Have you ever been in a situation where something happens in a room full of people, and you’re sure others saw it, too, but no one dares to say a word about it? When you’re forced to share the space with that huge elephant in the room until you can get out safely?

It’s arguably safe to assume that most of us have been in such a situation at least once. It’s clear that many Reddit users definitely have, as a number of them have discussed their experiences in a thread started by a member of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community. Said member asked fellow users about the times they had to share the space with not even an elephant, but a whole blue whale in the room, and they had plenty of stories to tell. Scroll down to find their accounts on the list below, and feel free to add yours in the comments section, if you, too, have ever been in such a situation.

On the list below you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with Professor of Psychology at Stetson University in Florida, Christopher J. Ferguson, who was kind enough to share his thoughts on why we avoid talking about the animal in the room.

Read More: “Nobody Said A Word”: 42 Times People Saw The Biggest Elephant, No, Blue Whale, In The Room

#1

Donald Trump has admitted twice on camera that he doesn’t ask God for forgiveness, because he likes to think he’s a good person who doesn’t do anything wrong. Also, he doesn’t have a favorite Bible quote, but rather, “It’s the whole thing, all of it.” Really, all 4,000+ pages? (That he also claims to have read.)

He’s the closest thing to the Bible’s description of the antichrist the world has ever seen, and Christians just bury their heads in the sand because he plays for their team.

Image credits: Godzirrraaa

#2

That the post-WW2 boom in the American economy was a fluke, and that it was unsustainable even with our military dominance. Many of the issues we’re facing as a culture are a direct result of this.

The golden era that the MAGA movement keeps calling back to — huge U.S. manufacturing, demand for American products, outsized credibility and influence with foriegn governments — all originate from a time when the rest of the world was crippled from the most destructive series of events in human history. America was one of the very few countries to benefit from it, and it lasted long enough that it created an entire generation who then assumed that the boom was the natural order of the world.

It’s baked into their worldview, and that will never change.

But the world has changed. Instead of accepting that, or ceeding power to a younger generation with a better understanding of the actual realities of the modern world, they would rather live in the fantasy. It’s infantile and entitled beyond belief, and it’s also very obviously unsustainable.

It’s killing our country and our planet, but instead of just acknowledging that things have changed we’re arguing about how much more money the rich old people need for things to get better.

Image credits: WordWord1337

#3

We can kick the orange man out but we still have about 70 Million people in the US that are laughably easy to brainwash and take advantage of.

Its not going to be easy at all to fix. We need to start with the functional literacy rate and critical thinking skills, and unfortunately grown adults don’t like to be told they aren’t as smart as a 5th grader.

Image credits: Everyoneheresamoron

#4

On a global level, the current ongoing collapse in biodiversity. We are causing a mass extinction and it’s barely even talked about. It’s at least as big a problem as climate change which gets way more press. I think it’s ignored because seriously addressing it might be even harder than climate change and we’re utterly failing at that.

Image credits: Mnemia

#5

When Trump bluntly stated that they rigged the election. On live tv. Twice.

Image credits: YaBoyfriendKeefa

#6

Just about every time there is a corporate meeting where HR assures everyone it’s a “judgement free, safe space” yet the heads of departments are in there too.

Everyone knows that they’re being overworked and under-recognized, but anyone saying that is putting a huge target on their back by embarrassing their boss in an open forum, and the idea of a consequence-free acknowledgement of the boss demanding work over weekends or yelling at staff publicly destroying morale is something everyone knows, but no one mentions in front of them.

Image credits: Kozeyekan_

#7

I worked as a nurse in operating theatres

The anaesthetist was having an affair with the scrub nurse and the surgeon was the anaesthetists wife who knew about the affair

That was a VERY awkward case

Edited to add – nothing went down, it was a routine case with no problems

But the psychological tension could be cut with a scalpel.

Image credits: VerityPushpram

#8

My cousin disappeared for like a month once.

Like full on disappeared. He stopped showing up to work with no explanation, stopped messaging his mother, didnt say a word to any of his friends or on/off girlfriends. His sister even went to his apartment, it looked like he had just vanished one day leaving all his stuff. I think a missing persons report was even filed.

He resurfaced claiming he’d been over seas interviewing for a job. Clearly something checked out because the report was dropped, but that is literally all that he said as far as I know.

We had a family get together not long after he resurfaced. Nobody asked him anything, nobody even made a joke. Everyone just acted like he never left. It was weird. Especially as my family *love* the opportunity to rib each other. The closest any of my family have come to addressing it is my uncle joking that my cousin got replaced by a lizardman in disguise.

Image credits: tryingtobebettertry4

#9

What happened to the report on Russian interference in the UK government, Boris?

Image credits: mellotronworker

#10

I had a job where the full company, all employees meeting (remote, thankfully) included within the span of about ten minutes 1) the upper management level congratulating themselves and each other for record profits for the fifth year in a row, and 2) a “sincere” apology that they simply did not have the budget leeway to provide raises for anyone working at the ground/customer facing levels.

I quit a week later.

Image credits: FalseMagpie

#11

When two people in the group clearly have something going on but they keep acting like we’re all blind, like babe your eyes do the heart emoji thing every time he talks pls.

Image credits: sunsetmothh

#12

Strange that nobody is mentioning the geopolitical and social upheavals currently happening before our very eyes.

The illegal mass deportation of non-white but completely legitimate US citizens
The obliteration of the American system of law bit by bit
The gutting of US government agencies- all of whom are clearly just an obstacle to the very people making these sweeping changes
The purposeful collapse of the US economy only for those with the resources and connections to buy everything up when the prices hit rock bottom
The fact that uber wealthy billionaires are the ones behind this and have done an amazing job at deceiving the public and changing things for their own benefit so far
Russian interference in US elections and government
And how about Russia invading another country- a country that made a deal to get rid of it’s nukes in return for protection from the US (and other countries) who has now officially turned it’s back on it

And on top of all of this- nobody really seems to be doing anything about these issues. There’s a certain amount of outrage and complaining online- but where are the mass protests, the arrests and the actual enforcement of laws against the people who are causing catastrophic to millions and millions of people and bringing us closer every day to tyrannical control, economic collapse and/or war?

Image credits: serberusno1

#13

Brexit in the UK. It’s the #1 driver of economic issues here right now and everyone in power is studiously ignoring it.

Image credits: Thisoneissfwihope

#14

Climate Change.

Image credits: anex_stormrider

#15

When your boss clearly shows up drunk to a Zoom meeting and people are like “technical difficulties?

Image credits: palecrystala

#16

Saw my high school friends pass around a tin of Altoids with a white powder in it with a rolled up $1 bill as they all took turns going to the bathroom with it. I was so naive, I thought they were snorting crushed up Altoids!

Image credits: Lord_Bentley

#17

How litigious America has become and, as a result, workplaces are completely micromanaged. Instead of solving a problem with a human approach, we do everything based on the possibility of being sued.

Image credits: Prudent-Proof7898

#18

During an online Town Hall, leadership announces this person, who is known for having multiple Ethics complaints against them, as an Ethics and Compliance “champion” – AKA the person you talk to for E&C advice.

There were others named and most received applause but this person was called and I and another coworker were mouthing “but why?” and nobody reacted. There was just uncomfortable silence, and then the speaker moved on to the next person.

IDK if it was a power move or leadership just were complete idiots about it.

#19

Went to a birthday party for a friend’s 4 year old. Mom of the birthday kid has a “super sweet” dog who was an absolute menace throughout the party. Barreled into everyone, especially when they first walked in the door, causing multiple kids to fall and many parents to drop the presents they brought. Stole food directly from people’s hands. Giant tail whapping around bruising peoples legs. Knocking kids over. During “Happy Birthday” a dad was trying to calm his kid down and kiddo fell onto the dog’s back, causing it to freak out and growl and snap. I thought I was about to see a child get torn apart but the dad of the birthday kid just pulled the dog over to the side and laughed. I wanted to say something but the friend I came with told me to not even try, people had talked to the mom for years and no good ever came of it so everyone just ignored it.

Image credits: remembering_things

#20

Company-wide Zoom meeting. Exec logs in with a bottle of scotch, clearly tipsy. Starts off with, ‘Let’s be honest ,none of you are hitting Q4 targets. Nobody said a thing. HR just sent a follow-up email thanking him for being transparent.

Image credits: IllWasabi8734

#21

FSU shooter from last month.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it was a white guy who shot and killed two Hispanic men who were workers and did not go to FSU.

I believe he shot 5 other individuals as well, but like the story is just gone. Maybe it is just because I do not live in Tallahassee, but I know someone who called her mom from the student union or cafeteria thinking it was the last call she would ever make.

#22

Went on a lads holiday with my mates when I was younger, there was 8 of us altogether and one of them had slept with another one’s’ girlfriend a few months beforehand. Everyone there knew about it and this was the first time the two of them had seen each other since it all came out.

Image credits: Accomplished-Kale-77

#23

At a global level, the cambridge analytica scandal.

I literally think we have lived the french revolution of our generation.

If the french revolution marks the end of feudalism in favor of parliamentary democracies. The cambridge analytica scandal marks the end of democracy.

It showed that is perfectly possible to change the outcome of elections and it just got worse, and propagated to other countries. Its not only cambridge analytica, nowadays there are dozens of companies doing the same thing.

So essentially they have got the knowledge, the tools and the money to do whatever they want with people.

We are in a completely new social era.

Image credits: asimov-solensan

#24

Oh you know, the AI police state the US government is building with our tax dollars. Pretty soon everyone will be replaced by robots and AI so that’ll be fun, especially because they’re using our own money against us.

Image credits: XvFoxbladevX

#25

When my dad told me I was adopted while teaching me the traditional method of flensing.

#26

When I was still in college, there was a tutor who was married and had kids. Everybody knew this , she was very obviously having an affair with another tutor they barely hid it.

Nobody called them out, not even the head of the department.

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Image credits: FunkyElderberry