Buzz
It’s becoming increasingly clear that having every person on the planet perpetually linked to an endless stream of unchecked information might not be the healthiest or most productive way to build society. This week’s proof: fabricated music industry stars, absurd new slang, a debunked Disney trick, and an utterly repulsive political attack.
Halsey stands firm against being labeled an ‘industry plant’
The music business has long relied on cheap tricks to push manufactured artists into the spotlight, but TikTok has taken this absurdity to new levels. Halsey recently highlighted this issue in a viral video, stating, “I have a song I’m passionate about and want to release immediately. However, my label is blocking it... Despite selling over 165 million records, they insist I can’t drop it unless they can fabricate a TikTok trend.”
Thanks to posts like Halsey’s (and common sense), kids are starting to wise up to the business of manufactured attempts online virality, and have adopted the term “industry plant” for artists who pretend to be grassroots but are actually backed by the recording industry. There’s nothing new about fake authenticity in music, of course, but incidents like singer Leah Kate (maybe) faking boyfriend drama to get plays for a (just terrible) song are becoming more and more common. And when it doesn’t work, it’s so embarrassing; consider the case of “punk” band Tramp Stamps, who weren’t fooling anyone.
Transphobic internet rumor makes it to Congress
There’s a decidedly darker strain of manufactured virality oozing through the internet, and if you haven’t already decided that computers as a whole should be thrown into a volcano, this story might change your mind. A day after the tragic mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, transphobic internet misinformation was so widely spread and accepted among the right wing that U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, tweeted about it. Gosar’s now-deleted tweet pins the blame for the shooting on a “transsexual leftist illegal alien” even though there is literally no evidence for any of those claims.
The lies about the shooter seem to have originated on internet cesspit 4chan, where nameless users reportedly assigned blame for the massacre to a specific reddit user (who had nothing to do with it.) This anonymous post on a message board for trolls made its way up the slimy, virtual pipes that lead to Washington, DC, where it was spread by a congressperson. It’s mind-blowing that hate posts from 4chan cretins are influencing the minds of the most powerful people in the world in real time and we all just walk around like it’s not the End of Days. I hope that younger generations are better at seeing through this kind of thing than we are.
Slang watch: What do ‘ocky’ and ‘poggers’ mean?
Here are two relatively new slang terms that you’re undoubtedly too old to casually drop into conversation.
Ocky: This adaptable slang term can carry various meanings, but it’s most often used as an adjective to describe someone acting in a peculiar or awkward manner. Its popularity grew from Brooklyn bodega owners who prepare sandwiches “The Ocky Way,” as shown in this video. The term “ock” is older slang, roughly meaning “dude” or “man,” and is used in phrases like, “yo, ock. What’s up?” (At least, that’s how it was used back in my New Jersey high school days.)
Poggers: This exclamation of excitement is popular among gamers and highly online communities. It’s similar to saying “wow” or “awesome,” as in, “Poggers! I got a prom date!” Originating from a Twitch emoji, it’s more commonly typed than spoken. And honestly, I hope it stays that way because, “poggers?” Really?
Disney shuts down free-shirt loophole
Almost a year ago, Disney enthusiast and clever thinker Amanda DiMeo shared her trick for scoring free shirts at Disney parks: Arrive wearing a shirt that reveals a bit of under-boob, and the park will hand you a free shirt to cover up. Sneaky, but effective—DiMeo claims she snagged a $75 t-shirt for free. Others reported they replicated her method and scored free merchandise too.
Unfortunately, the freebie train has come to a halt. Whether due to too many people trying it or other reasons, Disney no longer hands out free clothing to guests violating its dress code. According to the Disney fan site insidethemagic, two recent attempts to get free apparel failed, with parkgoers being told to either purchase a shirt or leave.
Viral video of the week: Can you actually make money at an arcade?
This week’s viral video features YouTuber Drew Gooden tackling a question I’ve often wondered about: Is it possible to turn a profit at an arcade? Can you master a ticket-dispensing game well enough to win a prize worth more than the tokens you’ve spent?
For me, every arcade visit follows the same pattern: I set my sights on a 6,400-ticket lava lamp, spend $87, and walk away with Groucho glasses and an Abba Zabba. But Gooden takes the ticket-grinding game to a whole new level, giving it a serious shot. I won’t reveal the outcome of his experiment—you’ll have to watch the video to find out. As an added bonus, you’ll also discover whether a hot dog toaster is worth the tickets. (Spoiler: It’s not.)
