Between this handy-dandy Reddit thread started by u/SpareArm and the help of our loyal commenters, we were able to create a comprehensive list of all the unwritten rules of life that people need to be following. Take notes:
1. "Don’t make fun of the way people pronounce words! Either your language is their second language or they learned the word by reading, both of which are to be commended."
2. "When someone's talking, don't spend the entire time formulating a response and waiting for them to shut up so you can talk. Listen!"
3. "If someone texts you while you're both in a room full of other people, do not respond out loud so everyone can hear you."
4. "Don’t use your job to get info on customers. It’s not sweet that you think I’m cute and you got my number and address when I ordered food. It’s really creepy."
5. "If you have to cancel on a friend, it should be your responsibility to reschedule."
6. "Don't point out if someone is blushing. They can't control it, they already know, and you're making it worse by drawing attention to it."
7. "Don’t comment on other people’s food. I don’t care if you think oysters look like boogers. They’re yummy and I want to enjoy them in peace."
—PHM8
8. "Never make fun of someone else's laugh — be it how they sound or how they look. Laughing is the most natural expression of joy and happiness, and for someone to feel self-conscious about that because of other people's comments is so brutal."
9. "Don’t lend out things that aren’t 100% yours. If you don’t own it, don’t lend it out on the owner’s behalf. If it’s shared (particularly if a group of people have pitched in to buy it), check with the others first."
10. "Don't look through the fucking gap of bathroom stalls."
11. "If someone whispers, you whisper back."
12. "Always share in someone else’s excitement. It means the world to me when other people are excited about something for me, so I always try to do the same for others."
13. "Don't touch a pregnant person's stomach. Like, stop! Please stop!"
14. "Please do not use FaceTime or watch videos out loud on your phone in a restaurant or on public transportation."
15. "Don't interrupt people who are trying to articulate a point."
16. "On an airplane, the aisle seat gets the armrest on the aisle and room to hang one leg in the aisle. Middle seat gets both armrests. Window seat gets the armrest next to the window and the wall to lean on."
17. "If someone has legally changed their name, don't ask what their 'real' or original name was."
18. "Don't propose at someone else's wedding."
19. "If someone offers you a breath mint, take one."
20. "Don't be one of those people who embarrass their friend in front of other people for laughs."
21. "Leave it in a better condition than you found it."
22. "When you borrow something from someone, give it back to them as soon as you get done with it. Don't wait for the person you borrowed it from to hit you up and ask for it back."
23. "Don’t go into the bathroom stall right next to mine if there are available ones farther away."
24. "Don't brag about something that you know your friends don't have."
25. "Let people get off the elevator first before you try to get on."
26. "Don't download stuff onto someone else's computer or gaming console."
27. "When riding an escalator, stand to the right so the people who want to walk can do so on the left."
28. "Don't put an empty bottle or container back in the fridge."
29. "Don’t ask how somebody can afford something or how much they make."
30. "Do not show up at someone’s home UNANNOUNCED!"
31. "Do not swipe left or right if someone shows you a photo on their phone."
32. "Buy a plunger before you need a plunger."
33. "Don’t leave your shopping cart in the middle of the grocery aisle!"
34. "Don't ask for something if the person only has one left (gum, cigarette, piece of cake, etc.)."
35. "Be kind to people who are working: food staff, medical staff, etc. Don’t take your bad day out on someone else."
36. "Pee first. No matter what it is, pee first."
37. "Don't cook fish in the office kitchen."
38. "For buses, trains, or any other public transportation, let people exit before you get on."
39. "Don't say shit about someone's appearance if it can't be fixed in less than 30 seconds. Spinach in someone's teeth? Let a homie know. Body type? Bad haircut? Worn-out clothes? Don't need to mention it."
40. "If you make a mess, clean it up as soon as you can — especially if you live with other people. Be it washing that bowl or picking up your clothes from the bathroom floor, it makes life easier and avoids arguments."
41. "Don’t mess up an apology with an excuse."
42. "Figure out what you’re going to order or buy before you’re at the front of a queue."
43. "Don't ask people why they don't drink."
44. "Don’t question or criticize someone’s tattoos. It may not mean anything to you that I have a pineapple tattooed on my arm, but it has meaning to me, and it’s not something I have to tell you about."
45. "Don’t ask how much people’s stuff costs."
46. "Borrowed a car? Fill the tank or, at the very least, replace the gas you used."
47. "Don’t give someone’s phone number (or other contact info) to someone else without their permission."
48. "If you borrow something repeatedly, then it's probably a good idea for you to buy one of your own."
49. "Don’t brag about your kid if another parent just shared a challenge they're having with theirs."
50. "Take the time to congratulate someone when they share good news. Don’t just ask questions right away."
51. "Stop talking on your phone in the bathroom."
52. "Don't take up all of the pavement. Walk on the left or the right so that people can get past."
53. "Don't ask people when they're having kids. Not everyone wants children. Some people have a hard time conceiving. Some people can't get pregnant at all. Some people may have lost a pregnancy. It's none of your business."
54. "Don’t hug or touch people you don’t know well just because you’re a 'hugger.' Not everyone is."
55. "It’s not a joke if the person you’re telling it to isn’t laughing. And it’s bullying to joke about someone’s flaws or mistakes."
56. "Don’t ask if someone’s hair, breasts, butt, or other body part is real, and definitely don’t ask if you can touch them or check. It’s none of your business, and quite frankly, they’d tell you if they wanted you to know. You never know when people have gone through trauma or are survivors of something like cancer. Even if not, some people like to keep those things private. It’s also creepy when strangers (or even friends) feel the need to invade your personal space."
57. "Don’t correct people’s grammar while they’re talking, or make fun of them for saying something grammatically incorrect. It’s elitist, rude, and just mean!"
58. "If you see a dog on a lead, please also put your dog on a lead — no matter how friendly yours is."
59. "People know when they have acne on their face. Do not ask about it or comment on it."
60. "Don't ask about people's love lives. It's none of your business."
61. "Don't criticize someone who is still learning."
62. "Don’t ask parents questions about their children’s appearance or ethnicity."
63. Finally: "Stop telling people to smile if they look sad or aren’t smiling. You have no idea what they might be going through, and you may just be making things worse."
What's an unwritten or unspoken rule you think everyone needs to live by? Tell us in the comments!
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.