40+ Times People Failed To Read Between The Lines And Restore Our Faith In Humanity

By Israel O

Humans possess varying degrees of intelligence, which is evident in their distinct ability to understand and assess situations differently. Someone might realize the error in a situation, place, or activity faster than you do, which only reiterates our differences and varying abilities. Besides, not having a high intelligence like geniuses is not something to beat ourselves up about because even the most competent people make hilarious mistakes. Here, we have compiled a list of sidesplitting times people have failed at reading between the lines correctly. From misreading a signpost to ridiculous things like mistaking a streetlight for the moon, you’ll realize that our fallible nature gets the best of everyone once in a while. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Learn to read between the lines

Having a television at home is one of the most important elements for many families. It has entertainment and educational benefits, and people sit in front of them for hours! This person is trying to buy a TV from a seller online but ends up bargaining for something that is no longer available.

The seller told him that he had already sold the TV, but he failed to read between the lines. Due to his inattention, he ended up bargaining for what didn’t exist. The worst part is that he even accused the seller of wasting his time. We bet the seller was so dumbfounded! Image courtesy of Reddit/Ggcosmo

Not as smart as you think

Sometimes, we also wonder about a couple of facts that are probably not as hard to decipher as we think they are. In this instance, this person wonders if many people around the world can be listening to the same song, line, and lyrics at precisely the same time.

Apparently, this would be possible if they were all listening to a song from the same FM radio station. It would also be possible if those people were at a musical concert. Modern technology has made it possible to do many amazing things synchronously.Image courtesy of Binal.panchal.94/Instagram McIgglyTuffMuffin/Reddit
They are not the same

Here’s a funny scene between two friends. The first person asks if a pink panther is a lion and the second person alerts his friend by asking him to repeat the question but slower. He did that to call his attention to the fact that panthers are different from lions.

Apparently, the friend didn’t get the clue and the second person replied by typing panther in upper case. He still didn’t get the difference and went on to do a google search to see if panthers were pink. We can only assume his friend’s frustration. Image courtesy of ifunny.co
We have no comment

Some statements and questions show up on social media, and one would have no choice but to think that the person behind the post was kidding or messing with people. If they weren’t, such posts would successfully render many people speechless.

An example is this post where someone is asking why mothers don’t have to take a DNA test to see if it’s their child. We would have to believe that the person behind the question was kidding, and we hope they found a good samaritan to explain things to them if they’re not. Image courtesy of Zephyris CC BY-SA 3.0 /Wiki @rllydumbtweetsi/Twitter
The wrong recipient

Sending the right message to the wrong recipient is something many of us have done at one point in our lives. We might feel a little embarrassed when we realize what happened, but we shrug it off quickly as no human is infallible.

However, sending the right message to the wrong person becomes a problem when you fail to realize your mistake and keep arguing. This is exactly what is happening here. The sender kept reiterating that they had the right recipient. They just can’t get it right! Image courtesy of buzzfeed.com
Why so clueless?

To be fair, this kind of occurrence is familiar to many of us. It happens when the other person at the end of a conversation makes a comment that the recipient fails to decipher. However, many of us also come to realize what they meant after a while.

This appears to be an online dating chat app, and the conversation went from casual to clueless very fast. The other person was trying to come clean about their gender and realness, but the recipient remained oblivious and made the conversation awkward. Image courtesy of Euan.eduardo/Instagram ShawnTheSheepxxx/Reddit
How did she come up with this?

Truly, not everyone is expected to understand rocket science or the complexities that exist between two microorganisms that look alike. This is because we all have our strengths and weaknesses. However, this assertion does not extend to some basic knowledge. We don’t know what the heck they are thinking!

For instance, this woman doesn’t understand how pregnancy tests work. She is unaware of the fact that the number of positive pregnancy test strips doesn’t mean the number of babies. The funny part is her worrying about taking care of four babies. Image courtesy of: Evolutionofthestork/Instagram 97Vercetti/Twitter
Where would you have done the film?

If you heard about a film that’s centered on class in Korea and social criticism, directed by a Korean and filled with a Korean cast, where would you make the film? We would most likely choose Korea since the message is for them.

We would also choose Korea because the film’s message is for their people and in their language. However, this reporter kept asking the film director, who is also Korean, what made him decide to make the film in his country. Go figure! Image courtesy of Instagram/@hoyarkive
We don’t know what she meant

To be fair, we are not sure what this woman meant with her statement. She wishes that she could choose the father of her children, which is something everyone knows she’s in total control of. The reverse would be the case if she meant her father.

Apparently, we can’t choose our fathers, but we women have a choice as to who the father of their own children is. Some people have come to her aid by saying perhaps she meant her father. That way, the statement would be less awkward. Image courtesy of Hannah Phillips/Photographer cripperella/Twitter
You’re still in the country sweetie

This girl went to New York and thought she was out of America. We do not know what inspired her to think this way, but some people believe that she needs a map that will remind her that New York is a state within America.

The worst part of this picture is in the comment section of the post. The person called her a stupid girl as he doubts she has ever taken a geology class. He meant to say geography. Now we’re not sure who the stupid one is. Image courtesy of Instagram/Natalia.winicki
The library is at your service

Undoubtedly, reading is an endeavor that nourishes the soul and brain. It grants us the experience of things we’ve never seen and widens our imaginations. This person asked a disappointing question that she probably thought might be hard to decipher.

She wants to know a place where kids could read several books one after the other and return them when they’re done with each book. She probably forgot that a public library is a helpful place for such endeavors. Image courtesy of ann_zet_24/Instagram potatosalad001/Reddit
How to make fun of oneself

Many of us have been in this kind of situation one time or the other. This woman kept dipping her hand in her bowl trying to remove a pickle for more than thirty minutes. Eventually, she realized that it was her finger.

She and her friends must have had a good laugh when they eventually realized her hilarious error. She didn’t only waste thirty invaluable minutes trying to catch something that didn’t exist. She also ended up poking fun at herself. Image courtesy of Reddit/Mcv_inmia
Humans don’t have a superpower

This is an awkward assertion, but we have probably seen worse. Here’s someone thinking that humans do not need umbrellas when they are above eighteen. We wonder if she actually believes that the human body becomes waterproof after eighteen.

Honestly, the human body undergoes some rapid development when it turns 18 but being waterproof isn’t one of them. Hence, every human still needs to protect themselves from extreme weather conditions no matter their age, and we are extremely happy umbrellas exist!Image courtesy of: mirnamaras / ig 1000IQMoments/Twitter
Funny shirts are awesome

People that wear funny shirts unintentionally put a smiling face on many people. In some instances, the inscription on some could make a stranger stare at you awkwardly. In this case, this professor’s shirt made a fool of some of his students.

The shirt says that there are two kinds of people in this world. The first are those that can extrapolate from incomplete data, and the second set was omitted because it was decipherable. However, some people still didn’t get the message. Image courtesy of Jerrinq/Imgur
Sponsorship isn’t the same as adoption

This boyfriend is teasing his girl because of a simple misunderstanding. She wanted a koala bear from Australia that she could be taking care of and made a $70 commitment for the cause. She later learned that she could only become a sponsor.

She began crying when she learned that the koala bear wasn’t going to be mailed to her. The cause of her sadness could be the loss of opportunity to rear a bear or the $70 she spent in the process. Let’s hope the boyfriend gave her some consolation.Image courtesy of Annashevtchenko_/Instagram SirAustinOfDunn/Twitter
Computer error

Many science teachers always urge their students to rely on their calculative ability rather than use a calculator all the time. This way, the student can be challenged, motivated, and stimulated to solve their mathematical problems without the help of technology.

In this case, the student made a calculation, and instead of looking back at what the error could’ve been, she simply wrote a syntax error as the calculator displayed. The teacher’s look screams disappointment, and we also think she needs some reprimanding. Image courtesy of Reddit/Riri_corn
A problem with fractions

A&W was a household name in the 80s. They were known for burger production, and in a bid to compete with McDonald’s, they created a special burger that was ⅓ of a pound. However, their projections didn’t work out as expected.

People saw other burger outlets selling ¼ of a pound and thought that they were bigger than A&W’s ⅓. We do not know if the problem was in their weak knowledge of fractions, but the incident led the restaurant to pull the burger off their menu.Image courtesy of Serious.taste/Instagram Amando Abreu/Medium
That wasn’t sleek

This man thought he was being clever but ended up being hilarious instead. He wanted to smuggle in an illegal item on a plane and hid it under his wig. Apart from the fact that the item didn’t fit well under the hairpiece, it left a gigantic and visiblet bulge on his head.

Airport authorities warn against smuggling certain items on a plane because of passenger safety and border laws. However, it is common to see people like this flaunt the rules for their personal gain. Let’s hope the man learned a lesson from the incident. Image courtesy of Spanish National Police
A true fan

Every true fan of the animated Family Guy series knows that you should expect the unexpected when it comes to comedy on the show. However, this fan took it far when he watched ten minutes of the show in Spanish.

He mistakenly pressed the language option on his remote, which changed the option to Spanish. He thought that they were making a joke with that, and he had to go through ten minutes of not understanding the dialogue, thinking it was a part of the show. Image courtesy of @maccoul_ /Twitter shine_schweiz/Instagram
These people got played

The internet is the world wide web that connects many people from various parts of the earth together. Unless you’re sure of no third-party access, you definitely shouldn’t be putting personal and sensitive information on the web for all to access.

Someone was fishing to find out people’s social security numbers and disguised it by asking them how much they would have if their number was their account balance. Some people started putting their number up until a rather clever guy called their attention to the scam. Image courtesy of Reddit/Sejiro_hiko
It doesn’t work that way

Many people become excited when their sibling is pregnant and expecting a bundle of joy. Typically, it signifies the assumption of a new role for most members of the family, especially when it’s a first child. However, this person seems to need some explanation.

While it is true that the sibling of a woman with a newborn baby would be either an aunt or uncle, it doesn’t depend on the baby’s gender. The woman would become the aunt automatically, but she stupidly thinks that the baby’s gender is the determinant. Image courtesy of nicolemnt/Instagram 6godxae/Twitter
Someone needs a revision

Superman is one of many people’s favorite superheroes. His story is captivating and has given us several amazing cinematic experiences. This couple wanted to recreate the Superman and Supergirl story with their costumes but got things totally mixed up.

Apparently, they are in a romantic relationship, and they dressed as superman and Supergirl. The big detail they forgot is that Supergirl is Superman’s cousin and not his girlfriend. They were never in a romantic relationship in the comics. Image courtesy of Shapesshiftingprincess/Instagram terryleeborror/Twitter
Fetching water in a basket

Here is a student that wanted to charge his phone with a solar-powered device. Usually, the device should be charged in the sun, but this guy thought that placing a flashlight on the solar panel would do the same job.

What would be the result of his funny experiment is a dead battery because the flashlight would consume what remains of it. The funniest part is that he had the chance to charge the phone with the laptop beside the power bank. Image courtesy of Reddit/Iknowicantspel
Buying what you can’t have

This man bought a watermelon that couldn’t fit through the train bars. Apparently, he didn’t think of how he would get the watermelon into the train when he was buying it. Now, he has to hold it till the train gets to the nearest station.

Another option would be to slice it if he has a knife. Our heart hurts seeing him hold that as no one knows when the train would make its next stop. Let’s hope that he doesn’t suffer joint pains in his hands after the endeavor. Image courtesy of Reddit/Suddenslow
Landlords and their tenants

Landlords face several disputes with their tenants and vice versa. In most cases, both parties always try to come to a compromise that will give room for peaceful coexistence. In this case, a tenant is complaining about a broken hot water tap.

The landlord rightfully asked for evidence, and the tenant gave him a picture of water running from a tap while claiming it wasn’t hot. We know he expected the tenant to snap some broken pipes or dials, but unfortunately, he isn’t on the same page with his tenant. Image courtesy of Twitter/@patrickTShep
The wrong tactics

Even though they have always been a thing, fake IDs are now becoming more common due to increased crime rates in many countries. The surprising part is that people now make these fake IDs in a way that one would never suspect its lack of authenticity.

However, this person’s fake ID has several problems. Apart from its apparent lack of authenticity, the person chose a picture that contained his girlfriend as a passport in the ID. We would like to think that he mistakenly did that.Image courtesy of Grundy County Sheriff’s Office /Facebook Mrkjm1550/Reddit
You don’t have her phone

This girl thinks that she has her friend’s phone owing to a previous encounter that they had before starting this conversation. Apparently, she forgot that the same phone she thought she had was with her friend that was replying.

This kind of situation happens to many of us once in a while, especially when we look for things that are in our hands. It might take a while before we figure it out, but it usually gives us a good laugh when we realize our mistake. Image courtesy of nuturingnavigator/Reddit
People weren’t dumb in the past

Everyone makes mistakes, but the ability to realize your mistakes and correct them is a praiseworthy character trait. This person asked how people in the middle ages knew what skeletons looked like since he saw them make drawings of them.

He also thought that the only way to make a drawing of skeletons is through X-Ray pictures. He forgot that they had access to dead people just like we have now. The good part of this scenario is that he edited the question when he realized his error. Image courtesy of Reddit/NoStupidQuestions
The earth has many planets

People have searched for weird things on Google, but this stands to be one of the weirdest we’ve seen. The person wants to know how many planets the earth contains. We believe the person didn’t attend any science or geography classes in high school.

The earth being a planet is common knowledge, and it does not contain any planet within itself. However, we’d like to think that the poster was trolling just like many other Google users that post ridiculous questions on the internet. Image courtesy of Instagram/7110339
You’re not being scammed

Traveling outside your home country comes with several challenges. First, you have to get a visa, passport, and other international documents. You also have to ensure that your credit cards are safe at home if you aren’t using them on your journey.

This person thought that someone was using her credit card in Europe. Funnily, she was the one in Europe using the card. She’s right to cancel the card due to suspected fraudulent activity, but we’re sure she’d have a good laugh when she realizes what happened. Image courtesy of Jonathan Adato/Photographer stEPH_u_/Twitter
People celebrate what concerns them

Americans celebrate the fourth of July as an independence day because it’s the day the United States was officially born and reminded them of what brings everyone in the country together. The same thing happens in every other country when they celebrate their independence.

However, it would be absurd to ask why people in other parts of the world don’t celebrate the fourth of July. Of course, it doesn’t have any value to them, nor does it have any relevance to their culture. They would only celebrate what they hold important in their countries. Image courtesy of Jonathan Adato/Photographer Chawderpuff/Reddit
Tea or coffee?

This mom wasn’t aware of the labels on the containers she had at home. One of them says tea while the other says coffee. However, she filled the containers with the opposite of what the label says. We do not know why she did this.

Her actions must have left people in her home bewildered, and this might have prompted them to post the picture on social media. While we think that the mom might not have seen the labels, we hope that those at home call her attention to it. Image courtesy of Twitter/@richie_rich77
Missing the point

Everyone wants to have the spotlight only on them on their wedding day but having a combined wedding with your best friend brings a different kind of joy. This is a picture of two celebrities getting married to each other.

One of the comments caught our attention when someone said congratulations to them and demanded a photo of their respective husbands. She was probably unaware that she was seeing the couple. We hope it wasn’t long before she got the point. Image courtesy of Twitter/@mefeater
Troubles with a fraction

Many people have problems with fractions, even as adults. In this scenario, this person was trying to follow some specific recipe for their food. The recipe says ¼ cup of sugar should be added to the mix, but the person ended up adding ⅓ cup of sugar.

She also added that she used ⅓ cup of sugar because her husband doesn’t want it to be too sweet. She is probably unaware that ⅓ cup of sugar is more than ¼. We hope that her troubles with understanding fractions don’t harm her family. Image courtesy of Reddit/Gizmosarrow
Money isn’t that easy to come by

Someone received a stimulus check which is a payment for those who have financial constraints due to events such as the coronavirus pandemic. This payment is usually a lifesaver and does not come from an individual donation like this person thought.

Here, someone was assuming that the recipient of this cash got it from an individual. We’re glad to inform the person that stimulus checks do not work that way. A body like the government usually authorizes it. Image courtesy of Instagram/Makemoneyaffmine
The end justifies the means

Here’s someone trying to follow the latest food craze in town. She wanted to make chicken strips but ended up putting raw chicken on her plate. This is the first time we hear of raw chicken as a scrumptious meal.

Her actions remind us of the saying, “The end justifies the means.” In her context, she probably wants to reduce her weight, and eating raw chicken would help her achieve that by sending her to the toilet repeatedly.Image courtesy of Morgan Jane Gibbs /Facebook
Congratulations on your bankruptcy

Having a good credit score is praiseworthy and shows that you have a healthy financial life. However, this user shot herself in the leg when she posted her new and fancy credit card. We really hope she takes it down before it’s too late.

She got a new credit card and posted a picture of it, including the card details. Someone could buy something that is crazily expensive on her behalf, which would ruin any chances of reviving her credit rating in the future. What is wrong with people!Image courtesy of cleverpedia.com
Warming up the phone

Here’s someone that acted on a piece of unverified information he got from somewhere. Apparently, he heard that you can charge your phone by putting it in a microwave, and he decided to give it a try. What happened after his little experiment is obvious.

His phone heated up as you would expect from anything you put in a microwave. It even got cracked and probably damaged in the process. The lesson here is that not every piece of information you see online is legitimate, kids.Image courtesy of Reddit/cakidtalks
The moon is greater than that

This person saw the beautiful reflection of a streetlight and erroneously thought it was a full moon. Apparently, the moon and a streetlight have something in common, which is the beautiful yellow glow that you see during the night.

However, the moon cannot be compared to a streetlight in any capacity. This was a mistake that could have been made by anyone because many people become engrossed in the beauty of a streetlight’s reflection at night, right? Image courtesy of buzzfeed.com
The ingredient that doesn’t belong

This beautifully packaged pork sausage meat has an ingredient that doesn’t belong, and we want to know who thought of this preposterous idea. If you look closely, you will see some gummy bears tucked in the raw meat. We do not know what the store intended with this stunt.

If you decide to save the gummy bears and take them out of the raw meat, you might end up losing weight in ways you do not expect. We believe that food combinations are the results of creativity, and there should always be room for individual preference. But we don’t think there is room for this combination!Image courtesy of Reddit/Merricat_blackwood
This is what happens when you suffer from inadequate sleep

Inadequate sleep and working all day has immediate and short-lived benefits but also comes with long-term side effects. This person must have been boycotting their bed or worked extra hours at work. It’s evident from this funny post.

He had to jump on social media to ask where the ‘W’ on the badminton racket was coming from. We hope that other objects in his car aren’t causing a reflection that is different from what he sees as that could get him admitted to a hospital in no time! Image courtesy of funcage.com
The government is aware

Many people do not know the extent of the government’s knowledge concerning its citizens. In a well-administered country, the government usually possesses an information bank that contains the name, age, address, and occupation of every registered citizen. This information is used for strategic planning and other vital purposes.

It’s funny for this person to think that using facial recognition software in any establishment makes the government have a record of their face. The truth is that the government knows the face of every registered citizen in the country already. Have they ever heard of a passport!? Image courtesy of Jonathan Adato/Photographer Tash Thee Bae/Twitter
The tree is yours

Owning a large piece of property and knowing precisely what kind of plants and animals you have are different entities to some people. It’s bizarre, though, but when we see posts like this, it reminds us of some possibilities. Here’s someone who noticed several avocados in his compound.

He thought that someone must have been playing pranks on him by throwing the fruits in his yard. To his utmost surprise, he later discovered that he had an avocado tree in his backyard. We have nothing to say but to congratulate him on his discovery. Image courtesy of Marysbackyardblooms/Instagram MavenofHonor/Twitter