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35 Times People Wanted To Be Popular On Social Media So Bad, They Did Horrible Things For It (New Pics)
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.
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#1
Give Your Grandson A Cake *they* Want
RELATED:
#2
Booty Shots At Auschwitz!!!!
Raven Sheridan 3 years ago
Absolutely tasteless and downright offensive to all the victims of Auschwitz, the holocaust and their families. Have some respect!
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."
#3
Imagine ... Uggh
#4
Influencers Jailed In Bali For Fake Mask Video Prank, To Be Deported As 'Soon As Possible'
#5
It’s Just A Prank Bro
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."
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
Samantha Lomb 3 years ago
Sounds like assault or possibly terrorism, as its a weapon on a plane, to me
#7
Some People Just Aren’t Raised Right
#8
Couple Gives A Child Up After Learning They Can’t Include Them In Their Videos
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
Kid is probably better off away from these narcissistic sociopaths anyway.
#9
Tiktok Must Be Stopped
PrincessPatton 3 years ago
I don't know which idiot did that to the poor doggo, but I hate him / her.
#10
Imagine Going To Jail For A Tiktok
#11
Wcgw Pretending To Have The Coronavirus
#12
A Guy Sprayed Gorilla Glue On His Hair Cause He Didnt Believe The Gorilla Glue Woman Was Telling The Truth
#13
Bruh
#14
Great Way To Ruin Your Life And Other People’s Lives
#15
When You Use Your Nanas Death As An Excuse To Show Off Your Tattoos
#16
Wasting All That Food Just For A Photo
#17
Wow, So Quirky
#18
Harassing People While Shopping Is Classified As A "Prank"
#19
She Knew She Would Get A Reaction With Her Funeral Dress
#20
Hot Glued A Toilet Onto Your Head
#21
Brain Dead For Social Media
#22
Imagine Going To Supermarkets Just To Destroy Food
#23
I Hate People Like This
#24
Let Me Film A Tiktok Infront Of My Dying Friend
#25
All I Can Think Is Ants... Ants Everywhere
#26
The Lie Was Obvious, But That Didn’t Stop The Likes
Jayne Kyra 3 years ago
This is definitely not fake. My cat just told me she was there and saw it happen.
#27
Don't Warn Him Or Scare Off The Bear, Just Film
More Thinking Needed 3 years ago
There's another bear filming behind the trees saying 'This is going to look great on TikTok."
#28
Disturbing Everybody's Shopping Experience
#29
Reel Cool Dude
#30
When Daddy Didn’t Give You Enough Attention When You Were Young
#31
Creating A Mess In A Store For Literally No Reason
#32
Disney Employee Posts Videos Breaking Rules At Disneyworld, Is Promptly Fired And Banned From Disneyworld
Jayne Kyra 3 years ago
I wasn´t aware that "wide open" is the same as "unlocked". If only there was a word for when doors are not open, but not locked. Hmm, please, help, I cannot think of one on my own.
#33
It Just Gets Worse
#34
Girl Destroys Her Boyfriend’s Ps5 For A Tiktok
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What do you think ?
birdhouse 3 years ago
There should be a new law passed called the "Tictok law". It should involve fines and jail time if you do this kind of crap. It wouldn't be hard to enforce. After all they post the footage themselves.
Vicky Z 3 years ago
Einstein was so right: "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe".
Caro Caro 3 years ago
I stopped. It made me furious to a point that I wanted to kick and hit and and and... WHAT is wrong with these idiots. Why are they not called out and fined? Seriously, do this in front of me and I will do something instead of just watch.
Kaliesin 3 years ago
Me too - had to stop reading this as it is too depressing. To be perfectly honest, bored panda is part if the problem - these people feed on attention, and dontvreally care if it is positive or negative. They don't care if we are disgusted, they just need that ego fuel.
Load More Replies...
birdhouse 3 years ago
There should be a new law passed called the "Tictok law". It should involve fines and jail time if you do this kind of crap. It wouldn't be hard to enforce. After all they post the footage themselves.
Vicky Z 3 years ago
Einstein was so right: "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe".
Caro Caro 3 years ago
I stopped. It made me furious to a point that I wanted to kick and hit and and and... WHAT is wrong with these idiots. Why are they not called out and fined? Seriously, do this in front of me and I will do something instead of just watch.
Kaliesin 3 years ago
Me too - had to stop reading this as it is too depressing. To be perfectly honest, bored panda is part if the problem - these people feed on attention, and dontvreally care if it is positive or negative. They don't care if we are disgusted, they just need that ego fuel.
Load More Replies...
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