15 people share the worst advice they actually followed.
Not all advice is good advice.
In fact, sometimes the people who want to give advice the most are those who desperately need some. This is why it's so important to be able to filter true wisdom from fluff and projection, and sadly taking bad advice is one of the quickest ways to remember this.
In a popular Ask Reddit thread, people shared the worst advice they've actually followed.
1. From SteamDecked:
'She's a keeper. You should marry her.'
2. From ilikecreampi3:
“If you feel sick while drinking you should just drink more” 🙄🤦🏻♀️
3. From SteveJobsBlakSweater:
I went to China on a business trip years ago. Big dinner at the end with like 15 old guys who didn’t speak English or probably care about me at all. I do not speak Mandarin. My friend tried teaching me a few phrases before I left but the only one I remembered was what he described as “cheers” for having a drink with friends. It’s pronounced “gan bei.”
That is very bad advice. I didn’t know that at the time. But very bad advice. Any green foreigner saying that at a table of 15 old-school Chinese businessmen is in for a wild ride. It’s less so “cheers” and moreso “let’s empty these f#@king cups!”
I straight up made a drinking challenge. For over an hour, they would come to me one at a time with two shots of baiju - a vile and potent strong rice liquor - one for me and one for them. We already had several drinks before that but I had to see through the challenge that I laid down.
All 15 came up to me and made me do a shot with them. I think a few came twice. Worst hangover of my life. It also didn’t help that we were eating some very wild things, plates filled with heads and organs and other things I probably don’t even want to know about.
4. From TrailerParkPrepper:
From my father when I was 16 y/o
'You're not doing very well in school anyway. So you may as well quit and take that open job at the mill (textiles) before they give it to someone else.'
I went back and got my GED at 23 y/o in order to be eligible for a promotion. I got the promotion.
5. From FoghornLegday:
“Put a small amount down on your car” and then just pay high payments. I knew it wasn’t a great idea but I did it anyway and guess what, my payments are high.
6. From jgilbert682:
As a teenager, I pierced my eyebrow with a safety pin. My friend who had lots of piercings advised me to tug on it a bunch in the following days to stretch the hole out. Of course, it got pretty gnarly.
7. From Yarlyy666:
One time I was in the backseat with my best friend while her older sister was learning to drive. Their mom was in the passenger seat. As we approached a T intersection on the road that was ending, the older sister panicked and asked which way to turn. My friend shouted 'go straight!' from the backseat, and her sister did, straight into the curb.
8. From alwaysmyfault:
Many years ago, I did some medical trials for some extra money. Two-week study paid like 3k-4k, depending on the study. I was young, 19-20, and obviously not very smart when it came to finances yet. A few of the guys in the study with me told me that we didn't need to claim taxes on the money, even though we'd be getting a 1099 at the end of the year.
They said the IRS would never be able to prove we made any money since it wasn't like we were working. I believed them, and didn't claim taxes on about 10k worth of 1099 income that year. Yeah, 3-4 years later, I got a nice little letter from the IRS saying I owed about 3500 in back taxes. 19-year-old me was stupid.
9. From willc453:
From southern California when I joined the Air Force in 71. Basic training was okay but the humidity in San Antonio was A BITCH. Got a rash between my thighs and got to walking/ marching like I had a 100-pound watermelon held between my legs. This IMMEDIATELY got my D.I.'s attention, NOT a good thing.
In the barracks, my 'buddy' suggested I put some OLD Spice shaving lotion on both thighs...which I did. Christ Almighty, talk about PAIN. Took off for the bathroom sink, with towel in hand. SOAKED that towel water, applying said towel to my thighs.
Everyone got a good laugh at this and as to my 'buddy', he said he couldn't believe I'd actually take him up on his suggestion. Thing is, it did reduce the rash, which did go away and the D.I. off my a$#.
10. From Gothsalts:
'Be ready cuz the rapture could happen at any moment!!!'
All I got were panic attacks whenever I heard a horn.
11. From RainbowHydrangeas:
To ignore the mechanic cause they just want your money. No, the mechanic was trying to spare a bigger repair later. I learned not to ask that person for car advice again.
12. From blr126:
Pay for college with student loans.
13. From Particular-Topic-445:
Buy crypto.
14. From satan5670:
In high school, I took my mom and female best friend's advice to ask out my male best friend. They convinced me that he liked me when I didn't think he did, but upon thinking about it, I thought, why not, could be good. He, in fact, did not like me like that. Awkward.
15. From chaos_nexus__:
Get married, have a few kids, settle down THEN you'll be happy 🙄 spoiler I was definitely not happy or Happier.