Many an older person will pine for the days before social media, but you can't deny that there is one distinct advantage - if one were to encounter an embarrassing situation in those days, no matter how epic the failure, the audience is generally limited to those who happened to have a line of sight at the time. The internet, and social media, in particular, have changed the rules of the game.
Now our embarrassing escapades know no bounds, and we are here to celebrate these great (and sharable) examples of the spirit of human failure!
Now our embarrassing escapades know no bounds, and we are here to celebrate these great (and sharable) examples of the spirit of human failure!
Did You Know Cities Are in Countries?
We all have our intellectual Achilles' Heel - those areas in human knowledge where we just can't quite wrap our heads around the topic at hand and need after-school tutoring to keep from repeating the 9th grade. You should really be honest and self-aware with exactly what topics you are weak on before you go around correcting people online.
Now yes, the would-be corrector is technically correct - the Christ the Redeemer statue is, in fact, in Rio de Janeiro. But, as the image helpfully provided by OP demonstrates, Rio de Janeiro itself is in Brazil. So, technically, both posters are correct. The only error here is the boorish commentary by our aspiring geographer, who seems to have misidentified the "uneducated swine" in this exchange.
Well, Ask a Stupid Question...
One has to give credit to the news organizations of the world - just as human stupidity has no limits, there are likewise no limits to the preposterous stories that news organizations must cover. At the same time, news outlets fervently work to cover stories in real-time, with up-to-date coverage leaving little time to refine the on-screen visuals. Fortunately, however, some stories are exactly what they appear to be.
What this particular story lacks in nuance and complexity, it makes up for in pure entertainment. And say what you will about the knife-wielder in this story but he certainly answered the question in the clearest way possible!
Doctor to the Burn Ward, STAT!
Online, not everyone chooses to display their credentials in their username. This allows the opportunity for others to make assumptions based on everything from perceived gender to whether or not the exchange caters to an individual's internal biases. Climate change, for example, is a thorny debate between the scientific community and those who wouldn't acknowledge gravity even if an apple fell on their head. Reserving one's credentials, however, does lay the ground for some epic surprise takedowns.
Now, maybe astrophysics doesn't specialize in the study of climate science per se, but any degree of that level would seem to suggest a basic understanding of the scientific method and the value of expert knowledge on a subject. Though, if Gary is calling climate change a hoax, then it would seem that "actual SCIENCE" doesn't really enter into the equation for him...
She Did as She Was Asked...
Getting into an automobile accident can be a traumatic experience, even if you've been lucky enough to escape injury. Fortunately, technology has helped to streamline the process of bringing your insurance agent into the situation, allowing your agent to inspect the damage without even having to be there! Of course, it still depends on you following the necessary directions to get them the images they need...
However weird it may have felt, Susan simply carried on and followed the directions given to her. Her agent realized that maybe a little more specificity was called for, and gently nudged her in a different, slightly more accurate direction.
Might Want to Take Another Look...
Everyone loves a good word game! Playing around with the letters and sounds that make up the way in which we communicate can be as fun as it is informative. However fun it may be to play, some people show up to the poker table with a half-deck of Uno cards...
The response here is concise, precise, and oh so very nice to read! It's satisfying to see someone take one "look" at a dubious claim, recognize that it's "loony", then hit it like a "bazooka" straight to the "moon" leaving this "loopy", "boorish" "baboon" "gloomily" slinking back under his own "roof" to "boohoo". Not sure how "soon" he'll be coming back from that one...
Word Problems? Why Can't Math Stick to Numbers?
Let's face it, we all hate word problems. It's bad enough that math seeks to confuse us with numbers and symbols, but throwing words into the mix is just a cruel jest. Take this example, which you would think is fairly straightforward, but G-D help you if you focus on the wrong word at the wrong time, you're suddenly off in a parallel universe where siblings age at different rates.
For those of you wondering, if the brother is six and the sister is half his age, then she is three years old. Consequently, that means she is three years younger than her brother, so when he is 70 years old, she is 67 years old. Good luck telling that to our intrepid math-iologist here, who must think the sister is staying hydrated at the Fountain of Youth...
Where the Rubber Yeets off the Road
Since its birth in the early 1900s, the automotive industry has constantly worked to make every aspect of its products safer, including the tires. Since apparently 30 minutes ago, this woman thought her tires would look so much better if she took a power sander to her tires and made them smoother than a baby's bottom. Surely her car will ride smoother and faster without all that pesky friction slowing her down and keeping her on the road...
As tempting as it may be to let the gene pool chlorinate itself, the fact that innocent bystanders could be hurt means other Twitter users felt compelled to try and stop this car accident in the making from happening. Hopefully, this lesson only cost OP the price of four replacement tires...
The Elements of a Good Joke
All humor is subjective, so it's very important that you know your audience's taste and pool of general knowledge. In order to laugh at a joke, people first need to understand a joke. If people don't even recognize that a joke has been told, that's a bit of an uphill battle as far as getting the laughs. Take, for example, this little nugget of chemistry comedy, and a response that... well, bless their heart, they're trying to be supportive.
Comedy is risky, and OP's friend was trying to give them a boost of confidence; their heart was in the right place, we just don't know where their head was... Although we can be pretty sure it wasn't in a chemistry textbook...
So Much for "Home" Field Advantage...
Running for an elected office is a rigorous undertaking, and candidates will almost always rely on and give credit to their families for their support in their campaign. Of course, just because they support your campaign doesn't automatically mean they'll support you in the voting booth, as this candidate found out the hard way...
It's tough losing a race in your home state or your hometown, but it's really gotta sting when you can't even lock in the support of your home. You could still say that for this candidate, politics runs in the family, it just seems that it ran on the opposing ticket...
Quality Control? What's That?
Have you ever heard the Latin phrase "caveat emptor"? It means "let the buyer beware", and at least one company is banking on you never having heard that phrase, otherwise they might not be making such overblown claims about the invincibility of their product. Apparently, their definition of "indestructible" is "unable to be destroyed as long as you don't put any effort into it".
On second thought, to be fair, they said it could not be destroyed. They never made any claim that it couldn't be disassembled. Maybe they just assumed all criminals had the sophistication of the Wet Bandits, Marv, and Harry, from Home Alone, and wouldn't think to try the subtle approach. Either that, or their quality control was a 5-month-old baby who got bored after half a minute, and when the lock was still closed the design team declared victory...
Always Know Your Rights!
While it is dismaying to see so many posts and stories of how people will try to take advantage of other people, the consolation prize is that these stories are coming to light, allowing others to recognize and counter these types of situations. Take everyone's favorite upstanding citizen - the landlord:
The thing about bullies is that if they come up against someone who isn't willing to bend to their threatening bluster, their options are limited. Either they are smart and back down immediately, or they can find out the hard way just how informed their tenants are regarding their legal rights. Hopefully, the more posts we see like this, the more people will become informed about their right to not be pushed around.
Keeping Appearances Up-To-Date
Dating profiles can be extremely taxing on one's patience, so it's understandable some people might fudge some of the details - add a filter, adjust the light, take dozen of photos, and nitpick every last one of them until you find the best possible portrait to entice a potential partner. The important thing is to be honest; if your lie gets caught, you're done for. And if your lie is obvious enough, it's gonna get caught by everyone...
Let us assume that this is actually Rasheed in this photo and that it was taken at the latest possible opportunity; early September 2001. Unless we also assume that time travel was involved, it's safe to say that Rasheed is definitely NOT 23. One would be hard-pressed to find a more glaring, obvious, undeniable piece of evidence that Rasheed maaaaaay have fudged one or two details on his profile...
With Great Nerdiness Comes Great Responsibility
When a person has a particular affection and focus for a subject, they could, without insult, be called a nerd. While nerds will happily discuss their loves with you at length, if you're going to come at them with criticism, you'd best know what you're talking about. If you're not, the nerds absolutely will set you straight with the most thorough of takedowns.
If you are going to be factually incorrect about a person, place, or thing in a comic book, that is one thing. If, however, you are going to make half-cocked allegations of bigotry against a real-life hero among nerds who called racism and bigotry "among the deadliest social ills plaguing the world today" back in 1968... Well, you'd better shut up and sit your posterior down.
An Exercise in Reading Comprehension
It is a fitting twist of irony that Victor Frankenstein, the doctor who was so horrified by his own unnatural creation, has had his name inextricably linked with the very creature he tried to abandon. It is likewise a fitting twist of irony that such a fervent defender of the novel that birthed the science fiction genre of literature should have maybe taken a second to reread the post to which they were responding.
Nerds are people too, and they can make mistakes like anyone else. It's just that this particular mistake could have been avoided by taking the time to reread a 15-word post before claiming to defend a 75380-word novel.
Someone's in the Kitchen With Dinah-Mite
Cooking is a mixture of art and science. If you're not careful, you may wind up with a mess to clean up while you wait for the pizza to arrive. The more complex the cooking procedure, the more care you have to use. Pressure cookers, as the name would imply, utilize high pressure within the cooking vessel to prepare the food. When the pressure is high enough, even the smallest mistake can make for a colossal mess.
If you're not careful, your lobster thermidor could turn into lobster through-the-door and your beef stew could become beef flew (out the window). Considering the damage pictured here, it's just lucky that none of the regular users of that kitchen had to eat hospital food that night.
More Than a Feeling
Emotions have a logic all their own, and we don't have the luxury of choosing with whom we fall in love. Sometimes it's a stranger, sometimes an acquaintance, and sometimes it's a close friend; in any case, you should never be afraid of exploring those feelings and asking about how the other person feels.
You may want to handle it differently than it was here. Having the discussion in-person leaves room for more non-verbal communication, more subtlety, and less chance that your failure will find its way online. It also shows more effort on your part, so better chance of your crush thinking you might be worth the risk of trying. Credit where it's due, though, the guy readily accepts the answer is "No".
Which Key Is the "Any" Key?
People will always look for the latest, greatest technological implement for faster performance, a sleeker appearance, or more convenient utility. However, just because a person can use technology does not necessarily mean they understand technology. Take, for example, this young lady. She saw "Type C" and "faster charging", she put two and two together, and decided that yes, she would enjoy faster charging for her device, and so promptly followed the directions onscreen.
Except that what she was reading was a description, not a direction. This young woman probably needs help whenever her computer reboots and she gets the instruction "Press any key to continue." That "Any" key is so well hidden!
Natural Selection - Now Available Online!
Everyone is allowed to have an opinion, but the more informed they are, the better. More importantly, just because you can throw around scientific terminology doesn't mean that you either understand it or are using it correctly, so it doesn't mean your opinion is any more respectable. Take, for example, this interesting take on hair styling trends and evolution:
Dara O'Briain described evolution as 'random things happening and the useful bits sticking around'. While this commentary on unnatural hair colors is random, the response is far more useful and will hopefully stick around - if a man is thinking he can dictate a woman's appearance, use all the warning signs at your disposal to keep him away.
Reflecting on Your Choice of Visual Aid
Visual aids are wonderful tools to concisely demonstrate your point in an easy-to-understand graphic. Provided your point actually makes sense; if not, then visual aids are an equally hilarious tool to demonstrate that you aren't as well-versed in what you're talking about as you'd like to think.
There are multiple levels of fail here. Sure, the rock in the picture is reflecting light, as you can see from the lighter and darker sides of the rock. But the second level is that eyesight is predicated on our eyes picking up light waves reflecting off of objects; if rocks do not produce light, then the fact that we can see them at all is evidence that they do, in fact, reflect light.
Dropping a Load by Parcel Post
As more and more shopping occurs online, the services that deliver those packages to us need to be timely, efficient, and flexible enough to accommodate those of us who may not be home at all hours to receive our packages in person. If you leave special instructions for delivery, you can be reasonably assured that the delivery person will follow those to the best of their ability.
Once it leaves their hands, though, they aren't really responsible for what happens to the package as it is no longer in their care. This means that if you, say, ask them to simply drop a package through a window, you'll want to make sure that the package has a nice, dry, preferably sanitary place to land once it is released from the delivery company's hands.
Demand Grammar Police Accountability
As the affairs of the world can hinge on minute details like word choice and punctuation, it can be very satisfying to seize on other people's grammatical errors. They are easy enough to fix, yet they can stick out like a sore thumb. Of course, as with any subject matter, if you yourself don't know what you are talking about, then your attempts to correct the situation can be even more hilarious than the original error.
Again, the best part is that we have multiple fails here. First, there is the incorrect form of "you're". The second, and even better blunder, is that the person types "a idiot" instead of "an idiot" - ignoring that words that start with vowels need to be preceded by an "an". Hey, if OP can point out errors, so can we!
What the Shell Do You Think You're Doing?
Hard-boiled eggs are a quick, easy, versatile snack that is packed with protein and can suit almost any culinary occasion. They are so simple to prepare that they are usually among the first dishes novice cooks learn to prepare, though it seems there should be some care taken in teaching people how to eat them as well...
Shells have never been a part of omelettes, pancakes, bread, cakes, or any other prepared foodstuff that includes eggs in the ingredient list, so one wonders why OP would think that the shells enter the equation on this occasion. It seems common sense, as they say, is not so common. Thankfully we have helpful internet commentators to help set the record straight.
You Do Know What His Job Was, Right?
You would think that if a person could recognize Kobe Bryant in a photograph, or even just recognize the man's name, then that person would have some inkling of what the man did for a living. This person apparently not only was unaware of Kobe's chosen profession but was unaware of what an adult could possibly be doing standing behind a line of young girls. In matching basketball jerseys. Holding a basketball.
There doesn't even seem to be anything going on. Everyone is just standing, facing a camera, arms crossed - except, again, for the arms that are holding a basketball. Is there something very subtle that the rest of us are missing? Because we're just focused on the context clues that seem to have gone over OP's head.
Loungewear From the Elmer Fudd Collection
We all enjoy wearing clothes that express who we are as people, whether is just by aesthetic style or by direct messaging through images and words. But the devil, as they say, is in the details, and a sweatshirt advocating for one position found itself also advocating for the opposing position...
The designer of this particular sweatshirt seemed to overlook the fact that the hood of the shirt is frequently left down, so it would be best if no part of the message was in a position where it could be obscured by the hood; especially not the most critical part of the message.
Well, the Joker Was a Criminal Mastermind...
There is a reason burglars usually direct their efforts on houses that are currently unoccupied - less likely to be seen or heard entering the premises,there's time to peruse the collection of goods ripe for the taking, and less likely to be seen or heard exiting the property with the stolen goods. Apparently, there's another good reason to wait until the homeowners aren't home; they might be comedians...
No one can resist a good laugh, which has the habit of giving your position away. This is not very helpful when your current activity hinges on your ability to not be seen. The moral is that if you find it necessary to rob people, be sure to leave your sense of humor at home.
Do You Know What You're Looking For?
In an effort to make terminology universally applicable, there is a push to have the term "actor" apply to all performers across the entirety of the gender spectrum. Until this effort makes further inroads, if you want to look up women in movies, you'll need to keep using the term "actress". Not everyone seems to have realized that they seem to be further ahead of the curve than others.
Now maybe "idiot" is a bit too strong of a word in this case, but even if it's not idiotic, it's still amusing. So while we push for a more gender-inclusive world, we'll get to still have a few laughs along the way.
No, Not Freddie Mercury - The Other Queen
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of England, is actually well-known for her love of hopping behind the wheel and going for a spin. It's something she gets to do only very infrequently, so photos are often hard to come by and, consequently, very valuable. One user noted that her plate numbers are usually redacted.
This seems more like an intentional joke than an actual fail; you wouldn't have to run any plate numbers to figure out Her Majesty's address when Google Maps works perfectly well.
Celebrities Are... Just Like Us?
Kylie Jenner is, as of this writing, the youngest billionaire in the world. What that means in terms of her ability to empathize with the world at large is... well, there doesn't seem to be any apparent correlation, especially not if you look at her social media feed. Whether it's by a lack of care or just a lack of understanding, see if you can spot the difference in these back-to-back posts.
It seems that Kylie is trying to raise awareness of all the animal casualties of the Australia Wildfires, and then follows it up with potential uses for those pelts that the animals won't be needing anymore.
Missed the Final Countdown
The stress that comes with final exams and the end of a semester will take a toll on anyone's mental fortitude, which is why you always want to make sure you write things down. If you don't, it's easy enough for one of the little things to slip through the cracks. In this case, however, the thing slipping through the cracks was far from little...
Either the student in question keeled over in a dead faint from shock and horror, or he ran like a madman to the professor's office to beg to be allowed to take the exam. With any luck, he did; at least if he failed then, he'd be able to say it was despite his best efforts.
The Best Comebacks in Internet History
Money-Saving 101
Riddles are fun exercises for the brain but this one posted by a Twitter user is a bit different. As the riddle goes, you have a total of $400 in your pocket. But your ex and your current girlfriend need some money. We suppose the idea behind this riddle is to ask who you value more.
Riddles are fun exercises for the brain but this one posted by a Twitter user is a bit different. As the riddle goes, you have a total of $400 in your pocket. But your ex and your current girlfriend need some money. We suppose the idea behind this riddle is to ask who you value more.
The legendary responder of this tweet chose the single life. According to him, he’d still have $400 and a bunch of unread messages! The internet better thank him for this pearl of wisdom because he might have saved us all a few hundred bucks.
Seizing the Opportunities
We’re not sure what was on Paris Hilton’s mind when she asked this question. While the question was purely rhetorical, this individual didn’t seem to think so. This man saw an opportunity and seized it with all his might.
All that this guy can think of whether his own daughter will have the same opportunities as the rich Paris Hilton. We’re sure Paris didn’t see that one coming! All things aside, it’s quite commendable how this man managed to turn this inane tweet into social commentary.
Eating Healthy
Eating healthy is no doubt an amazing habit that should be encouraged. A lot of people online are advocates of healthy eating. From low-carb diets to vegan and gluten-free craziness, there’s a lot of healthy eating content to consume online.
While many derive inspiration from such people, this man was having none of it. The perfectly decent, albeit a bit too leafy, sandwich posted by this woman got quite a cutting response. We can’t help but agree with this random guy on his assessment. This grass sandwich is definitely not on our list of foods to try!
Reality Is Stranger Than Fiction
Those who grew up watching the Jurassic Park films know the significance of this tweet. According to this article posted by Entrepreneur, scientists believe they can recreate dinosaurs in the coming five years. While that does sound pretty rad, we can’t help but have horrifying flashbacks of Jurassic Park.
This funny Twitter user rightly pointed out that maybe, just maybe, this is a bad idea. If this does end up happening, we’re scared it would play like a bad dinosaur movie. The movies warned us ages ago that ginormous man-eating creatures are better left in the past. Scientists, if you’re reading this, abort mission!
Upside Down Shark
Did you know? A large chunk of the ocean remains undiscovered. Who knows what kind of marvelous creatures lurk beneath the surface. The underwater world can be fascinating and terrifying – all at once. While the beautiful wildlife is often a sight to behold, there are some monsters down there that are better left undiscovered.
Take sharks for example. Movies like Jaws have left us perpetually scared of those vicious creatures. If you thought sharks are scary from above, this picture will change your mind. Turns out, sharks look absolutely horrifying from down below. Especially when they’re upside down. We get you, Ash, we’re super uncomfortable too!
Third Time’s the Charm
Picture a seemingly nice thanksgiving family dinner. You’re eating away like there’s no tomorrow. Just when you’re getting comfortable, a nosy relative decides to shame you on your eating habits. What do you do? The good news is that you don’t have to laugh it off any longer.
This netizen has come up with the ultimate roast. This comeback will surely leave your aunt, uncle, or other nosy relatives slack-jawed and speechless. A lot of people can be witty but not many can reach this level of savagery.
A Hot Mess
At first glance, this pile of delicious stuff does look appetizing. There’s shrimp, cinnamon rolls, and eggs. Things that are generally quite delicious. But wait, what’s that? Why is it all in one plate? When you look closer, you see that the shrimp is in full contact with the cinnamon roll. Yikes!
We’re not sure what kind of monster is making food plates like this but we wish it didn’t exist. Anthony is right, this image is really stressful. Were they out of plates at the restaurant? Because that’s the only logical explanation we can think of. Begone shrimpy cinnamon buns!
Savage Tom
If you are ancient, like us, you might be aware of a social media platform called MySpace. Before Facebook was a thing, MySpace was THE place to be. But who knew MySpace’s co-founder, Tom Anderson, would be so savage.
When Tom gave his two cents on something related to Instagram, a Twitter troll decided to poke fun at him. Surprisingly, instead of ignoring this random person, Tom decided to end this man’s whole life. We’re pretty sure this other guy left with a bruised ego and an existential crisis.
FM Radio
Tumblr has always been a cesspool of fake-deep shower thoughts. Arguably, most of these epiphanies aren’t that great. Take this one for example. What if someone in the world was listening to the same song and lyrics as you? It seems to us that the poster must be too young to know the concept of FM radio.
We wonder whether this person was working on turning it into a business idea. If that was their intention, the reply must have burst their little bubble. It’s also a nice reminder that FM radio is still a thing. The younger generation wouldn’t know!
Ronald Mcdonald
While McDonald's has largely abandoned its old clown mascot, we have to admit that we miss him. This particular tweet sparks nostalgia even more. We thought everyone knew that red and yellow went great together. Perhaps this lady didn’t get the memo.
Here, we can see her marveling at the amazing combination of red and yellow. If that wasn’t stupid enough, Ronald Mcdonald chimed in to add insult to injury. His simple yet iconic reply has us gasping for air. Ronald has always been a fashion icon after all.