People Share The Things That Get Complained About Most But Are Actually Rare

Ashley Hunte
A bird opening its beak as if screaming.
Unsplash | Santiago Lacarta

There are a lot of things that people complain about that... aren't really that big of a deal in most people's lives. It's like how we were all afraid of quicksand as kids. It just isn't actually that impactful or even remotely common.

Unsurprisingly, Redditors had plenty of answers when they were asked the following question: "What do people complain about like it's everywhere constantly but is actually rather rare?"

"People giving out edible pot for Halloween. Can guarantee that no stoner is gonna give those away for free." - painfully--average

A bowl full of bottles of some kind of alcohol behind a jack-o-lantern.
Unsplash | Ralph (Ravi) Kayden

I almost want to say the chances of someone giving out drugs or poison in Halloween candy is next to nothing.

"Being from Florida, the amount of people that think I have to fight off gators daily." - kaybee666

The face of an alligator that's resting on a patch of grass.
Unsplash | Meg Jerrard

I'm not gonna lie, I always kind of assumed that people from Florida see a lot more gators than they probably do.

"According to my suburban Nextdoor feed, apparently there are gun shots going off all day every day." - slykido999

Seth Meyers shaking his head.
Giphy | Late Night with Seth Meyers

Redditor pp_jenkins, who's a 911 operator, added, "if I had a nickel for every 'life long gun owner' who know for a fact they heard gunshots when it’s either car backfire or fireworks… oh boy id be rich."

"Satanist out sacrificing." - finding_harmony

A man dressed like Satan dancing.
Giphy

As much as I joke that random creepy forests are probably breeding grounds for satanic rituals, this probably also never happens. At least, not nearly as much as some people might try to make you believe.

"People complaining about people complaining about something, but it's just one guy on Twitter. Or someone they entirely made up..." - crap_whats_not_taken

Gina from B99 rolling her eyes while holding a mug.
Giphy | Brooklyn Nine-Nine

People online have a tendency to see one person complain about something trivial, and then think that "everyone's" complaining about it. Which usually isn't true.

"I was bullied relentlessly in elementary school. But it took me longer to realize it than it should have, because no one ever demanded my lunch money." - MFWicantusername

The bullies from the Simpsons demanding Bart's lunch money.
Giphy

I think it's safe to say that, thanks to the age of social media, no one bullies people for their lunch money anymore.

"The frequency of dangerous Australian animals. Like yes they are there but not really at the same time." - RainbowPoopicorn

A kangaroo eating grass in a sunset.
Unsplash | Christopher Burns

Again, I'm sure I'm not alone in assuming that everything in Australia is out to get you. But like, people live their whole lives there, so...

"I have not had a single anvil, piano, or sandbag dropped on my head." - garden_and_grump_

A cartoon character standing on an anvil, only to get crushed by a second anvil.
Giphy

This is one of those things that cartoons have lied to us about. These things definitely don't just fall from the sky every day.

"A van giving away puppies to snatch you." - Complete-Fudge-2888

A creepy character from South Park offering puppies to someone.
Giphy | South Park

I remember my grandparents telling me to never trust strangers. And while kidnappings do happen, they aren't actually that common. And people giving out puppies as a ruse to kidnap you is probably even less common.

"The danger of the Bermuda Triangle. I honestly thought it would be a regular threat in my adult life when they kept talking about it while I was young." - InvisibleMe21

An exaggerated GIF of ships and planes falling into a hole in the Bermuda Triangle.
Giphy

You'd think the Bermuda Triangle would have a bigger impact on international travel than it actually does...

"Your souffle not holding up.... I always thought that this was gonna be an actual problem as an adult." - Flaky_Sandwich9353

Three souffles, each resting in a separate ramekin.
Unsplash | Alison Pang

"Still have yet to make a single souffle at 33..."

Ironically, soufflés actually don't stay up for long. The way chefs complain about it in shows and movies is definitely exaggerated.

"When I was a kid I was lead to believe being able to tell fool's gold from real gold would be a much more important skill than it actually was." - Lucky_Bluebird_4086

A stack of gold coins and bars.
Unsplash | Zlaťáky.cz

At least we don't have to complain about fake gold ruining the economy or something.

"Not Being allowed to say, 'Merry Christmas.'" - MikoSkyns

A light up sign with bells and snowflakes that reads, "Merry Christmas."
Giphy | GIPHY Studios Originals

I've never once had someone complain that they don't celebrate if I say "Merry Christmas" to them. Whoever complains about that probably forgot that most people simply don't care enough.

"Elevator music." - brobeanzh*****

A part of the Gangnam Style music video where Psy is in an elevator.
Giphy

"Name one time you've actually heard it besides references in TV or movies- I work with elevators, have seen thousands across a few countries. Not once have I seen anything set up to play music."

Come to think of it, I've never been on an elevator that's had music before.

"The term gaslighting. Some people just suck at communicating and relationships." - dgolia1

A man saying "that ain't right" while eating dinner at a table.
Giphy | CBS

I think the term "gaslighting" is definitely overused. There's a huge difference between being in an abusive relationship, and one that's bad because one or both of the couple can't communicate.

"'Nobody wants to work anymore.'" - kennedys****

worker covered in post-it notes
Unsplash | Luis Villasmil

This is pretty untrue. People just don't want to work to the point where they're burnt out or exhausted, all for wages that they can't even live on. But that's neither here nor there.

"Getting the flu." - Zookeepered

Karen from Mean Girls pretending to be sick.
Giphy | T. Kyle

"Most of time people just have a cold. Or any number of other respiratory viruses. But for some reason everyone always thinks it's the flu."

Facts. Colds can be worse than you'd think, and they're way more common than actual flus.

"Children going missing because they were kidnapped by a stranger." - Lutakein

Ralph from The Simpsons being interviewed by news stations, but only saying, "Stranger danger!"
Giphy

"Most of the time, children that go missing are runaways that are found within 24 hours. When they are kidnapped, it's usually over a custody battle by a parent."

This kind of relates to the puppies in vans one. Kidnappings aren't common, and the kidnapper is usually someone the kid knows.

"Be honest: when was the last time you actually stepped on a Lego." - LAX_to_MDW

A person stepping in a bathtub full of Lego blocks.
Giphy | Guava Juice

I... definitely complain about stepping on Lego more than I actually step on Lego. Probably because I (like a lot of people) don't actually own any Lego these days.

"Ankle slashers under cars." - ElDr_Eazy

The meme of the monkey puppet that looks shocked while "the horror" appears at the bottom of the screen.
Giphy | Justin

Wait... is this an actual thing people are afraid of? Because I've never thought about someone waiting under my car to slash my ankles... but now I think I might. New fear accidentally unlocked.