A video is circulating around the web that many are calling the most disgusting thing they have ever seen. There’s also a video circulating just of the horrified reaction of people watching it. A friend who seems otherwise tough-to-squick apparently clicked to view it in a coffeeshop and almost threw up right there in front of the barista.
I will not here provide a link to it or even say anything that can help a person Google it. However, out of a desire to stay apprised of the zeitgeist, I had a friend provide a one-sentence euphemistic-as-possible description of the contents of the video just so I could know what might gain acclaim for being so singularly disgusting. I was grossed out just from the description. I am sure if I saw three seconds of the video I would never sleep properly again. (As readers who know me know, I am incredibly squeamish. I am the person after all who, as I was sitting very uncomfortably through a sex education video in ninth grade, had a seizure and was taken to the Mayo Clinic for evaluation.*)
Anyway, some substantial portion of the webnoscenti seems to have watched this video in the past few weeks. It makes you wonder if, as everybody’s “connectivity” of the population continues to increase, the needle of something like “the aggregate innocence of humanity” could be moved in a very short period of time by a single superviral video. Maybe instead of the stock horror film premise of a released virus that kills or zombifies an overwhwelming swatch of humanity, there should be on based on an irresistable-to-forward YouTube video that has some dramatic permanent effect on whoever watches it.
* Update: Okay, so for years the seizure thing was something I kept as a deep dark secret of personal shame, and then one day I bravely told a friend and she laughed so hard that I realized it was more amusing than anything else. So just now, I think, what harm is there to mentioning it after the jump in a post? Then after hitting publish I click on Scatterplot’s blog stats and realize that earlier today we received a shout-out from Marginal Revolution. Um, welcome!
34 Comments
If it’s the video that I think it is (which I’ve never seen), it prompted VH1 to profess that “Moral Bankruptcy” had the best week ever a while back.
I hate to tell you this, but there are follow-up videos, some worse than others. I’m not sure any of this has anything to do with innocence, mine or humanity’s. That said, don’t let your kids use the computer.
As Wikipedia notes, reaction videos to this started “exploding” on Youtube back in October. I’m glad you and Slate can replace me as the barometer of when a truly old trend is only new to the last holdouts hiding out in South Pacific islands waiting for the emperor to triumph.
Dylanfa: Fair enough. I’m not sure if I am exactly unhappy that news of this was comparatively slow to reach me, though.
I still don’t know about it, and it sounds like I should be happy about that.
Hmmm…I would like to believe that calling this video part of a zeitgest is a bit of a reach. But then, perhaps “like to believe” is the key phrase here.
That said, the video of which I think you speak is part of a long line of viral shock sites, originating with something often referred to simply as }O{ . I won’t specify further, in an effort to maintain the silence of naming these things.
That said, there’s an excellent video of Kermit the Frog’s reaction.
And my personal inclusion in the “aggregate innocence of humanity” (love that phrase) died when I went to a certain type of store in New York and discovered an entire wall of videos dedicated to this genre.
Yes, it is a genre. Ick.
Oh yeah. That thing. I have no plans to watch it. I think it was the reaction videos that propelled its popularity.
Yes, it is a genre. Ick.
By the way, this is predicted by the Healy Theorem, an independently discovered formulation of Rule 34.
I wasn’t sure I believed the Healy Theorem until the advent of a whole genre of fanfic based on my old blog.
Poor Mary Douglas just missed out.
Any official remarks on this from Rozin, Haidt, or other disgustophiles?
I have no idea what you are writing about but I did find a YouTube video of a grandma watching TV. See seemed upset.
Am I to assume this is more gross than a Bush speech?
To me, part of the problem is that we seem armed with such poor defenses against such trash (haven’t seen it, can only guess that it’s a snuff video or videographed death). If we don’t like this, what do we turn to?
For me, it’s vipassana meditation, intellectual history, quietness within nature, doing something for someone I care about, etc.
These activities are much harder to catch in a “superviral” video, however.
No doubt that the video in question is pretty hardcore. It is worth checking out for anyone who needs to see before believing that anything could be so repugnant.
I have a pretty high threshold for such dreck, and even I found that video to be pretty disturbing. As far as this video heralding the demise of our new Roman empire, I disagree. We have so much happening in this country that causes one to supress the gag reflex that the popularity of this one vile video is hardly the singular bell weather that signals our demise. The Bush presidency disgusts me far more than any video that features an unholy union of feces and fornication.
In some ways, I think you’re serving to perpetuate this type of thing by not simply saying what it is. The forbidden/arcane has far more appeal than things that are openly discussed.
is this the video of three chicks……
To all that haven’t seen it.
The subject matter is not fit for polite discussion, to say the least. The only way to talk about it is to talk around it. It is not a snuff film but it’s funny how far ones’ imagination will take you. It’s bad enough, though
I tend to agree with davidrochester. I’m pretty sure I know what it is (and it’s disgusting), but not calling it by its name only adds to its mystery and interest factor.
I agree with Andrew that by not saying what it is you make a much bigger deal out of it than it is (to some, I guess). Sure, it’s pretty disgusting, but I can think of way worse things to watch (like a war or accident scene with severed body parts or something along such lines). (To be fair, I didn’t watch the whole thing, but I watched some and read more so I figure I have a pretty clear idea of what it is at this point.)
I won’t post a link since that’s Jeremy’s wish here, but I’ll clarify that it has to do with bodily functions. Let’s just say it gives a whole new meaning to party pooper.
How does humanity cope with living if it cannot even stand watching a simple video that doesn’t even involve pain. Humans are strange.
My kid thinks he knows what this is — if he is right, this is just silliness
If I remember right the plot you’re talking about is similar to the plot of Snow Crash.
um yeah. so i walked into the room when some one was watching reaction videos. it is a well-known personality flaw of mine that i cannot live in a state of curiosity. so, after 1.5 reaction videos, i had to see it. the curiosity overrides all squeamishness, above-it-ness, and any other -ness you can come up with. so i watched it. it was gross. then i learned that significant points are faked. it’s still gross. if you are the least bit squeamish, do not watch it.
on another note, jeremy: webnoscenti? what is that? note that if you google it, the number one hit is this post :) (i know what you mean, actually, i just thought it was funny and wanted to call it out)
Anyone who puts up a shock site or circulates a shock video is looking for a strong public reaction. The greater and wider the revulsion, the greater the success.
The best antidote is indifference. Unfortunately, the human race is not capable of indifference when it matters. Instead, indifference is shown to the things that really matter.
call me urgently on aust. mobile #0433 472 728. i am alpha and omega. there is no end of the world
well i’m really bumbed out by the worlds end not just me but everybody.
I may never forgive you for this jeremy. you have work to do making this up to me.
AND — thank god, my kid did not have this video in mind. otherwise I would be suing netnanny. Netnanny made me override about 5 times before it let me watch it.
Classroomzen: And here Snow Crash had been on my list of novels to read.
Kristina: web + cognoscenti. I was going to type blognoscenti, but it didn’t seem inclusive enough for this phenomenon.
LBN: Did you have a seizure? I suppose the doctor at Mayo is probably retired by now so my referral would not be helpful.
I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but “BME Pain Olympics” (self-castration, anyone?) definitely takes the cake. This video makes 2Girls1Cup and 4GirlsFingerpaint seem like child’s play. I’ve never watched the BME video but even just thinking about it makes me want to gag.
Don’t watch it, I promise it’d be the regret of your life.
no seizure or even gag reflex because my brain immediately went to: this is staged, that is not what you think it is. but the flashbacks! yuck. also, what the bother was tin that sex ed video — was it the birth? I can just imagine the teacher wondering if you were faking it or what. it is pretty borthering funny.
The single most disgusting video I have ever seen as late was the clip of Hillary and Obama at the Hellyweird Primary. It makes me want to find someplace quiet to go and vomit right now just thinking about it.
MTDG-C: My understanding is that if you do vomit, there are a couple of women online who would be happy to… forget I said anything.
I’m sorry that I don’t know how to paste in links properly, but I assume this is the video to which you are referring:
I’m not clicking on that link, but this is the video I’m talking about. I can’t bear to watch it myself.
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