We live in a world full of want for acceptance, a need to be included. People will do the craziest things to be seen, heard, noticed…

Over the generations, trends all over the world have shaped our society and how we see things in the world. It isn’t always a good thing, but it isn’t entirely bad either. But no matter how aesthetically pleasing it is, it doesn’t always mean the finished result of it is as pretty as the finalized video at the end. In this article, we won’t be talking about fashion trends from the 60s to now. Unfortunately, we’ll be talking about some online trends from recent years and how it has affected people for the better and the worst. 

Beauty standards are the number one insecurity and expectations are a huge problem.

Inverted Face Filter

This is a trend that people have been doing very recently. A filter inverts your face, showing you how people truly see you. This has caused so many people to feel insecure about themselves and how they look to the point where they start breaking down in front of the camera for the world to see. It first started as harmless and it was even “hilarious”, but it took a drastic turn once more people realized that their face wasn’t as symmetrical as they thought. 

Back Profile Challenge

This one is a little uncommon but it doesn’t hide the fact that multiple people have been body shamed for doing it. This challenge consists of the users taking videos on TikTok of their backs. “Taken in the perspective of how people view them from behind,” and then reacting to themselves (you can even find some of these videos on Instagram) Most of the ones that go viral are from those who look ‘attractive’ from behind, although those who don’t seem ‘pleasing’ get so much hate and insults, obviously adding to the idea ‘I’m not pretty because ____’, which is dead wrong.

Not only was this one of the challenges that encouraged eating disorders, but many posts that circulated for a while included shots of users’ daily meals and diets, then showed a full body picture of themselves. Most indicated that they ate so much, yet gained so little as they show their slender form. This obviously was upsetting, as it resulted in many hating their bodies and encouraged them to eat less. 

But all hope isn’t lost: there have been occasions where people show their biggest insecurities, whether they learned to love them, or are trying to love them. This has opened eyes to many viewers who come across the videos as they relate to the admin or having the same insecurities. They experience a big relief that they aren’t alone. People go as far as to compliment them and don’t miss the opportunity to call them beautiful for their small “imperfections,” adding to the love. It’s honesty so heartwarming that people can support other people. 

Learning to love yourself is an important factor in life. A silly filter that goes viral with statements declaring certain features being more beautiful than average doesn’t define who you are as a person. It’s really sad when people don’t realize that. 

If not careful enough, there will be more bills to pay.

Firespray challenge

The Firespray challenge is a challenge where you spray aerosol, hairspray, or deodorant onto live flames. Back in 2014/15 kids were doing this as well. Countless kids were sent to the hospital due to serious burns on their bodies. Bodies weren’t the only things that were set on fire, as there have been instances where the property was damaged as well. It was a very dangerous trend that honestly wasn’t worth the pain once things didn’t go as planned. 

Cinnamon Challenge

Many of us remember this challenge from many years ago. You may think this is harmless, but it is quite the opposite. Many people inhaled cinnamon and had to go to the hospital because of that. Getting cinnamon into your lungs causes inflammation, thickening of the lung tissue, scarring, and even a collapsed lung. That’s definitely not something you want. 

The Bird Box Challenge

This challenge is a terrible one and was influenced by the 2018 horror movie that became a huge hit on Netflix. People began doing everyday tasks with a blindfold on similar to the movie’s plot, where an unknown species takes over and by a simple glance can make you go blind. This resulted in our main protagonist trying to try and survive the new world without looking. It may seem like a harmless little challenge to pass the time, and to some extent that is true. But, people began doing more dangerous things like driving their cars blindfolded, causing many accidents similar to the car scene in the movie. Sure, it can be fun, but please don’t go to the extreme when taking part in this challenge, for not only is your life at risk but the lives of others as well.  

It’s sad how dangerous these trends are, for not only do they damage people physically, but mentally as well. How deeply have these trends impacted people who negatively came across them? It’s not just these trends that are listed, there are tons more out there that have caused just as much harm even some that are 10x more harmful. 

This is why you should always be mindful of what you post because if you’re not careful enough, you may lose so much that isn’t worth losing. 

Learning to make and bake a new special kind of love 🙂

Cloud Bread

Now that people have been stuck at home, many started teaching themselves to cook and bake. Cloud bread is essentially one of the easiest things you could make. It only requires a few ingredients and it is very simple to make. But when you actually taste it, is it really worth your time? Many people have jumped on this trend and many say that it is delicious and amazing while others quickly disagree. Unless you like a mouthful of fluffy eggs, then this is not recommended. 

Sourdough Bread

So many people began making their own sourdough bread. With all this time on our hands, what was the harm in doing so? Well, once you actually dig deep into what it takes to make a loaf of delicious bread, you will see that it’s not an easy and quick task. While people on the internet seem to have become experts in just a few days, others seem to have found a new hatred. Making bread is not for everyone and it can be very frustrating when something doesn’t come outright. 

But while few people, by making this bread, have decided to give up, others found a new passion. 

My furry friends are the best kind of medicine. 

The Obstacle Challenge

Are cats as graceful as you think they are? People have been doing a challenge on their cats where you put a bunch of items on the floor (cups, bottles, etc,) and watch as your cat tries to go through these obstacles. Some cats go through like there was nothing and other cats will make it look like Godzilla walked through there. 

It’s honestly very wholesome to watch and makes you want to get a cat of your own. 

Pet’s Before and After

Maybe one of the cutest kinds of videos you will see, this trend is all about showing how much your pet has grown up. You share pictures or a video of when your pet was a cute baby and then proceed to show how they look all grown up. You can really tell how much your pet has changed when you do this, and it’s even emotional at times. It’s similar to watching your child grow and change ingratitude or something along those lines, yet, it’s way more wholesome since animals tend to be better than people. 

There has been an instance where a teenager was having a really [ruff ;)] time, and they asked users if they can send a stream of pictures or videos of their pets, including their name and a fun fact about them. It was a lovely interaction between people who were willingly showing off their little friends as an attempt to help the teen feel better. Not only did this cheer them up, but it also brightened other people’s day when they came across it.

Although some trends can be fun, entertaining, and even wholesome, others can really harm others both physically or mentally/emotionally. That is why we have to be conscious of what we post or what we participate in. So remember… 

T.H.I.N.K

T– Is it true? 

H– Is it helpful? 

I– Is it inspiring? 

N– Is it necessary? 

K– Is it kind?