18 Things That Really, Really, Really Aren't The Flexes People Think They Are

We've all encountered these cringe-inducing "flexes" out in the wild.

All of us at one time or another have boasted/bragged about something we found exciting in our lives to other people. For example: perhaps about a really nice gift you got or a compliment someone gave you. However, there are times when people go out of their way to brag about things that really just come across as cringe or red flag-ish.

NBC/ The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon / Via giphy.com

And recently, Reddit user LeatherFruitPF wanted to know about the latter when they asked: "What isn't the flex many people think it is?"

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Well, people had thoughts about this, and the thread got over 10K responses! Below are the top, best, and most often repeated comments:

1. "Boasting about how much something they’re wearing costs even though you know they can’t afford it."

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—Niamhmrn

"I honestly cannot fathom bragging about the price of something unless it's how little you got it for. Like, 'I got this $200 coat for $30 because it was the end of the season!' actually seems like something to be proud of, not bragging about spending a lot on something."

—Aurelene-Rose

2. "Working 80 hours a week, and getting little to no sleep."

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—Lietenantdan

"Whenever someone tells me how many insane hours they work, I ask why, and they get all confused, like why I’m not impressed. If you told me you work two hours a week and make $200K, I’d be more impressed."

—schaudhery

3. "Not taking sick days."

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—Emergency-Village191

"This one is infuriating. I have a colleague who refuses to take a (paid) sick day. There's no consequences to doing so. Technically, if you're off a lot, then there might be, but for a 'normal person' amount of sick days, you lose NOTHING.

But instead, he insists on coming into the office, doesn't even want to take medication (because he doesn't believe in it), and proceeds to hack and splutter germs all around the office.

Which, of course, then means another 5–10 people off ill over the next few weeks, who thankfully do take some sick leave."

—sobrique

4. "Men bragging that they've never changed one of their kids' diapers in their lifetime. Basically, you've just outed yourself as a shitty, uninvolved parent, and a shitty partner."

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—AdSouth5657

"My 'buddy' is 50, and had a kid a couple years ago. I could not believe he would not change a diaper, but I also discovered he won’t help around the house either, and his wife/mommy is the only thing that keeps him going."

—These_Distribution61

5. "Bragging about the number of followers you have on social media."

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—GeddesPrime

"One time a coworker (we were both, like, 16) casually mentioned he has more followers than people who he followed on Instagram. I just simply asked, 'Why does that matter?' and that was all it took for him to over-explain. I cringed so hard."

—OneThee

6. "The CEO of the company I work for was just featured on the cover of a magazine talking about how great their company culture is. One of his points was how the company set up a program to annually nominate a coworker who can’t afford Christmas and where their other employees donate to them. He used this to brag about our amazing culture."

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"To me this reads as: We pay our employee so poorly that on a yearly basis, we have so many employees who can’t afford Christmas we have to nominate who needs help the most, and then we guilt-trip our other grossly underpaid employees to compensate for it."

—notgraceful11199

"We had a 'Christmas Angel' tree where I used to work — essentially 'Pick a family who works here that is in need this holiday season.' This company does close to a billion per year. They couldn’t cut a few 500 dollar checks and not expect employees to help?"

—tn-dave

7. "Working yourself to the point of having absolutely no time for yourself. Work ethic is good, strong work ethic is great. Living to work is not great."

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—hurricane1985

"The guy training me to weld pipes told me I was lazy when I said that I don’t think about work at all when I leave for the day. Guy works 85-hour weeks, literally runs around his area, and works through his breaks and lunch. He’s only 45 and looks 75, can’t hear shit, his wife left him because he was never home, and his spine has a stoop from welding bent over all the time.

I told him that it’s not lazy to prioritize my own health and happiness over making a company money that I’ll never see, and that he’s hurting himself and his family by working so much. He didn’t like that, LOL."

—One-Permission-1811

8. "Wearing designer clothing with huge logos."

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—No-Information-8893

"Logo-laden clothes are the ad-supported tier of fashion."

—seaSculptor

"Yeah, paying to be a walking advertisement is not a flex at all."

—Ever_More_Art

9. "Replying to someone on Twitter and mocking them for having no followers."

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—PMBSteve

"Being mean online especially. I always imagine those people must lead very sad lives to feel the constant urge to be unpleasant and belittle others."

—ijustneedtolurk

10. "How much of a drinker they are."

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—ThatOneNinja

"Honestly, my brag is how much of a drinker I’m not anymore."

—omguserius

11. "Flashing large amounts of cash. It just makes it look like that's all the money you have, and you are too poor to have a bank account."

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—Griffin880

"I see that and think why would you have so much cash on you? Most people with decent jobs can go to the bank and take out wads of cash and flash it. It’s not really that impressive."

—jawndell

12. "Not doing something. Like, not watching a popular show, etc., etc. The amount of people who say these things as if they want a f'ing medal for it is astounding."

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—tellevee

"Being unaware of popular culture is nowhere near as cool as the person proclaiming it thinks it is."

—saugoof

13. "Bragging about not wearing sunscreen. Enjoy your premature aging and wrinkles, dumbass!"

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—truthhurts2222222

"Cancer...enjoy your cancer that could have been prevented."

—kellythebarber

14. "Being proud about being uneducated. Bragging about having never read a book. 'Went to the school of hard knocks' type of shit annoys me. I have no problem with someone who isn't educated. But if you're flexing about it, you're a moron."

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—Alarming-Complaint47

"I currently work with a guy who was homeschooled all his life (not that homeschooling means uneducated). He brags about being homeschooled any time someone mentions education and shits on everyone who went to public school or college, calling it a stupid waste of time, money, and feels sorry for anyone who goes. 

He says things like, 'I've never had a bully, but it can't be that bad.' And 'I don't understand why teenagers off themselves, life isn't that hard for them.' Very much lacking in the social skills department, if you ask me."

—PharahThePanda

15. "Declaring yourself an alpha male. I guess that means something in your little subculture, but to the rest of us, that's just head-scratchingly silly."

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—TrooperJohn

"If someone is telling you that they are an alpha male, then that should be a giveaway that they got some self-esteem issues."

—GreyMatter22

16. "Gym selfies to announce you go to the gym."

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—Parking-Car4557

"Nah, I'm at the gym to work out, not be your f'ing backdrop. Go be annoying in the comfort of your own home."

—Candle1ight

17. "Being proud about being 'brutally honest' when they’re just rude."

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—AdventurousCoach6654

"Who was it that said, 'Brutally honest people enjoy the brutality more than the honesty?'"

—FriendaDorothy

18. And lastly, "Bragging about your lack of sleep. You're doing significant damage to your brain and self."

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—Eli1026

"I’m guilty of doing this occasionally. Whenever I do, I walk away from the conversation thinking to myself: Dude, WTF? Why are you trying to compete to see who is the worst at living life?"

—7sinsofhell

You can read the original thread over on Reddit.

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.