Who gets to decide the status quo ? At one point does the strange and peculiar become normalized by society at large, and can it ever go the other way?
I’ve racked my brain and scoured the internet in the hopes of answering this very question. That’s how I was able to come up with 10+ normal things that happen in our society that shouldn’t.
The cost of a wedding.
Every year it seems that the wedding industry gets more and more out of hand. In 2019, the average cost to get hitched in the U.S. was just upwards of $30,000.
Who in their right mind can honestly afford that, especially young couples?!
The cost of a wedding ring.
Diamonds, unlike gold or silver, have no intrinsic value. Their cost is manipulated entirely by vendors and manufacturers.
In lieu of spending three months’ salary on a depreciating asset, you might want to opt for a moissanite ring instead.
The insanely high price of printer ink.
This Reddit user wrote “Printer ink. Every single company that sells printers sells them at a loss. They then make up their profits my[sic] making their ink cost an arm and a leg.”
Parents not discussing finances with their children.
Why is it that schools force-feed students quadratics but never bother to properly explain how a credit card works?
We need to be a lot better at educating the youth in matters of personal finance.
The insurance industry.
The legendary Chris Rock used to do a bit where he argued that insurance should really be called ” in case s***. ” Rock explains how we give our money to these companies every month “in case [expletive]” happens.
But “in case [expletive]” doesn’t happen, shouldn’t we get some of that money back? I certainly think so.
Tipping culture in North America.
Don’t hear what I’m not saying: tipping is important — especially in certain parts of the U.S.
However, in Canada, the average server’s hourly wage is $12.45 and patrons are still expected to put forward a tip of at the very least 15%.
You’ve got to admit — that’s a pretty big delta.
The way that we all pay our taxes.
Reddit user Secksual_Energy writes “There is no reason as individuals we need to jump through all these hoops and in some cases pay exorbitant fees to have someone do our personal income tax filings. The gov already knows the exact amount you owe.”
The fees attached to online ticket prices.
I was buying tickets for a concert the other day and the service fee was more than 1/3 of the entire cost.
I bought three tickets and paid $30 in fees alone!
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The average American work week.
Redditor The_darter writes “Working for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year for 50 years , and that’s assuming you’re lucky, and it’s the only way to even get by for most people.”
The idea that college is the only way to be successful in life.
College is a lie that the majority of millennials and Gen Z continue to be taken in by. As of 2018, millennials were the most educated of any generation.
They also ironically happen to be the generation with the fastest-growing debt and the highest percentage of unemployed college graduates.
Why don’t employers disclose the salary of a position in the job posting?
Furthermore, why is it considered taboo or bad manners for a prospective employee to inquire into a company’s pay structure, salary, bonus, etc.?
Why must we pretend as if money isn’t the biggest motivating factor for 95% of the workforce?
How do entry-level positions still require experience?
Without experience , you’ll never land a job. But if that’s the case, how are you supposed to gain the experience in the first place?
This is a vicious paradox that young people understand all too well.
The funeral industry.
Reddit user WikiWantsYourPics says that it doesn’t make sense how “You have to spend thousands of dollars to get rid of a body because otherwise you’re “disrespecting” it.”
The average cost of a funeral in the U.S. range from $7000-$12,000.
Payday loan companies.
Payday loan companies are predatory by nature. They look to take advantage of people at their most vulnerable by offering “free” loans at astronomically abhorrent interest rates .
These companies have the ability to cripple a person’s finances for years to come.
Undying loyalty to a company/employer.
Never forget that no matter how valuable you think you are to your employer, if you died on Sunday there’d be someone sitting at your desk come Monday morning.
Remember, at your funeral, no one will care about your perfect work attendance record.