We've all been there — that moment when someone you know did something that crossed the line, and it completely changed the way you saw them. Well, recently, redditor u/REDIOKTIVE asked the internet, "What makes you instantly lose respect for someone?"
Fellow Reddit users didn't hold back when it came to their responses. Here are some of the most eye-opening ones:
1. "When someone laughs at people who are trying to better themselves. I knew someone who would laugh at an out-of-shape jogger or make fun of the skinny kid trying to get muscle in the gym."
2. "When a mom or dad sees their child as some kind of saint that can never do anything wrong — and they ignore that the kid is actually hurting or annoying other children."
3. "Being unable to acknowledge when they're wrong."
4. "When someone asks you a question and then gets distracted by their phone while you're answering and end up completely ignoring your answer. Or just people ignoring you for their phone in general — I'm so sick of it."
5. "People who aren't gracious with others. It's fine to tease your good friends, but don't make fun of people for silly mistakes if you don't know them. Not everything needs a little comment or sarcastic retort. Did someone trip or misspeak and they seem embarrassed about it? Be gracious; don't rub it in their face and make them feel stupid. We're all just trying our best out here."
6. "When you extend them a kindness and their response shows they are calculating how much they can exploit you. (Essentially equating kindness with weakness.)"
7. "Littering."
8. "Treating people who can’t do anything for them like crap."
9. "Bragging about their moral failings as if they were virtues. One person bragged about when he was a cashier, he put everyone down for the donation even if they said no, hoping they wouldn't check the receipt, and said he won employee of the month for it. I mean, we've all done bad stuff in our lives, but most of us have the decency to feel bad about it after."
10. "Disrespect toward service workers like waiters."
11. "Making fun of someone else to make themselves look better."
12. "Treating animals poorly. If you lack empathy for the easiest things in the world to have empathy toward, how on earth are you gonna have it for your fellow humans?"
13. "People who don't use earbuds in public or use speakerphone in public."
14. "People who oppose something that they can't even define."
15. "Mind games. Life is hard enough."
16. "People who weaponize their children and use them as leverage against others."
17. "Demanding respect out of you, and when they act [rude] and you don't like them, they demand more respect."
18. "People who talk about themselves so much that it’s almost impossible to hold a meaningful conversation with them."
19. "Catching someone lying consistently."
20. "Leaving their shopping cart free to damage other people's cars in the parking lot."
21. "People who don't follow through, or who are expected to show up, and ghost."
What makes you lose respect for someone? Let us know in the comments below.
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.