Have you ever done something nice for someone, only to be met with the emotional equivalent of a lukewarm glass of water? Not anger, not gratitude, just— nothing. Well, the internet has found the perfect word for that soul-crushing void: thanklessly.

Over on Reddit, a discussion is blowing up about things we do —thanklessly.— We—re not talking about grand, heroic deeds expecting a parade. We—re talking about the mundane, everyday acts of minor service that vanish into the ether. The classic example holding court? Holding the door open for someone who is just a little too far away. You commit, you hold your pose, and they saunter through without a nod, a smile, or even eye contact. You are now a human doorstop who has just experienced a profound moment of social invisibility.

The beauty of this trend is in the specificity. It—s not about being unappreciated for cooking a five-course meal. It—s about refilling the office coffee pot when it—s down to the sludge, ensuring the next person gets a fresh brew, and receiving zero psychic credit. It—s about merging into traffic to let someone in, and they don—t even give you the universal —thank you— wave. You are left wondering if you—ve become a ghost, silently manipulating the physical world for the living.

My favorite observation from the thread is that doing something thanklessly turns you into a silent, slightly bitter guardian angel. Your wings are clipped, your halo is tarnished, and your divine purpose is now ensuring the microwave popcorn button doesn—t have any residual grease. You performed a tiny act of order in a chaotic universe, and the universe didn—t even blink.

So the next time you clear a colleague—s plate at a work lunch or pick up a piece of litter that wasn—t yours, do it thanklessly. Embrace the void. You—re not doing it for the praise; you—re doing it to become an unsung hero of the incredibly minor leagues. And if anyone ever does notice and thank you, you—ll be so shocked you might just drop the door on them.