with vodka shots at 11 PM, or stay up watching Bob's Burgers until 2 AM, or skip my run and head to work, I should be able to do that sometimes. Wellness is not a competition, and an elastic band stretched far enough will snap.
Image credits: manlikerealities
#29
"They're family! Let it go!"My dad (who is a doctor) watched as I got a viral infection that spread to my brain and I went blind and deaf. He called my mom and said I'd be dead by the time he got home from work the next day. My sister (who hasn't spoken to him since middle school) had to break into his house, find me, call 911. Dad was mad that she broke in, said nothing about me.
Image credits: drunky_crowette
#30
Play hard to get.Most of the time, playing hard to get just guarantees that both of you are going to end up alone. The dating world is competitive and few people have the time to constantly pursue someone who is not demonstrating any interest. Stop playing these silly games and show a little interest back. You will be giving yourself many more opportunities with people you otherwise might have missed out on.
Image credits: Ace-Ventura1934
#31
Telling kids to "follow your dreams" and "you can be anything if you work hard enough".Sometimes you need to admit that even if something is your dream and you're willing to work for it, you may not have the necessary talent you need to succeed and should just keep it as a hobby. Hard work is important, but so is natural ability.
I have a friend with dreams of being a successful actress, her parents keep telling her if she believes then she can do it and she has talent and should follow her heart. While she's not bad... She's not great. She couldn't get into drama school, went to university to do something else and graduated with a poor grade because she spent all of her time focusing on the drama society. Now she's been in and out of service jobs still trying audition after audition with almost no success. Instead she could have been building a career in another field and joined an amateur dramatic group to maintain her love for it while not wasting her life chasing an impossible dream.
Plus there's the whole issue of it being a very difficult, unstable job where you need connections to go far.
Image credits: HuggableOctopus
#32
"Tip your head back to stop a nosebleed"Don't do that. Tip your head slightly forward with a kerchief pressed under your nose and allow the blood to clot.
Image credits: Shiny_eyes_over_der
#33
“A bad workman always blames his tools”- sometimes the thing you’re using is the problem, rather than it being user-error, and sometimes practice isn’t enough to make up the shortfall
Image credits: Holska
#34
there was a quote that was thrown around a lot, it was something like “a ship only sinks when it lets water in”, meaning if you don’t let negativity get to you, you’ll be fine.It’s total bull. Of course you can’t let one single negative comment destroy your confidence, but I’ve always thought this could easily be misunderstood and used to shame people who are depressed because they have a lot of s**t going on in their lives. If you’re surrounded by negativity, it will get to you sooner or later and there is no shame in that, it’s not your fault.
Image credits: _monachopsis
#35
"Ignore what others think of you." Human interaction is a cornerstone of our existence and depending on how well you're liked among others determines the relative ease of how well you're able to get through life. Being mindful of others and their feelings should inform your thoughts and actions to a certain extent. There are obviously exceptions but to simply outright ignore everybody and just maintain your course no matter what is not good advice.#36
"you'll figure it out"... Like, nah, I won't, that's why I asked
Image credits: apocalypse_chow
#37
“Follow your heart” - we have a brain for a reason. Our hearts are fickle and what may seem like love may just be infatuation, etc.Understanding what you are feeling and why is important, as well as realizing that some commitments are worth it to push through the difficult times when our hearts aren’t in it.
#38
Saying hang in there to depressed people#39
"Travel while you're young and not tied down!"While its great if** you can afford it, it has been offered in my experience chiefly by people who have folks to fall back on. Travelling the world until you are broke is not a good life pro tip if you get stranded with no one to bail you out at the end.
Image credits: francinoman
#40
"Marriage/long term partnership is a LOT OF WORK. You have to work at it every day!"Bullf**kings**t. Your relationship should make your life better and easier.
Sure, there will be hard times. But it should be easy to be with someone MOST of the time. It shouldn't be "a lot of hard work" or "something you have to work at every day." Most problems should be the two of you vs the problem, and most of the hard times should be things life throws at you that you help each other through. You should not constantly be trying to make your marriage work.
If your relationship is difficult, it may have just run its course. Marriage/being with someone SHOULD BE EASY.
Edit: Some of y'all are REALLY defensive. Examine why.
#41
"If you love your job you'll never work a day in your life".No matter what career you choose, no matter how fortunate you are, there's going to be parts of what you do that are going to be annoying, unpleasant, and difficult, and there's no guarantee that doing something for fun is going to say fun when you've got to do it because you need to pay rent. Pick a career based on what you're good at and what people value. You're selling your time.
#42
Never change a running system. Heard it so many times at work it almost makes me vomit when hearing it. IMO its just a excuse for being to lazy to make something better even a tiny little bit cause "it works so far why should I change something?"#43
"Say whats on your mind" - f*****g don't, you don't want the hastle of someone within ear shot being offended or being offended on someone elses behalf just because your opinion is diffrent from ANY narrative.#44
"Just DO THE WORK." Not horrible advice, but incomplete. I find that when people are stuck in life, it's often because they're doing the wrong kind of work. Work that's solitary, unmotivated, not strategic. Instead, I encourage people to "join the community" that is associated with the work they want to do. If you want to be a comedian or a filmmaker like me, hanging out at a show that you like, or collaborating with other creators, and building relationships there, and feeding those relationships just as often as you're "doing the work" will ultimately be more beneficial. At some point in your 20s most people realize it's not as much about what you know, or even what you do, it's about who you know. Who you know also has way more of an impact on your overall happiness.
Image credits: teamfriendship
#45
You need to make a family so you won't end up alone.Well, you will end up alone surrounded by people if you don't know how to be there for you.
Image credits: anon