Why do we do such strange things?

I’ve no idea, but at least here’s a few of the oddities it would be nice to have explained!

Part 1 – Unnecessary Questions

Why do we ask these questions?

• “Are you okay?” the instant we see someone hurt themselves.

You would think we could deduce the answer…

• “Are you there?” or “can you hear me?” when signal is interrupted on the phone.

They can only answer if they can still hear you, so why ask?

• Why do we even have “rhetorical” questions?

If we aren’t looking for an answer then why do we ask? Isn’t this just talking to ourselves?

Part 2 – Questionable Behaviour

There is no accounting for taste, no doubt about it. But as a species as a whole, our collective taste should never be put under a microscope!

Why do we do these things?

• Laugh at sick jokes.

Surely we cannot really find the sick jokes we hear amusing? This does not reflect well on our characters!

• Enjoy watching horror films.

Again, how can we find watching innocent people being tortured, tormented, murdered or eaten entertaining?

• Love to complain.

It is true. There is not a single person in the world that does not enjoy a good whine about something. Are we all so negative?

• Accept that the most important members of society get paid the least and the most useless get paid the most.

Compare the salaries of postmen, binmen, powerplant workers and police officers with those of footballers, managing directors and Jude Law. Surely this is backwards?

• Prefer bad news.

I mean in the papers or on the news… bad news is always more interesting than good news! Why?

• Idealise Pirates.

Pirates are not nice people, never have been and never will be. And yet they are almost universally regarded as loveable rogues, scoundrels and romantic adventurers… to the point where blockbuster films are made. The oddest thing is that not more people find this odd, including myself!

• Queue for twenty minutes at a concession stand and only decide what we want when we reach the counter.

Yes, a lot of people do this and yes, it is phenomenally annoying!

Part 3 – Hypocrisy

We criticise to our heart’s content, whilst casually committing the same infractions that we cannot abide!

Ah, pure hypocrisy: so why do we think these things?

• Think we are better than average.

Admit it, nobody thinks the opposite to this, and yet what is average if everyone is above it?

• Expect everybody to think our child is the best just because we do.

All babies are beautiful to their parents, no problem. But it has to end there. I’m sorry but, objectively speaking, some kids are just hideous!

• Read articles like this one and laugh (this makes me especially guilty as I wrote it!).

Without a doubt every single one of us could pick items from these lists that we do on a regular basis! It’s not funny!

What other strange habits have you witnessed? Add them below!