10 things that annoy me

I was inspired (how can you not be) of this list of things to hate about the world today and wanted to write my own. But because it is hard for me to stand behind an extreme emotion like hate, I rebranded this as list of things that annoy me. I left out the world today as well, because some of these are about the world always.

Note that this experience is supposedly cathartic and helps get through Christmas. Apply at your own risk.

I am annoyed by:

1. People who post stories about climate change on social media. Especially the ones about plastic in the ocean and accompanied with: “:(“
2. Social media posts meant to ignite a shared experience of dismay. Example: I saw both parents playing with their smart phones while their kids were eating dirt.
3. Talk about diets or dietary limitations, especially when it is more a lifestyle choice than a necessity. There is a Finnish saying (or maybe just my grandfather’s): “You are an idiot if you don’t eat everything.”
4. Capitalism. Naturally this has to be on the list.
5. Tech solutionism. Or more accurately, the hubris of it.
6. Autonomous driving. Or more accurately, how it is portrayed as a fact of the future. And the more present non-autonomous drivers who park their big chunky cars wherever they want, nudge you out of the bike lane, and make random u-turns just because they can.
7. Self-promotion in corporate politics. There is this Finnish saying: “Only the lazy list their tasks”. Unfortunately, it is only the Finns who know this saying.
8. Storytelling meant to create a sparkle of meaning to mundanity. Example: this dish represents what America means to me.
9. Mansplaining (non-gender specific but more encountered in males). I am also very annoyed at how rarely I call this out.
10. English spoken with certain European accents. I am too embarrassed to be more specific but I think I should probably move back to Finland.