The more we think about it, the more we realize just how much we like reading guides about… well, about pretty much anything and everything! They’re educational, informative, and fun (in the geekiest of ways). However, you’d be wrong to assume that all guides are equally good. Some of them are created purely for giggles and our amusement. It turns out that we might even love them more than the regular ones.
That’s where this fantastic subreddit comes in. It’s a fun-loving online community that documents some of the silliest and funniest guides to ever grace the internet. And we’re loving it. We’ve collected some of their most hilarious pics to share with you, dear Pandas. Scroll down to check them out.
Listen beautiful relax classics on our Youtube channel.
We reached out to the subreddit’s founder and head moderator, and they told us all about the community’s roots and appeal. Read on for our Bored Panda’s full interview with them.
#1 Cool Guide To Edible Mushrooms
Image credits: ear2theshell
#2 Not From Fb, Not Terrible, And Pretty Useful
Image credits: umdas
#3 Difference Between Types Of Groups
Image credits: Solidjester2004
Now, we’d love to mention the subreddit’s full name because we think it’s absolutely awesome. However, the way the internet works in this day and age means that we have to avoid certain words, like the first part of the online community’s name. We can, however, wax poetic about how totally rad it is!
Bored Panda had a friendly chat with the subreddit’s founder about the history of the online group. “As for its small beginnings, it came to light as we saw that there wasn’t really any subreddit to post for guides that don’t quite fit the rules of r/coolguides,” they said, referring to a very popular and widely-known sub dedicated to all kinds of guides.
“There’s a lot of guides out there that aren’t really helpful, but are clearly just for the laughs. So the subreddit was born as a home for those lighthearted and funny guides,” the head moderator told us that they branched off and created a niche for fun and silly guides.
#4 Toilet Paper Orientation Guide. I Printed One Out For My Commode
Image credits: reddit.com
#5 How To Catch A Chicken
Image credits: reddit.com
#6 Alpaca vs. Llama
Image credits: Birdy_Cephon_Altera
“I think people enjoy these [bad] cool guides because it’s simply absurd. It’s treading along the lines of surreal humor. A lot of the guides you’d see on the subreddit are so ridiculous and sometimes illogical. But because it’s presented to us in a format that’s familiar to us, we get it easily,” they explained why exactly these pics resonate so well with the public.
“So, if you ever come across suspicious-looking persons sitting on a park bench or ever decide to have dinosaurs as a pet, we got these handy guides to help us through,” they shared a couple of absolutely brilliant guides that are bound to get comedy-lovers chuckling.
Listen beautiful relax classics on our Youtube channel.
“The secret to creating a genuinely good guide is on the visuals, I believe. Guides are designed to be easy to follow. If the guide was able to be straightforward and helpful to the reader, then I think it did its job pretty well.”
#7 The “Hey Buddy” Guide
Image credits: OMGBeckyStahp
#8 This
Image credits: CUKA-BLYAT
#9 Railway Map Of Antarctica
Image credits: reddit.com
The subreddit was created all the way in June 2016. At the time of writing, the community was made up of 24.1k people. And it’s still active to this very day! We can see why—there’s a lot of laughter to be had here, as you’re flung far away from your comfort zone.
If you plan on being an active member of the subreddit, you’ve got to follow the rules. Now, there are a few things to be aware of. For one, the community is entirely dedicated to visual guides only! In short, all how-to’s and reference materials have to be presented in graphic form. This makes them more easily digestible.
#10 Reddit Explains How To Be A Man (With A Little Help From Donny Osmond)
Image credits: StonyTark3000
#11 Restaurant Ordering Preferences Around Africa
Image credits: reddit.com
#12 Most Common Dog Shapes
Image credits: Birdy_Cephon_Altera
However, at the core of the entire online group lies the simple fact that all of the guides posted there have to be funny! “This is a place for your non-serious and comedy guides,” the founder of the sub explains. In short, the comedy has to be very much intentional. The creators of the guides have to be in on the joke.
#13 Skeleton
Image credits: youhuu098
#14 No, Wait, He Has A Point
Image credits: zjunkmale
#15 Now Comes With Extra Weather Balloons
Image credits: yeetmasterian
The founder of the sub also values members who put in a bit of extra effort. One way that you can do this is to link the image to the original source, not just the source that reposted it somewhere else. Meanwhile, you can tag your post with flairs to help keep things orderly.
Lastly, the entire point of the sub is for everyone to have fun. Redditors are expected to follow the site’s reddiquette and to remember that they’re talking to human beings at the other end of the computer or phone.
#16 Are You Worth Kidnapping?
Image credits: GrandDukeZanggara
#17 Iceland To Ireland Flow Chart
Image credits: reddit.com
#18 Fahrenheit For Europeans
Image credits: RobinTheTactician0
Redditors are pretty big fans of guides as a whole. For instance, the r/coolguides subreddit, another guide-centric online community, has over 3 million members, and you’re bound to enjoy it if you loved this list. A while ago, Bored Panda spoke to u/dadschool, the founder of that particular subreddit.
#19 A Better Bus Comparison
Image credits: Terminthem
#20 Social Distancing 101
Image credits: rabbitoncrack
#21 I’ve Seen A Lot Of Ufos Actually
Image credits: 198boblob
“I had a bit of a compulsive habit of saving every guide I came across on Reddit with the idea that I’d somehow reference it when I needed it later. There weren’t really any subs for general guides so I made one and uploaded all my guides at once. I think a lot of people have a similar affection for bitesize trivia and hoarding generalist knowledge,” he explained how he founded r/coolguides.
#22 A Comprehensible Guide To Hybrid Meals
Image credits: M_rld
#23 Graph Of The Number Of States In The Us Since 1969
Image credits: rabbitoncrack
#24 How To Send A Text If You’re A Grizzly Bear
Image credits: killerbunnyfamily
As with most subreddits, the key to success is having a tight-knit moderator team. However, the bigger the community is, the bigger and better the team often has to be as well. With more members comes the increased threat of troll and harmful posts. Mods often have to balance real-life responsibilities with their volunteering online.
#25 Life Hack
Image credits: payden_cromwell
#26 Most Used Word In Each State
Image credits: rabbitoncrack
#27 Australia Is Big
Image credits: ear2theshell
“I see the moderator role as more akin to a landscaper: pruning [troll] posts, removing harmful posts, and moderating for content diversity. Subscribers are much better judges of content quality and validity than moderators and I think it’s important to trust them in that role. I will admit, however, that the majority of guides I enjoy most myself rarely break 50/100 upvotes,” the founder of the 3-million-member sub explained that quality and popularity don’t always go hand in hand.
#28 What The Fuck Is A Possum?
Image credits: SlurpyBanana
#29 Told I Should Post Here
Image credits: agwastyle
#30 The Pointer Sisters’ Mountain Of Excitement
Image credits: jdignon
The secret to a good guide is clarity. You have to make the layout orderly and accessible. The information you present has to be as concise as possible and easy to follow. Brevity, then, is your best friend! Guides aren’t supposed to be novels. Meanwhile, don’t be scared to reach out for help. Have a friend or a pro look over your guide and give some editing and proofreading advice. Everyone needs an editor!
#31 Is It A Valid Complaint Or Just Whining?
Image credits: SlurpyBanana
#32 Ah Yes, The 8 Simple Steps To Your Own Game Engine!
Image credits: agamemn-off
#33 Rocks Are Made Up
Image credits: snbrd512
#34 Comprehensive Guide To Catgirl Ears
Image credits: Birdy_Cephon_Altera
#35 Very Handy Baby Growth Guide
Image credits: StonyTark3000
#36 Was Recommended To Post This Here Instead Of /Coolguides
Image credits: olivedamage
#37 How Carry Your Tea Cup In Style?
Image credits: Metrobuss
#38 How To Not Get A Ticket
Image credits: TecDeveloper
#39 Instructions On How To Prevent A Tick Bite (How To Fight Ticks In Original)
Image credits: lakmus85_real
#40 Which Joker Is Your Favorite? I’m Partial To ‘89 Jack Nicholson
Image credits: SteveJB313
#41 Atomic Symbols vs. American States
Image credits: ncnotebook
#42 Plural Of Dish
Image credits: GeneReddit123
#43 The Spectrum Of Acceptability Of A Leg Fetish
Image credits: HeccerTheRedditor
#44 Christianity Family Tree
Image credits: Capable-Sock-7410
#45 Use Color Coordination To Improve Your PC
Image credits: rabbitoncrack
#46 Top 12 States!
Image credits: MrsMozely
#47 Guide To Breakfasts From Around The World
Image credits: rabbitoncrack
#48 Guide To Mispronounced Carmakers
Image credits: notbob1959
#49 Nice Tits
Image credits: SteveJB313
#50 Totally Useless But Mildly Interesting
Image credits: reddit.com
#51 This Ain’t It Chief
Image credits: Nathan_Why
#52 Gang Signs
Image credits: Dewdeaux
#53 “Free As In Beer/Speech”: A Helpful Infographic
Image credits: findanegg
#54 Chores For Kids!
Image credits: Juan_Dollar_Taco
#55 This Should Really Help Put The Population In Perspective
Image credits: HardAlmond
#56 A Map
Image credits: Mavsnash33
#57 Big Brain
Image credits: flameyboii
#58 Indiana Threat Map
Image credits: reddit.com
#59 Not Much More To Say
Image credits: Yeet_Boi21
#60 A Handy Sign Language Guide, Made By An Ai
Image credits: mcmanybucks
#61 How (Not) To Make Tea
Image credits: GameDesert
#62 Ate A Bag Of Ferrous Sulfate. Thought They Were Red Hots
Image credits: reddit.com
#63 Just Fuck My S**t Up
Image credits: reddit.com
#64 How To Escape Killer Bees By Patrick Hutchison
Image credits: NoobDeGuerra
#65 Did I Follow Yesterday’s Top Cool Guide Correctly?
Image credits: Krogoth907
#66 Helpful Guide On Canada’s Provinces
Image credits: TragdorTheBurninator
#67 Wouldnt Say This Is A S**tty Guide But Still, I Think It Belongs Here, Covid-19 Survival Guidelines By Andrew Tarusov
Image credits: auriaska99
Source: boredpanda.com