Buzz
This week, youth culture presents a stark contrast between a hero and a villain. Surprisingly, the digital world has labeled accused UnitedHealthcare CEO murderer Luigi Mangione as the hero, while Hailey "Hawk Tuah Girl" Welch has been cast as the antagonist. The reasoning behind these labels is complex and hard to decipher. Additionally, prepare yourself for "Sigma Boy Sigma Boy," which currently holds the title of the internet's most exasperating video.
The internet is rallying around a killer
At 26, Mangione is an improbable vigilante. Born into a wealthy and influential Baltimore family (the Mangiones don’t just frequent the country club—they own it), he was the top of his class at the prestigious Gilman School and earned a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania. However, an unknown event derailed Mangione from his privileged path, leading to his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York City street. He now faces charges of second-degree murder, illegal possession of weapons, and other related offenses.
Despite being accused of ruthless killings, it might seem surprising that Mangione has gained widespread online admiration since his arrest. He has been turned into countless memes, merchandise has been produced to celebrate him, and some individuals have even volunteered to fund his legal defense. Celebrating criminals is not a new trend—Bonnie and Clyde, for example, left a trail of violence during the Great Depression but still captured the public’s fascination, reflecting the widespread frustration with the economic collapse. On social media, people from all political backgrounds are suggesting, if not outright stating, that while Mangione’s actions may not be praiseworthy, they are somewhat understandable, especially given the universal disdain for health insurance horror stories.
However, this reasoning is flawed. No matter how much we despise insurance companies or blame their leaders for systemic failures, vigilante justice rarely leads to positive outcomes. Instead of emulating Robin Hood’s redistribution of wealth or the Punisher’s targeting of untouchable criminals, such actions often result in atrocities like those committed by the KKK or Salvadoran death squads. Rather than addressing the root causes of suffering through systemic change, companies are more likely to enhance security measures for their executives.
Young internet users, however, often overlook moral complexity. They’ve embraced Mangione as a hero and are finding creative ways to celebrate him. For example:
Comparing him to the Riddler: Reflecting their comic book-inspired worldview, conspiracy theorists speculate that Mangione left behind cryptic messages in his X account’s header, including an image of the Pokémon Breloom, pokedex #286, which they interpret as a nod to Proverbs 28:6: “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” (Though it could just as easily reference Leviticus 28:6: “The clay pot the meat is cooked in must be broken; but if it is cooked in a bronze pot, the pot is to be scoured and rinsed with water.”)
Highlighting his looks: This point is hard to dispute, as Mangione’s physical appeal has become a recurring theme in memes.
Encouraging financial support for his cause: Numerous crowdfunded legal defense funds have been set up (even though Mangione’s family is likely as wealthy as his alleged victim), and #FreeLuigi is trending across platforms.
Drawing parallels to fictional characters: He shares a name with a Nintendo character but resembles the chef from Ratatouille.
Believing he’s just like us: He enjoys mainstream music and posts irreverent content on X.
However, Mangione is not like most of us—at least, I hope not. It’s concerning if we start viewing ourselves as potential killers waiting for the right moment.
The internet has turned its disdain toward Hawk Tuah Girl
Earlier in September, I recommended that Haliey Welch, the Hawk Tuah Girl, capitalize on her fleeting fame as much as possible, but I didn’t envision it happening like this: About a week ago, Welch introduced a new memecoin (HAWK) on the Solana blockchain. Memecoins are cryptocurrencies inspired by internet memes, reflecting the current trend.
Welch and her manager insist this wasn’t a scam. "We aim to comply with securities laws,” Welch’s manager, Jonnie Forster, told Fortune. “We’re essentially tokenizing Hailey’s fan base in a way.”
The coin’s value skyrocketed after its public release, reaching a market cap of $490 million. However, in an entirely predictable turn of events, HAWK’s value soon plummeted, crashing dramatically. The price dropped by over 90% within hours, as someone reportedly bought 17.5% of the memecoin’s supply—worth $993,000 at the time—and sold all 135.8 million HAWK tokens just 90 minutes later, netting a profit of approximately $1.3 million. Who could it have been?
Welch denies any involvement from her team, stating on X:
She later clarified:
There’s speculation about lawsuits surrounding the controversy, but is it justified? While no one should suffer financial losses due to unethical marketing, just as no one deserves to be shot on a New York City street, it’s difficult to feel overwhelming sympathy for those who "invested" in a Hawk Tuah memecoin. They likely would have wasted that money on something equally frivolous, like magic beans.
"Sigma Boy Sigma Boy" explained
From the heroes and villains of youth culture to their irritating younger sibling. The latest viral soundbite/meme/song captivating the brainrot crowd is "Sigma Boy Sigma Boy," a clip from a Russian track titled Сигма Бой by Betsy and Masha Yankovskaya.
Below is the song’s video, but I strongly recommend you avoid watching it.
The original version was irritating, but it didn’t achieve true brainrot-viral status until TikToker Dahoodapollo sped it up, made it more grating, and incorporated Roblox characters. Please, do not click this:
Soon, others began creating their own variations, adding nonsensical elements, stripping everything but the lyrics, or even throwing in ducks. None of it makes sense, yet each linked video has garnered tens of millions of views, with over 240,000 TikTok videos using the song. Is there something wrong here? I believe there is.
Viral video of the week: "Rankin Bass Guy"
While young people seem to be having a rough week, I’d like to end on a positive note by highlighting something that will bring a smile to your face: the videos by @cameronCortinas. This TikToker’s account is gaining massive popularity (not in the Sigma Boy sense) for his flawless recreations of the timeless stop-motion Christmas specials from Rankin Bass.
Take a look at this iconic dance sequence from Santa Claus is Comin' to Town:
Eerie, isn’t it? Now, what about Heat Miser’s performance from The Year Without a Santa Claus?
He uses a filter to achieve the jerky, stop-motion effect, but the real magic lies in his performance. He fully embodies these characters, showcasing an almost unnerving attention to detail. While other TikTokers are exploring similar territory, and many of their videos are entertaining, the original creator remains unmatched.
