“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky made this quote famous, and it has transcended the sporting realm.
It’s an inspiring message that encourages people to take action despite the risk of failure. After all, you never know whether or not success is around the corner unless you try.
However, not all the shots you take deserve recognition, especially if you’re trying to push a particular agenda or pull another person down. It’s the kind of attempts featured on this subreddit, where we lifted the photos you’re about to see as you scroll through.
#1 To Steal A Bike
#2 To Burn A Flag?
#3 To Make Fun Of Bernie’s Ideology
Late 2000s/early 2010s meme culture gave birth to the phrase “epic fail,” a term many would still likely use to describe the miserable attempts featured on this list. If you came of age at that time or are simply familiar with it, the expression was one of the famous put-downs used to highlight someone’s misfire.
#4 To Be A Bigot
#5 To Kidnap A 5 Year Old Girl
#6 To Do Something “Nicely”
Finding joy in someone else’s misfortunes is what experts refer to as schadenfreude. And according to neuroscientist Dr. Dean Burnett, it is a common emotion resulting from “deeply ingrained processes” in our brain.
In his article for BBC Science, Dr. Burnett explained that it all comes down to social status and how we want others to perceive us. One way to improve that status is to see someone else lower theirs.
#7 To Starve The Wedding Photographer
#8 To Write An Obituary
#9 To Insult Instagram
Dr. Burnett clarified that schadenfreude typically only happens when we see someone “deserve it.” We tend not to enjoy the misfortunes of likable people because of another brain tendency he referred to as the “Just World” bias.
“Our brains have evolved to assume that the world is a fair place, even if the actual evidence for this doesn’t stack up,” Dr. Burnett wrote, adding that our brains also positively respond to perceived fairness, like how they do to raised social status.
#10 To Buy A Pizza From A Real Pizza Place
#11 To Have Free Speech
#12 At Complimenting A Cat
While it may seem sinister, enjoying another person’s failure has its upsides. According to psychologist Dr. Mark Travers, one benefit is that it reminds people that those who violate social justice will receive their comeuppance.
“It’s like a shot of self-esteem, reminding you that you may not be so bad after all, and that others are worse off,” he wrote.
#13 To Drive To A Rally
#14 To Describe
#15 To Build A Bridge To Get Over It
Dr. Travers did mention the downsides of schadenfreude, one of which is draining your empathy reserves. And like all things in life, it all comes down to finding a balance.
“In the future, take a moment to pause and ask yourself why you’re feeling schadenfreude. Is it for the secret self-esteem boost? Or is it maybe a bad habit spiraling out of control?”
#16 To Go To The Bathroom
#17 To Scam With My Dad’s Profile
#18 To Abbreviate Their Business Name
#19 To Create A Natural Wonder
#20 To Translate
#21 To Spell
#22 To Bribe A Juror
#23 To Show Diversity
#24 To Identify The Motorcycle You Are Posing With
#25 To Be Patriotic For D Day Remembrance
#26 To Claim 25,000 People Were In The Crowd
#27 To Blame Women For Not Watching The Marvels
#28 To Put A Mattress Into A Toyota Lexus Sedan
#29 To Chat With Comically Inept Customer Service
#30 To Run For Public Office
#31 To Score
#32 To Cook Brownies As A High Altitude
Made from scratch brownies following Martha Stewart and snoop dogs bow wow recipe. Forgot I was visiting my sister in the mountains of Colorado.
#33 To Cheat In Peace
#34 To Be A Rebel
#35 To Be A Responsible Company
#36 To Manage Cables
#37 To Open A Gay Club In A Muslim Country
#38 At First Class Privacy
#39 To Seperate Church And State
#40 To Compare President To Jesus
#41 To Have A Rewards Program
#42 To Make An American Flag Cake. (Candy Bar To Prove The Photo Wasn’t Flipped)
#43 To Play The Victim
#44 To Pick An Anniversary Gift For My Girlfriend From Hallmark
#45 To Clarify A Misunderstanding
#46 To Be Democratic
#47 To Break Into The Washing Machine At My Apartment Complex
#48 To Be A Team
#49 By The New York Times To Be A Semi-Respectable Publication… Instead It’s Publishing Lies As Opinion Pieces
#50 To Be The Last Arabic Style Mosque In China
#51 To Speak Under A Democracy
#52 To Maintain Composure
#53 To Stop Making Star Wars Videos
#54 To Make It Illegal To Collect Rainwater
#55 To Apologize For Committing Crimes Against Humanity
#56 To Stay Secret
#57 At Leaving A Review For A Dr.’s Office
#58 By An Israeli Youtuber And His Family To Lie About A Vietnamese Cafe Being Antisemitic
#59 To Follow The Train
#60 To Condemn Hummus
#61 At Journalism
#62 To Be Above The Law
#63 To Threaten Spain
#64 To Have Democratic Elections Without Foreign Interference
