# What Habits Do You Regard As Irredeemably Degenerate? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 8, 2007, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644 "2007-11-08T10:51:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/61 "2007-11-08T19:38:29Z")
Switch to decaf **Mika!** šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/62 "2007-11-08T19:45:38Z")
> [@T\_SQUARE](#): > > Wait, where do you make notes and what not? You are talking about your own books, right? Not the libraries? No sir, I do not write in my own books either. Writing in a library book is degenerate in part because it is an insult to everyone who reads it after you. Writing in my own book doesnā€™t bother anyone else (unless I care to share it or sell it), but I consider it to be an insult to the book itself. I understand this may be an irrational point of view. I will refrain from throttling you if I witness you engaging in this behaviour with your own property (I would make no such effort if I saw you deface a library book), but I will still think less of you if I see you do it. [QUOTE=Anaamika] Stop writing in the motherfucking library books! [/QUOTE] I know someone who took out _Sophieā€™s Choice_ from the library. The major plot point [i.e., the choice Sophie made] was written on the title page with a reference to the page number it appeared on ā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/63 "2007-11-08T19:48:30Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] Morbid obesity is my degeneration trigger. Hey, if youā€™re a few pounds overweight, not a big deal. But when youā€™re waddling around with your stomach hanging over your sweatpants, and havenā€™t seen your feet in years, I have little respect for you. Sorry, but there is no excuse in the world as to why youā€™re 200 pounds overweight. And when I see you in a fast food joint, waddling up to the counter all I can do is stand there and shake my head. [/QUOTE] People who are rude about other peopleā€™s weight. Itā€™s not hurting you, and none of your @#\*$ business. Iā€™ve gotta add: people who donā€™t wash their hands in restrooms, public or private. If the last thing you touched was the handle of the toilet, think about how many other hands have touched it, and what may have been on those hands. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/64 "2007-11-08T19:57:51Z")
[QUOTE=T\_SQUARE] Wait, where do you make notes and what not? [/QUOTE] Why _would_ you make notes in a book other than a school book or a book with how-to instructions? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/65 "2007-11-08T20:00:30Z")
Eating anything more substantive than a small snack (candy bar, handful of peanuts, etc) while walking. I used to go to lunch with a guy who would get his food from a take-out place and he would start picking at his food while we were making the two minute walk back to our workstations. And whatā€™s worse, he smacked his lips while he ate. Offense number two. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/66 "2007-11-08T20:01:36Z")
Re: Spittingā€¦(TMI warning) obviously, none of you have ever had bad chronic post-nasal drip. I do. IT can get so bad at times that there is literally a little ā€œballā€ of mucus in the back of my throat, and sometimes it ā€œbacks upā€ into my nose. I have four choices. 1. Blow my nose. However, I donā€™t always have tissues on me, because I have to do it so damn often. 2. Snot rocket it out. Just as, if not more disgusting, than spitting. 3. Snorting it further back in the throat and swallowing. Even more disgusting for me, plus, thereā€™s the added benefit that it triggers my gag reflex and i might vomit. Surely thatā€™s worse than spitting? 4. Snorting it out and spitting. I know itā€™s disgusting, which is why I will always go to the bathroom to do it if possible. If Iā€™m ā€œout and about,ā€ as it were, I always make sure there is no one close by on the street. If there is, then Iā€™ll force it down and swallow, hoping it wonā€™t come back up (or try to hold it in my mouth until I can safely spit it outā€¦which is also disgusting for me and might trigger some vomiting.) However, I completely agree about people who just spit right in front of other people, with no regard to the fact that it is nasty. Most of them arenā€™t in the same boat as me, and are just being gross. At least I _know_ itā€™s nasty and try to do it as discretely as possible. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/67 "2007-11-08T20:02:52Z")
I donā€™t see the big deal about writing in your own books, especially if you never plan to give them away or sell them. A novel? Thatā€™s a little weird, but whatever. How To books? Yeah. Go for it. In fact, one art instruction book I have instucts you to make notes in it, and every other art book you have. You donā€™t own it to respect it, you own it to learn. As far as degenerate habits go, I canā€™t stand people who flick lit cigarette butts at other people. Of course, I havenā€™t seen this behavior since high school, so itā€™s no big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/68 "2007-11-08T20:03:06Z")
[QUOTE=cowgirl] Writing in my own book doesnā€™t bother anyone else (unless I care to share it or sell it), but I consider it to be an insult to the book itself. [/QUOTE] This is exactly how I feel about it. Writing a name or date or gift message in the very front of the book is one thing, but a book is a work of art and it is an insult to that art to mark on its pages. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/69 "2007-11-08T20:04:21Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] Iā€™ve gotta add: people who donā€™t wash their hands in restrooms, public or private. If the last thing you touched was the handle of the toilet, think about how many other hands have touched it, and what may have been on those hands. [/QUOTE] Corollary: there are facilities to wash your hands, so it really is OK to touch the toilet handle and flush the toilet. There is no reason to leave the bowl all urine-y and the assgasket just hanging out on the seat. ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/70 "2007-11-08T20:07:34Z")
[QUOTE=Anne Neville] Why _would_ you make notes in a book other than a school book or a book with how-to instructions? [/QUOTE] Maybe we are talking about different kinds of books. I read quite a few books relating to economics, but most arenā€™t text books. I make notes and underline things to research further, or to use at work, or that might be handy for research down the road, or what have you. I wouldnā€™t have any reason to make any notes in a fiction book, that I can think of. Of course marking a book you donā€™t own is assish behavior, and saying we all own library books so itā€™s OK to mark them up is like saying I can burn down a National Forest. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/71 "2007-11-08T20:13:18Z")
[QUOTE=tremorviolet] I just donā€™t understand people who start drinking before noon. [/QUOTE] Itā€™s always noon somewhere! Iā€™m just sayingā€¦ šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/72 "2007-11-08T20:15:11Z")
[QUOTE=Anne Neville] Why _would_ you make notes in a book other than a school book or a book with how-to instructions? [/QUOTE] FWIW, I underline favourite passages in my own books all the time so I can find them quickly later. Pristine books creep me out. We have several shelves of signed first editions and whatnot, and we keep those nice, but other books are to be read, loved and lived. So yes, my books have underlined passages and folded corners and have been accidentally dropped in mud puddles and the like. Anyway, topic! One of my ex boyfriends used to blow spit bubbles. I cannot think of a grosser, more disgusting habit. Anyone who does this is just nasty. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/73 "2007-11-08T20:16:23Z")
I mark up my books like a mofo. Yes, novels too. Itā€™s a habit I started in collge, as a lit major. I made notes so when I went back to write the paper, I had notes. To this day, even when Iā€™m reading a novel, Iā€™ll sometimes mark a cool passage or even (gasp!) dog-ear the page. It makes it easier to go back to that part if I donā€™t have the time to re-read the book. This is why I only buy paperback editions. I would never do this to my older or more valuable books, and never never never to a book I didnā€™t own. But my $7.95 paperback of _Classic in Its 63rd Reprint_? To the pens! Chewing tobacco, though? Thatā€™s fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/74 "2007-11-08T20:41:43Z")
[QUOTE=overlyverbose] I just thought of another one and itā€™s admittedly kind of stupid. I was reading the grocery store pitting in the BBQ Pit and thought that I think itā€™s extremely slovenly looking when people walk around the grocery store and slump over, using their cart to hold them up. Itā€™s one thing if you require a walker or wheelchair, but thereā€™s nothing that will make someone look sloppy more quickly than bad posture. Stand the hell up, for Godā€™s sake. And if you require a cart to hold you up, then perhaps you should be using a scooter. [/QUOTE] I do that when Iā€™m thinking. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Intelligently\_Designed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intelligently_designed/32/20957_2.png) [@Intelligently\_Designed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intelligently_Designed)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/75 "2007-11-08T20:43:46Z")
Trying to get into a loaded train/subway/bus/elevator before people who go out at this stop have done so. No, pinhead, it wonā€™t leave without you. Not giving up your seat if a senior citizen/handicapped or injured person/pregnant woman gets in. Talking to people from too close (usually, said degenerate has bad breath). Honking unless it is _absolutely_ necessary, and it never is. Calling people on the phone and starting a conversation without asking them if they presently have the time to do so. Leaving your petā€™s gifts on other peopleā€™s or public property. Trying to sneak into a waiting line. And, in general, acting as if you are alone in this whole damn world. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/76 "2007-11-08T20:49:40Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] Itā€™s disgusting to mar the pages of any book, whether itā€™s your own or someone elseā€™s. I never even wrote in my text books. [/QUOTE] I used to feel the same way, and then I went to grad school. Highlighting your books and writing notes to yourself in the margins (in pencil) can be effective. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/77 "2007-11-08T20:52:07Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] Switch to decaf **Mika!** šŸ˜ƒ [/QUOTE] Sorry. šŸ™‚ I know, itā€™s a big pet peeve of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/78 "2007-11-08T20:53:32Z")
Parking your car in a bus stop on the pretext that ā€œIā€™ll be right back.ā€ When you get right back, youā€™ll find me leaning on your driverā€™s side door. ā€œIā€™ll just be here till the bus comes.ā€ People who do that should have their car hooked upside down to the back of the bus and let it ride the whole route before being parked again at the bus stop. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/79 "2007-11-08T21:02:24Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] I do that when Iā€™m thinking. Sorry. [/QUOTE] Maybe it bothers me because I donā€™t understand it. Does your back hurt or is that just your thinking posture? Either way, itā€™s better than sitting down on the floor in ā€œThe Thinkerā€'s pose. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644/80 "2007-11-08T21:04:20Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] Playing slots. ā€¦ The slot machine is a thing of genius. How anyone can put money into one of those astounds me, and I regard it as irredeemably degenerate. [/QUOTE] I assume youā€™re chained to the wall inside a casino. Otherwise, this falls into the category of ā€œthe suspicion that someone, somewhere, is having fun.ā€ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-habits-do-you-regard-as-irredeemably-degenerate/425644.md?page=5)