I recently came across a Reddit thread where u/ThePlague_Doct0r asked, "What uncommon thing would you like to see become more common?" and a lot of the responses in the thread had me nodding my head in agreement. Here are some of the thought-provoking things people said.
1. "Eating out alone."
2. "Adult slumber parties are IT! Renting a house with your closest friends in some cool place no one has ever been to is so fun! And — in my experience — it's cheaper than everyone getting their own hotel room and paying for every meal."
3. "Free period products in public bathrooms."
4. "Talking more openly about death and loss. Since I lost my mom two months ago, I am realizing how much people gloss over the topic if you mention it."
5. "Respecting introverts. I have several coworkers who will just talk at me all day about nothing, when I just want to mostly do my work in silence."
6. "The ability to tell the difference between reliable and unreliable sources on the internet and in the news."
7. "Changing careers in midlife. Burnout is real."
"Do it. A friend changed jobs at 50. I mean, they quit the job cold turkey, went back to a trade school, and now are happy as can be!”
"Everyone being paid a livable wage."
8. "Affection between men and affection between different sexes that isn't romantic or sexual in nature."
9. "Good bosses that help you grow and learn."
10. "Respect and manners. Society as a whole seems very 'me' based. People tear each other down for no reason at all. It’s a shame, because I don’t see it changing anytime soon."
11. "Genuine interactions between people that are not interrupted by phones. It’s cringey watching people 'hanging out' when most — if not all of them — are on their phones."
12. "No more stigma around mental health issues. Better support that is affordable for the vulnerable."
13. "A four-day workweek."
14. "'Dressing to impress' for things like flying, dining out, and job interviews. Maybe it paints me as shallow, but I like seeing people putting effort into looking their best and elevating their appearance. It feels good. It looks good."
"The dress-to-impress thing is really important, especially if you're going to a job interview. If you want the position, then you must look the part. First impressions are always important, and looking the part shows how much effort you're willing to do just for the position. I mean, would you give a chance to someone wearing slacks or shorts to a job interview? It may seem shallow, but to me, if someone shows up like that, it can actually show their personality. How will they conduct themselves when more important projects or events rise if they're like this at the start?"
15. "Working nights and being on a night schedule. I swear, I've been a night person for over 10 years, and people still don't understand the concept. I'm not 'being lazy, sleeping all day' when I worked all night! And my version of 'early' is different. This should not be a difficult concept to grasp."
16. "Being able to call in sick due to menstruation or mental health reasons."
17. "Splitting the check on dates."
18. Finally, "Asking people if they’re comfortable before you overshare."
Do you have anything else you could add to this list? Share it with me in the comments below!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.