In no particular order:

1. People who say, "BUT IT WAS A DIFFERENT TIME! THAT WAS ACCEPTABLE THEN!" when you point out the sexism or racism in an older work of fiction. I love One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. It's a great book. But the fact that it was written in the '50s doesn't mean I'm not allowed to call it sexist and racist. Please. Is Aristotle's misogyny excusable just because he lived "in a different time"? No. Should we stop reading Aristotle? No as well.

2. When people tap or "drum" on a table. This is something that I find a lot of guys like to do, and I'm not quite sure why. It drives me crazy.

3. Whistling. This is a big one. My sister is a fantastic whistler-- she can spend hours whistling pitch-perfect songs at an astonishingly loud volume. It's difficult for me to articulate just how much the sound of whistling-- so awful, so grating-- bothers me.

4. White people who "don't understand" why they aren't allowed to say the n-word. "How come black people are allowed to say it and we aren't? That's such, like, a double standard." I have three words: Get Over It. I have never in my life felt like I was missing out on some great privilege because I would be scorned for saying the n-word. Are your precious feelings really so sensitive that you can't just be content to not use a word that has been used to oppress people? When I hear people say this, I think of a little kid whining because his older brother gets to stay up later than him.

5. Building off of #4, white people who say, "The n-word is a terrible word that shouldn't be used by anyone." Well, it's very nice that you feel that way. What I fail to comprehend is why you feel that it's your place to comment on what black people should and should not call each other. Some black people might find it empowering to reclaim the word. Others might not. My opinion as a white person is completely irrelevant to that conversation. If you're white, stay the hell out of it.

6. People with bad subway etiquette. I could write a whole book on this.

What are your biggest pet peeves?