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Assuming that you aren’t new to the internet, you’ve probably heard of Reddit. The self-proclaimed front page of the internet is home to several subreddits, groups where people come together to talk about interests, hobbies, or topics that they like. People from all walks of life come together on Reddit to talk about the things they love.
And the things they hate.
Enter Reddit’s Unpopular Opinion sub where users are not only allowed but encouraged to share opinions that are unpopular. Posts on r/unpopularopinion can range from something as harmless as not liking pineapples on pizza or as troubling as hom*ophobic ideologies against LGBTQ+ rights.
Racist, sexist, and hom*ophobic views on Reddit’s Unpopular Opinion sub get downvoted to oblivion for pretty obvious reasons. But the irony of the sub is that if you do end up on the hot page, it means your opinion has been upvoted, making it a popular opinion. That being said, you don’t have to read about hate to see some real unpopular opinions that hardly get traction on r/unpopularopinion.
Reddit Unpopular Opinion #1: Athletes Are Worthless
This unpopular Reddit opinion, which has since been removed, comes from u/XTremelyTiredofHR, a user who thinks the work that athletes do in their sport isn’t enough for them to be praised. They believe that sports do nothing impactful on a societal scale, making their work, and the amount of money they earn compared to more productive members of society, completely unrespectable.
The debate sparked by this opinion isn’t new. While many sports fans advocate for how sports allow students to develop their character and encourage them to maintain good grades, there has been growing concern that the increasing importance of sports in society and schools is actually taking away from real education. But these concerns have more to do with academia and the school system than with sports itself. As many users have pointed out, the same arguments for the practical irrelevance of athletes can also be made about artists.
Reddit Unpopular Opinion #2: Plastic Surgery Shouldn’t Be Normalized
Before you close this tab out of anger, take a moment to hear u/phantomoftheop out. Their Reddit unpopular opinion takes a nuanced view of the tension between the beauty industry, girl boss feminism, and the realities surrounding high standards of beauty.
The user explains that they think it’s perfectly fine if women want to look nice for themselves, given that it’s an individual choice. But they also touch on how the increasing normalization of beautifying women raises beauty standards and pressures women into conformity.
Studies have shown that the constant flood of filtered photographs and perfectly done-up women brought on by social media exposure actually increases the rate of eating disorders among women. The complications regarding women’s relationship with the very idea of beauty itself is further compounded by the increasing entanglement of beauty advertising with ideas like empowerment, confidence, and self-worth.
Reddit Unpopular Opinion #3: Tobey Maguire Was The Best Spider-Man
Our next Reddit unpopular opinion comes from u/LordCucumber1996 who has some fighting words for other Spider-Man fans: Toby Maguire was the best Spider-Man. Many other Spider-Man fans think the best person to ever play the web-slinging hero was either Andrew Garfield or Tom Holland. This is mostly down to the fact that fans found Toby Maguire’s portrayal of Peter Parker too cringe-y. Take a look at this scene and see what I mean.
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They’re not wrong but I’m with u/LordCucumber1996 on this one. Spider-Man was initially conceived to be a more realistic, down-to-earth take on the superhero comic. Nerdsync explained just how revolutionary Peter Parker was. Unlike the good-looking Superman before him, Spider-Man is more about Peter Parker than the suit. We see Peter struggle with being an awkward teenager, making a living, and ascribing to the previously black and white morality of superhero comics. Toby Maguire’s performance does a fantastic job of hammering in that Peter Parker was always meant to be flawed and unpopular, not look like he could be a Gucci male model.
Reddit Unpopular Opinion #4: Good Outfits Matter
Most of us may be enjoying the freedom of sitting at home and working in our pajamas, but u/Mystique-Distortion may be starting to miss going out in a sharp outfit.
In their unpopular opinion, the Redditor explains how nice clothes give them unimaginable feelings of power. Dressing up may be a bother to some, but for them, nothing beats a snazzy outfit. Their opinion isn’t that far of a stretch, though. Dressing up nicely doesn’t just shape how people see you, but a good outfit has been shown to change the way you think about yourself as well.
Reddit Unpopular Opinion #5: School Isn’t Useless
u/Still1piece shared a Reddit unpopular opinion that runs against the grain of how many people view education these days. Despite the growing momentum of anti-academic sentiments, the Redditor says that schools shouldn’t have to teach basic life skills like filing taxes. The Redditor argues that if someone really did want to learn these topics, they would actually have the initiative to learn it themselves, not waste their time complaining on the internet.
Another reddit user that goes by u/PSyCHoHaMSTeRza gives a more nuanced take on the unpopular opinion by explaining that the point of school isn’t to teach topics. If that were the case, the user argues, then schools would have to teach you how to farm strawberries or overhaul a car engine. They then go on to say that the point of school is to teach students how to learn and how to think critically and, conversely, not teach a trade.
The position that formal education isn’t practically useful isn’t a new one, it was just bolstered by the increasing decentralization of information that came with the advent of the internet. The same argument has been made against liberal arts based educations but some redditors have found surprising benefits from their time in university.
Reddit Unpopular Opinion #6: Dating Age Differences
Here’s a Reddit unpopular opinion that’s bound to make you scratch your head: Is there any substantial difference, other than a legal one, between a 45 year old dating a 18 year old or that same man dating a person who is 17 and 360 days old?
Redditor u/naijas_mm raises a question of morality with his unpopular opinion that you can read in full here. The Redditor claims that there isn’t really a massive difference in mental and emotional maturity between the younger partner in both cases above. If anything, the Redditor argues, the older partner is just as, if not more, morally reprehensible than obvious pedophiles. The reason? Dating someone close to the age of minority is a way to get your cake and eat it too. The older partner, they suggest, is taking advantage of the protection of law to prey on someone who wouldn’t know better.
Reddit Unpopular Opinion #7: Ghosting Doesn’t Make You a Bad Person
This next romantic conundrum comes from u/diamondsinthesky17 who has a Reddit unpopular opinion that’s sure to rile up those of you who are unlucky in love. Why? Because the redditor doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with people who ghost.
For those of you that have been ghosted, you already know how bad it hurts to feel rejected by someone without even a word letting you know what you did wrong. But according to u/diamondsinthesky17, no one is obliged to keep spending their time with you or to return your feelings at all. Ghosting, the user says, is just an easy way to cut ties with a date that didn’t work out. It saves both parties from the awkwardness of talking about how the other person is too clingy, creepy, or stressful to be around.
The opinion has a lot of replies from users that got ghosted and are still hurting. But if any of the angry replies are to go by, it really might be safer to just ghost a creepy date.
Got your own unpopular opinions? Feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts.
