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Talking to The National (the publisher, not the band), Elaine Wallace, senior lecturer in marketing at the National University of Ireland Galway (so many nationals!), said there's a lot of research showing that people like to receive likes and are motivated to seek them. "People engage in all sorts of practices to get them, and it keeps them coming back," Wallace explained.

But the negative psychological effect of the desire to collect likes has been freely admitted for many years by both Facebook and Instagram. In 2016, Instagram's then chief executive, Kevin Systrom, for example, told The Wall Street Journal: "We need to have a place where you feel free to post whatever you want without the nagging fear of, did someone like that or not?"

Years later, however, there's no such place in sight. People still go above and beyond for internet points, trying to impress folks they don't even know. And when I say beyond, I mean burning fellow plane passengers with a high-powered laser and giving up a child after you learn you can't include them in your videos.

To show how desperate some of us are for temporary online fame, we invite you to take a look at the recent posts we found on the subreddit r/justforsocialmedia. But if you scroll through the list and think that's it, fire up our earlier publication on this community. Sadly, there's way more.

#1

Give Your Grandson A Cake *they* Want

Give Your Grandson A Cake *they* Want

redditboy123451 Report

#2

Booty Shots At Auschwitz!!!!

Booty Shots At Auschwitz!!!!

mrkuboy Report

However, even if some stunt makes a person popular on social media, chances are it's not that great. According to Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D., M.B.A., and Director of the Media Psychology Research Center and faculty in the media psychology program at Fielding Graduate University, influencers' success relies less on their content and more on their ability to maintain an emotional connection with their fans, which can change quickly.

"Social media fame is more fragile and less likely to endure compared to the celebrity of actors and musicians. It may seem like some traditional performers became famous 'overnight,' but almost all worked for many years cultivating their craft and building a resume, hoping for a break-out moment," Rutledge wrote in Psychology Today. "While traditional celebrity certainly takes advantage of social media for fan engagement, social media fame is different. It has created a new class of celebrity — influencers — that takes advantage of network connectivity, peer-to-peer communication and bandwagon behaviors, so information and influence spread faster. This works well for fame based on the ability to attract attention through zealous extroversion, appeal, and a willingness to push the envelope rather than traditional performance skills."

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#3

Imagine ... Uggh

Imagine ... Uggh

KyloRose231 Report

#4

Influencers Jailed In Bali For Fake Mask Video Prank, To Be Deported As 'Soon As Possible'

Influencers Jailed In Bali For Fake Mask Video Prank, To Be Deported As 'Soon As Possible'

t_a_6847646847646476 Report

#5

It’s Just A Prank Bro

It’s Just A Prank Bro

OGD3C Report

Rutledge also pointed out that at least in the US, people love to put celebrities up on pedestals as if they were "above it all." So when they misbehave, as most do when they believe in their own superiority, us regular folk take great relish pulling them back down to earth to show them and us that they're not so special after all. It makes us feel better about ourselves. Not everyone, however, can take the fall.

"This is a tough time to tumble down from the heights. Between the social hypersensitivity to social justice issues and the knee-jerk tendency to 'cancel' people based on the behavior or word of others (often without nuance or regard to facts), there is a perfect storm for a crash ... Brands are subject to the same consumer whims that drive fan behavior but unlike celebrities who can sometimes benefit from bad press, brands don't have that luxury. They will jump ship at the first sign of any serious social transgressions. For influencers basking in sudden fame and wealth, the trajectory down from those dizzying and lucrative heights can be equally steep."

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The best experiences are beyond the reach of an internet signal. Why sabotage them for imaginary temporary clout?

#6

Burning People With A High Powered Laser And Getting Yourself Banned From An Airport For Clout

Burning People With A High Powered Laser And Getting Yourself Banned From An Airport For Clout

alexpugh Report

#7

Some People Just Aren’t Raised Right

Some People Just Aren’t Raised Right

Hyonokokoro Report

#8

Couple Gives A Child Up After Learning They Can’t Include Them In Their Videos

Couple Gives A Child Up After Learning They Can’t Include Them In Their Videos

tosac2 Report

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#9

Tiktok Must Be Stopped

Tiktok Must Be Stopped

reddit.com Report

#10

Imagine Going To Jail For A Tiktok

Imagine Going To Jail For A Tiktok

Hellamagz Report

#11

Wcgw Pretending To Have The Coronavirus

Wcgw Pretending To Have The Coronavirus

businessinsider Report

#12

A Guy Sprayed Gorilla Glue On His Hair Cause He Didnt Believe The Gorilla Glue Woman Was Telling The Truth

A Guy Sprayed Gorilla Glue On His Hair Cause He Didnt Believe The Gorilla Glue Woman Was Telling The Truth

oujiasshole Report

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#13

Bruh

Bruh

SilentExpert8 Report

#14

Great Way To Ruin Your Life And Other People’s Lives

Great Way To Ruin Your Life And Other People’s Lives

JamesLeeFOG Report

#15

When You Use Your Nanas Death As An Excuse To Show Off Your Tattoos

When You Use Your Nanas Death As An Excuse To Show Off Your Tattoos

brbarr324325 Report

#16

Wasting All That Food Just For A Photo

Wasting All That Food Just For A Photo

BS-31 Report

#17

Wow, So Quirky

Wow, So Quirky

Rancid_Remnants Report

#18

Harassing People While Shopping Is Classified As A "Prank"

Harassing People While Shopping Is Classified As A "Prank"

combatcompanion Report

#19

She Knew She Would Get A Reaction With Her Funeral Dress

She Knew She Would Get A Reaction With Her Funeral Dress

bonbonellio Report

#20

Hot Glued A Toilet Onto Your Head

Hot Glued A Toilet Onto Your Head

kwkierjote Report

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#21

Brain Dead For Social Media

Brain Dead For Social Media

Evonos Report

#22

Imagine Going To Supermarkets Just To Destroy Food

Imagine Going To Supermarkets Just To Destroy Food

Luxvee Report

#23

I Hate People Like This

I Hate People Like This

xanax101010 Report

#24

Let Me Film A Tiktok Infront Of My Dying Friend

Let Me Film A Tiktok Infront Of My Dying Friend

CapitalCourse Report

#25

All I Can Think Is Ants... Ants Everywhere

All I Can Think Is Ants... Ants Everywhere

swangin82 Report

#26

The Lie Was Obvious, But That Didn’t Stop The Likes

The Lie Was Obvious, But That Didn’t Stop The Likes

Flatulent_Rimjob Report

#27

Don't Warn Him Or Scare Off The Bear, Just Film

Don't Warn Him Or Scare Off The Bear, Just Film

Vensyth Report

#28

Disturbing Everybody's Shopping Experience

Disturbing Everybody's Shopping Experience

HamsterCockSock Report

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#29

Reel Cool Dude

Reel Cool Dude

comicgenius Report

#30

When Daddy Didn’t Give You Enough Attention When You Were Young

When Daddy Didn’t Give You Enough Attention When You Were Young

_LouSandwich_ Report

#31

Creating A Mess In A Store For Literally No Reason

Creating A Mess In A Store For Literally No Reason

RiOT-Septic Report

#32

Disney Employee Posts Videos Breaking Rules At Disneyworld, Is Promptly Fired And Banned From Disneyworld

Disney Employee Posts Videos Breaking Rules At Disneyworld, Is Promptly Fired And Banned From Disneyworld

Careless-Internet-63 Report

#33

It Just Gets Worse

It Just Gets Worse

ShadowL0rd2080 Report

#34

Girl Destroys Her Boyfriend’s Ps5 For A Tiktok

Girl Destroys Her Boyfriend’s Ps5 For A Tiktok

redditboy123451 Report

#35

Texas Mother Poses As 13-Year-Old Daughter And Attends Her Class For Social Media Attention - Gets Arrested

Texas Mother Poses As 13-Year-Old Daughter And Attends Her Class For Social Media Attention - Gets Arrested

FuckYourFee-Fees Report

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#36

Squashing Supermarket Oranges Just To Get A Good Portrait

Squashing Supermarket Oranges Just To Get A Good Portrait

zxcghui2 Report

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#37

Tasering Your Friend For Views

Tasering Your Friend For Views

BoyGirlSmoke Report

#38

Don't Even Know What He Just Snorted

Don't Even Know What He Just Snorted

philip2303 Report

#39

Tiktoker Takes Back iPhone He Gifted To Little Girl After Filming

Tiktoker Takes Back iPhone He Gifted To Little Girl After Filming

007Redhorse Report

#40

Man Drinks Bottle Of Rubbing Alcohol For Facebook Live

Man Drinks Bottle Of Rubbing Alcohol For Facebook Live

count-ejacula69 Report

#41

Imagine The Work That The Workers Gonna Have To Go Through Cleaning This

Imagine The Work That The Workers Gonna Have To Go Through Cleaning This

Akhaware Report

#42

Having A Romantic Date In The Middle Of The Road

Having A Romantic Date In The Middle Of The Road

istillwannamarryyou Report

#43

Ruining Someone’s Night For Some Internet Points On Tiktok

Ruining Someone’s Night For Some Internet Points On Tiktok

AutisticTurnip Report

#44

Hurting Yourself For Some Internet Points

Hurting Yourself For Some Internet Points

Complete_Original_86 Report

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#45

Just Stop

Just Stop

bibbidi-bobbidi-boob Report

#46

Cooking A Steak On A Plane

Cooking A Steak On A Plane

soymilk666 Report

#47

Idiot Eats A Firecracker For Internet Points

Idiot Eats A Firecracker For Internet Points

2020clusterfuck Report

#48

Why Is He Surprised?

Why Is He Surprised?

-sewer-rat- Report

#49

Making The Customer Wait

Making The Customer Wait

ckb14 Report

#50

Doing Something Illegal Then Showing It Off As A "Life Hack"

Doing Something Illegal Then Showing It Off As A "Life Hack"

shumin00 Report

#51

Pain Is Fame On The Internet

Pain Is Fame On The Internet

Blewmeister Report

#52

I Hate People

I Hate People

appayipyip__ Report

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#53

Peanut Pain

Peanut Pain

ziga-rih Report

#54

Like, What’s Even The Point Of Doing This...?

Like, What’s Even The Point Of Doing This...?

M4T1_PL Report

#55

Okay Then

Okay Then

spacebuno Report

#56

This Is Awful

This Is Awful

PLRTSPA Report

#57

Dancing In Front Of Her Deceased Mother

Dancing In Front Of Her Deceased Mother

ILikeTasks Report

#58

Playing Chicken With The TV

Playing Chicken With The TV

CartographerOfMaps Report

#59

Waste Of Nuts And Terrible Acting

Waste Of Nuts And Terrible Acting

augusttrip2019 Report

#60

Asshole Wastes Valuable Food.

Asshole Wastes Valuable Food.

Yeets420 Report

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#61

Just Why

Just Why

AidsInMyBrain Report

#62

Just Why?

Just Why?

prettylonelynstuff Report