It’s weird to think that interest can be put on a scale. Like, a continuum ranging from interesting to the minimal, tiny iota degree to the maximum, universal level of approval.
It’s even weirder that we have a dedicated online community that focuses on a very particular part of this continuum—the mild interest.
But you already know that. Probably. Whatever the case, there is no shortage of mildly interesting things to see and experience in the world, and the beauty of technology allows you to see it just one scroll away.
#1 A Rabies Vaccines That Is Airdropped In The Woods For Raccoons To Eat
#2 Local Creamery Has Beef With Chase Bank
#3 I Came Across A Blue Mushroom
By now, you probably know what Reddit is, let alone r/mildlyinteresting. It has over 22 million members and is ranked #23 on the entire platform. At least as of this listicle.
Even the subreddit’s description was fourth-wall breaking and kinda like “ah, screw it, it’s in the name.” That’s how universally recognized the subreddit has become.
#4 My Apple Iic That Lived In The Attic For 35 Years Still Works!
#5 This Pepper I Grew Looks Just Like A Fruit Roll Up
#6 This Restaurant Named “Thai Food Near Me”
It’s a bit hard to explain what mildly means in the context of interest. You’d think you’re either interested in something or you’re not. Sure, you can be on the fence about it, or you can be in a situation where you want to like something. And that makes loads of sense. This is where you start to think about how much of your time and energy you’d want to allocate to whatever you’re mildly interested in. But how much is mildly?
#7 I Was Taking A Photo Of A Deer On A Trip And Another Deer Came Out And Smooched It
#8 My Heart Pills In A Shape Of A Heart
#9 This Burger King Still Use Their Furnitures From The 80s
The concept of interest (not the financial thing) can be seen as a feeling of wanting to know or learn more about stuff. It can also be explained as a quality that attracts people for the same reason. This ultimately boils down to a joint definition that is used to describe an activity—one that draws people into taking part in it. Yeah, that doesn’t sound like anything that would by nature be scaled to a certain degree. It either is, or isn’t interesting.
#10 A Reflection From My Friend’s Phone Created A Pink Floyd Album Cover On Her Hazard Button
#11 Japanese Gum Comes With A Pad Of Paper To Wrap It Up And Throw It Away Later
#12 My Friends Cat Got Shaved At The Vet And Now She Looks Like A Game Of Exquisite Corpse
But weirdly enough, technology and the internet combined with human nature kinda explains that in and of itself: something is interesting enough to stop by while scrolling on the phone, but not necessarily interesting enough to click, comment on, upvote or act on it in any other way. And because everyone has different likes and interests in life, it’s hence a different reaction for each person.
#13 This T-Shirt Company Puts A Picture Of The Person Who Made It On The Tag
#14 Two, Random, Yet Almost Identical, Boomers
#15 Fanta In Italy Has No Dyes Or Artificial Flavors
What is more certain is the idea of self-interest. Scottish economist and philosopher Adam Smith talked at length about the concept. The focal point of his definition of self-interest is that every person is by nature first and foremost concerned with himself. It is a certain kind of hardwiring that we as individuals forming communities, societies, and an entire race can’t help but obey.
#16 This Car Is Full Of Bumper Stickers That Say Bumper Sticker
#17 My Local Hospital Has Examples Of When You May Need An Urgent Care vs. An Er
#18 This Bar Has A Ice Strip To Keep Drinks Cold
He goes on to say that self-interest is what motivates people to pursue goals. The first of which are basic bodily human needs, like eating and staying healthy. According to Smith, this should not be confused with wants and desires—sure, everyone wants a Ferrari, and it might be within someone’s self-interest to get one, but it’s not key to your survival, and that’s Smith’s take on it.
#19 The Uneven Usage Of My Sons Colouring Pencils – With A Clear Favourite
#20 This Instant Peanut Butter Machine At A Breakfast Buffet
#21 The Difference Between My Brother And I’s Tan
But you can’t really ignore wants and desires, right? Sure, there is the idea that putting yourself through some suffering builds character. But if it’s taken to an extreme, it can be destructive, causing distress, anxiety, and it won’t solve the problem. Instead, it has to be a balancing act, and allowing yourself to have interests and hobbies, even to a mild degree, will have a positive impact on you, i.e. less stress and a better mood.
#22 Fake Ids Confiscated In A College Town
#23 My Partner And I Saw The Same Movie On The Same Day 3 Different Times Years Before We Met
#24 My Friend’s Dog Has Megaesophagus So They Feed Him Upright In A Special Chair
And this now circles around to self-interest again. Whether something is a mild interest or a deep one, it’s still good to have these positive experiences about things that you genuinely like. Being interested in things is not only good for us mentally, but it is a certain kind of reward—like picking up a phone, just for a little bit, after grinding through an hour or two of work.
#25 They Have Baguette Vending Machines In France
#26 Perfectly Circular, Connecting Burnout In My Neighborhood
#27 My Dog Always Eats Exactly One Half Of Her Plate At A Time
So, given all of this, how much is mildly in mildly interesting? Well, by the looks of things, it’s a point between being motivated enough to stop scrolling to see what’s up, but not enough to stop us from scrolling on and likely forgetting about it.
So, yeah… food for thought! Thank you, that was my TedTalk.
#28 The Print On My Daughter’s Crib Sheet Doesn’t Show On Her Monitor
#29 My Boyfriends Beard Hair Grows In Like A Hurricane Pattern
#30 My Cat Had To Have All Of His Teeth Removed
If you’re interested in seeing more mildly interesting things, We has talked about this at length on numerous occasions. Or you can also check out the community itself.
Whatever the case, the internet is your oyster, and we personally recommend leaving this pearl of a website a comment, maybe give an upvote and share your thoughts about anything or everything you’ve read here today!
#31 One Of My Patients Asked For A Rollings Stones Logo On Their Crown So We Painted This For Them
#32 The Hotel I’m Staying In Has A Dvd Player And A Collection Of Dvds You Can Watch
#33 Saharan Sand On My Car In The Middle Of The UK
#34 My Flesh-Eating Spider Bite Turned Into A Heart-Shaped Scar
#35 My Local Gas Station Has To Put A Sign In The Milk Section Cause People Open The Milk To Put It In Their Coffee, Then Put It Back
#36 These Tampons Expire On January 8, 3000
#37 My Skin Is Translucent
#38 My Clothing Pegs Explode When Used
#39 How Sun-Bleached These Vhs Tapes Are. The Whole Display Was The Same
#40 Pov You’re Short In The Netherlands And Can’t See In The Mirror
#41 Bank Gave Me Three Iterations Of The $100 Bill In A $1,100 Transaction
#42 I’m Currently Working In A Seaside Hospital Where The Salty Air Causes Everything To Rust. The Rust From The Fans Spray On The Walls!
#43 Title Of The Book Is Misspelled On The Cover But Not The Spine
#44 My Lyft Driver In Seoul Using A Magnifying Glass To See Directions On His Phone
#45 This Billboard Has A Dyson Hairdryer Jerry-Rigged To Spread The Scent Of Freshly Baked Bread
#46 I Have Fake Wasp Nest And Real Wasps Started To Build On It
#47 Japan Has Started Selling Caffeinated “Gaming” Ramen And Curry
#48 My Socks Turn Half Red Under One Of The Stage Lights
#49 I Opened A Bottle Of Beer And The Glass Sheered Off Perfectly Into The Cap
#50 The Gap Sent Me A Check For $0.01 With With No Explanation
