13 habits that society deems low class

Class, it turns out, isn’t about what you own but about the small, often overlooked choices that make people around you feel respected—or uncomfortable.

You have likely experienced that cringeworthy moment when you watch someone do something completely out of touch in public and instinctively look away in embarrassment. Class is rarely about how much money sits in a bank account but rather how a person treats the people around them and respects shared spaces. It is about making others feel comfortable, a lesson often forgotten.

While definitions of propriety shift over the years, specific behaviors remain universally frowned upon by the general public, regardless of where you live. Whether it involves loud speakerphone conversations or questionable personal hygiene, these habits signal a lack of awareness that can alienate friends and strangers alike. Let’s look at the behaviors that might be hurting your reputation without you even realizing it.

Using Speakerphone In Public Spaces

There is nothing quite as jarring as hearing a stranger’s entire medical history while you are trying to buy a latte or enjoy a quiet moment. It screams that your time and privacy are more valuable than everyone else’s peace in the room. A survey by Expedia found that 49% of Americans consider audio insensitivity the most annoying etiquette violation.

Keep the conversation private or use headphones if you absolutely must take that call right now in a crowded area. Nobody needs to hear the gritty details of your breakup while they are stuck in line at the post office. Silence is golden, and keeping your business to yourself is a hallmark of basic social respect.

Being Rude To Service Workers

How you treat a waiter at a restaurant or a cashier says more about your character than your outfit or your job title ever could. Snapping fingers or rolling eyes at staff is a massive red flag that suggests a deep and ugly sense of entitlement. Some people would break up with someone if they were rude to service staff.

Treat people doing their jobs with the same dignity you would expect if the roles were suddenly reversed. It costs absolutely nothing to say please and thank you, yet the payoff for your reputation is huge. Kindness flows downward, and punching down at workers is a look that never sits well.

Oversharing Personal Drama Online

You probably have that one Facebook friend who airs their dirty laundry for the entire neighborhood to see every day. Posting cryptic status updates or arguing with family members in the comments section can look messy and chaotic to outsiders. A study 403 on ResearchGate found that people who post frequently about their relationship status often suffer from social anxiety.

Keeping some mystery alive is actually beneficial for your personal brand and your relationships in the long run. Save the venting for a private group chat or a therapy session rather than broadcasting it to the world. Your digital footprint lasts forever, so think twice before hitting post on that angry rant.

Chewing With An Open Mouth

The sound of smacking lips is enough to ruin a perfectly good dinner for everyone seated at the table. It triggers a primal annoyance in many people and shows a total lack of self-awareness regarding your body. In fact, there is a condition called misophonia in which specific sounds, such as chewing, trigger intense anger in about 20% of the population.

Closing your lips while eating is one of the very first things we are taught as children for a good reason. It signals that you value your dining companions’ appetites more than your need to rush through a meal. Slow down and enjoy your food without making a show of it.

Refusing To Tip For Service

In the United States, tipping is not really optional if you want to participate in the service economy without looking cheap. Skipping a tip when the service was adequate signals to the server that you do not value their labor or livelihood. Data from CreditCards.com show that only 52% of Gen Z diners report tipping.

If you cannot afford to tip the standard amount, you probably should not be eating out at a full-service restaurant. It is an unwritten social contract that keeps the hospitality industry running smoothly. Generosity is a sign of class, while stinginess on a tip makes you look miserly.

Grooming In Public Places

Clipping fingernails on the subway or flossing at the dinner table creates a visceral reaction of disgust for anyone watching. These are intimate maintenance tasks that should be performed strictly behind a closed bathroom door, out of view of others. Personal hygiene is essential, but performing it in a communal space is a boundary violation.

Keep the clippers and the hairbrushes at home unless you are in a designated restroom area away from the crowd. Spectators do not want to dodge flying nail clippings while commuting to work. Respect the shared environment by keeping your biological debris to yourself.

Asking Intrusive Financial Questions

Asking someone how much rent they pay or what their salary is can make people uncomfortable immediately. It puts others on the spot and forces them to discuss a topic that is often fraught with anxiety. A Bankrate survey finds that 61% of Americans say talking about personal finances is uncomfortable.

Unless you are a close family member or a financial advisor, keep your curiosity about other people’s wallets in check. Money conversations often lead to judgment or awkward comparisons that ruin the vibe of a social gathering. Focus on shared interests rather than the balance in someone’s checking account.

Swearing Excessively In Mixed Company

Dropping an occasional curse word might add emphasis, but using them as every other word sounds uneducated and lazy. It can make the speaker seem like they lack the vocabulary to express themselves without relying on shock value. Constant profanity can make you appear aggressive and unable to control your emotional impulses.

Read the room before you let the expletives fly, especially if there are children or seniors present in the group. Having a filter shows that you respect the comfort levels of the people around you. There is a time and place for everything, and a family dinner usually isn’t one of them.

Constant Lateness

Arriving late to everything sends a clear message that you believe your time is more valuable than others’. It creates stress for the people waiting and often disrupts the flow of events or meetings. Chronic lateness is often viewed as a personality flaw rather than a simple mistake.

If you say you will be there at seven, make a real effort to be there at seven. Being reliable is a subtle signal that shows you are organized and considerate of others’ schedules. Punctuality is the soul of business and the courtesy of kings.

Littering In Public

Throwing a wrapper out the car window or leaving a cup on a park bench is the height of laziness. It shows a complete disregard for the community and the environment we all share. Keep America Beautiful reports that nearly 50 billion pieces of litter are on U.S. roadways each year.

Hold onto your trash until you find a bin, even if it means carrying it for a few blocks. Taking responsibility for your own mess is a basic requirement of being a functional member of society. Leaving a trail of garbage behind you is a surefire way to come across as disrespectful.

Ignoring Personal Space

Standing too close to someone in line or touching strangers without permission triggers a primary fight-or-flight response. Everyone has an invisible bubble, and popping it makes you seem aggressive or socially unaware. Respecting physical boundaries is a fundamental part of making people feel safe.

Back up a step or two when speaking with someone so they can breathe comfortably. Watch for body language cues, such as leaning away, which usually mean you are encroaching on their personal space. Distance is polite, and crowding people is a quick way to make enemies.

Wearing Pajamas To The Store

While comfort is important, wearing fuzzy pants and slippers to the grocery store makes you appear to have given up. It blurs the line between private relaxation and public presentation in a way that feels sloppy. Dressing for the occasion shows self-respect.

Putting on real pants takes about thirty seconds and changes how the world perceives you instantly. You do not need a tuxedo, but you should look like you made an effort to start the day. Presenting your best self to the world is a form of good manners.

Interrupting Conversations

Cutting someone off mid-sentence signals that you are not actually listening, but just waiting to speak. It is a dominance play that shuts down real connection and makes the other person feel small. Active listening is a rare skill that separates the classy from the boorish.

Wait for a pause before you jump in with your own thoughts or anecdotes. Letting someone finish their thought shows that you value their perspective and input. Good conversation is a tennis match, not a one-sided lecture.

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