Humans argue about a lot of things, but if there’s one thing we’re consistent about, it’s this: we don’t like unnecessary effort. When something feels overcomplicated, we’ll often, whether we realize it or not, look for the easier way out.

That shared instinct often shows up as desire paths, the unofficial trails people create by repeatedly taking the most convenient shortcut. There’s even an entire subreddit dedicated to this phenomenon, and below you’ll find some of the latest posts from it. Funny how nothing gets us on the same page faster than a shared “nope.”

#1 If Not Path, Then Why Path-Shaped?

#2 My Dog’s Desire Path, Even 10 Years After He’s Gone

#3 Path Through The Great Wall Of China

#4 Viscardigasse Is A Street In Munich With A Path Paved In Bronze To Honor Those Who Took It To Avoid Having To Do The Salute

#5 Do Non Human Desire Paths Count?

#6 Desire Path Around A Roundabout In My City

#7 Yeah That Wasn’t Gonna Happen

#8 The Desire Was Strong

#9 Slovakia (Allegedly)

#10 People Said No To This Speed Bump

#11 Desire Path Goat?

#12 This Person Turned A Desire Path To KFC Into California’s Shortest Hiking Trail

#13 The People Yearn For A Sidewalk

#14 McDonald’s Tried To Fight It But After A Few Years Went With It

#15 View From My Office Building

#16 Not Sure How To Feel About This One

#17 A Desire Path So Desired That It’s Recognized By Google

#18 Does A Path Created By Ants Count?

#19 Officially Recognized Now

#20 At The University I’m At They Decided To Fence Off A Path To Prevent People Going Up It

#21 Why Only One When You Can Have Four?

#22 It’s Beautiful

#23 Classic American No-Sidewalk Desire Path

#24 Wish I Could See What The View Is Like From Up There!

#25 The Most Unnecessary Desire Path

#26 Desire Path Through The Hedge

#27 We’ve Been Betrayed

#28 Path Of Ice Shows Where People Used To Walk

#29 Mushrooms Growing A Straight Line To The Sewer

#30 Informally Called The “Kitty Highway”, The Neighborhood Cat Trail Through Our Yard Was Near Invisible Until First Snowfall

#31 I Don’t Think People Are Listening

#32 The Amount Of Time Saved By This One Is Insane

#33 Desire Path Made Official

#34 The Bikes Don’t Want To Take The Long Way Around

#35 The Desire Path Is (Mostly) Official

#36 People Walking On The Grass Because Of The Huge Uncomfortable “Gravel” Used

#37 Very Pronounced Desire Path At My School

#38 Nobody Could Plan For This

#39 Desire Paths Connecting A Suburban Neighborhood To The Strip Mall Next To It In The Mojave

#40 Fun Sign At A School Trying To Abolish, Terminate, And End A Desire Path

#41 You Can’t Stop Them

#42 It Would Be Easier To Move The Crosswalk Instead

#43 Absolute Unit In Prague

#44 My And The Other Cats From The House Made A Desirepath Over The Years

#45 Two Different Desire Paths By Squirrels And Rats. The Park Is Covered By Them. I Think It’s Neat

#46 Because Walking Above The Path Is More Fun

#47 The Stray Cats Have Walked A Little Path In Our Backyard

#48 There’s A Guy At The Park Who Does Tai Chi So Much He Left A Ring In The Ground

#49 My Trusty Desire Path Is Under Attack. How To Proceed?

#50 Desire Path Blocked With Impermeable Barrier

#51 Brussels University

#52 Does This Count? My Neighbours Cat Likes This Shortcut

#53 Best Thing To Prevent Desire Path

#54 They Took Our Desire Path 🙁

#55 I’m Pretty Sure The Homeowners Made This For Themselves

#56 Golf Course Trying To Fight The Desire Path

#57 Compacted Snow Takes Longer To Melt, Revealing Most Commons Paths Across Plaza

#58 They Think This Will Stop Us

#59 Bike Desire Path In The Netherlands

#60 A Triple!

#61 The People Have Spoken

#62 Alternate Network

#63 Oh No They Blocked It

#64 Who Would Want To Walk 200m Extra

#65 Why Should I Go Left, If I Need To Go Right?

#66 I Used The Stairs, I Failed You All

#67 Some People Would Do Anything To Avoid Stairs

#68 Red Harvester Ants Have Created A Desire Path In My Turf

#69 Don’t Know If It Counts As Desire Path, But It’s Because A Weekly Fruit Stand

#70 Humans: Invent Roads. Also Humans: Nah, I Forge My Own Destiny

#71 Desire Stairs

#72 Shaving Those Valuable Seconds Off!

#73 Cleveland State – The Snow Melts Slower On The Path

#74 Who Would’ve Thought That People Have To Go To Zebra Crossings

#75 Desire Path Made Into A Real Path!

#76 Desirestaircase?

#77 Desire Path In Dutch Is Elephant Path

#78 Snow Revealing My Greatest Desires

#79 Not Taking The Stairs

#80 Short-Cutting The School Way