Can you think of anything that is not a religion but has become revered with the same energy as one?
420 Culture
As marijuana is legalized across the country, everything about the substance has become more mainstream. But some people take this to an extreme, making #420lyfe their whole personality. It's their answer to pain, anxiety, cancer treatment — you name it, these people truly believe smoking will solve it.
Many of these people have an additional super annoying trait: if you tell them marijuana makes you anxious, they'll tell you you're wrong.
Essential Oils
When you're stressed, a little lavender essential oil can soothe your troubles. Or, at least that's the idea. Some people swear behind the “power” of essential oils, so much so that MLM companies like The Young Living and doTerra are taking over out social media feeds to shlep their snake oil.
Essential oils get especially dangerous when people start believing they're an actual medical intervention.
One Redditor shared they have degenerative disc disease. After they had back surgery to resolve their pain, a nurse — not on the Redditor's medical team — told them to “put lavender oil on the bottoms of [their] feet] to get rid of back pain.
Acupuncture and reflexology are similarly suspect.
Workaholism Hustle Culture
If working hard is your whole personality, you're part of the problem. These people are every boss's dream employee: the people who work late, take low pay, don't take days off, never take sick days. It's gotten to the point that hustle culture is so idealized, it's hard not to feel guilty when you leave work when your shift is over.
As KenzoAtreides explains:
“Working late, extra hours, crap pay, no days off, working while sick = AMERICAN HERO, A TRUE PATRIOT. But going home immediately when shift is over = TRAITOROUS SCUM THAT DESERVES EVERYTHING, THAT'S BAD. Brainwashed by Corporate America.”
Disney
Alpha_Solid nominated “Disney, especially when you go down to Florida.” Diligent_Jury_9956 agreed, “As someone living in the Disney area, I 100% agree. I thought it was all glimmer when I didn't live here and hadn't been. But, now I think otherwise.”
IdoMusicForTheDrugs shared, “Even in Arizona, it's a 6-hour drive, and I see ‘Disney Adults' all the time. I go into 5-8 strangers' homes daily for my job. So much Mickey Mouse.
Several former Disney employees shared stories about how they witnessed terrified kids, some devastated, and how just seeing Mickey Mouse put instant smiles on their faces. They claim it's the “Magic of the Mouse.”
MLM Schemes
MLM, or multi-level marketing, is the companies spread throughout your social media feeds, pushing you to buy their products and join their teams.
Redditor ggouge shared,
“When I was a cable installer. MLM people were my worst fear, way more than religious people. One lady spent 4 hours at her house trying to convince me. After 4 hours, I still am not entirely convinced I understood what they sold. However, I am pretty sure they sold self-help books.”
They concluded, “But the self-help books were made solely to help you sell more of the self-help books to sell more self-help books.”
If someone's sales pitch to you is “The first thing you need to know about us is that this isn't a pyramid scheme,” it probably is.
Politics
On Reddit, TatonkaJack shared they'd read an article recently “comparing modern American politics and religion.” They're not alone in noting how what was once seemingly innocent hero-worshipping has turned into full golden calf fever.
“It went into how politics has replaced religion for many people because it's the only thing in society right now that can offer the sort of moral framework, worldview, and sense of being part of something bigger,” they explained.
They added that the article also, “went deep with the metaphor, talking about political orthodoxy, priesthood, and heresy.”
Pharmacienne123 also read the article. They felt the article demonstrated, “that no matter how enlightened we think we have become, at our core, we are just a bunch of plebes searching for meaning anywhere we can.”
“And we love nothing more than structure telling us how to think and what to do,” they added. “It seems to be hard-wired in the human condition.”
Celebrity Obsessions
Everyone knows someone who is OBSESSED with Harry Styles.
According to one Redditor, their 31-year-old coworker is so obsessed, that even pictures of Styles wearing a mask and sunglasses was enough to get her drooling. “You couldn't even really see his face,” she said.
Sports
Whether it's cricket, premier-league soccer, or college football, millions worship at the altar of one sport or another.
Dynamo_Ham said, “SEC football is out of hand, and another user admitted, “I'm fascinated by the obsession with HIGH SCHOOL football in some areas.”
Redditor stonedjackson answered, “College basketball and hockey are arguably more popular in the Northeast than football.” Another user, zalinanaruto, said, “I would argue that most professional sports are treated like a religion.”
Read the full Reddit thread here.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.