The Skinny
There are a lot of dumb things people do, like having a game of chicken with an onrushing train. What’s the winner get, having their remains buried in Tupperware two-quart container? It’s hard to even fathom why these stunts are tried. But they are and they’ve been out there forever. Social media, of course, has played its role spurring new challenges in recent years, almost all of which fall under the heading of: And you thought this was a good idea because? WellWell can’t eliminate stupid ideas or curtail participation. But we can identify some dangerous ones. Here’s a list of losers.
The Slate
Sprung out Western Europe under the heading of “The Game of 72,” this challenge got new life recently when it became a social media hit. The aim: teens abducting themselves—completely disappearing for 48 hours—to gin up social media coverage of their pathetic lives. Apparently, participants are rewarded if their relatives search frantically for them.
Also known as the “The Choking Game” and the “Space Monkey Challenge,” this adventure aims to have someone intentionally cut off oxygen to their brain long enough to experience a short period of euphoria and maybe if they’re “lucky,” lose consciousness. More than 100 teenagers have probably died winning this idiotic test.
This test can really burn a winner. Participants play by putting salt on exposed skin and then adding ice. The endgame involves seeing how long someone can withstand the pain. The second and third degree burns, along with possible skin grafts, are just part of the fun
The Outlet Challenge is an unqualified hit among firefighters because it involves partially plugging a phone charger into an outlet and then sliding a penny down the wall, so it comes into contact with the exposed prongs. The result? Sparks, damage to electrical systems and maybe a house fire.
Take an excessive load of common allergy medicine diphenhydramine, aka Benadryl, and get high and hallucinate. If that’s not reward enough, ingesting too much of this stuff can also cause seizures, high heart rate and trigger arrhythmias.
Hey, who doesn’t think biting into a pod of laundry detergent isn’t a great idea? Winners not only get to post their reactions to this challenge online, they may also receive chemical burns and perhaps develop kidney and lung problems.
Sugar waxing has been around for centuries, but earlier versions may not have been so harmful. The process involves mixing sugar, lemon and hot water and then applying directly onto their skin for waxing purposes. Thank Tiktok for building new interest in this old technique, which if done incorrectly can result in burns, infections and scarring.
The nutmeg high is a bit of a rage to the detriment of nearly everyone. It obviously involves consuming large amounts of nutmeg, mixed into some water. The chemical in nutmeg called myristicin tickles the nervous system so to speak, resulting in possible hallucinations, dizziness and nausea. If that’s not enough, the process can also lead to drowsiness, dry mouth, confusion and seizures.
This trend is increasingly seen on social media and focuses on using a nail file to reshape a person’s smile. Needless to say, we hope, is that tooth filing is an idiot’s dream that is likely to cause serious dental problems
It can’t be surprising that something that includes hot water is a dangerous idea. That, however, hasn’t stopped this challenge going forward by nitwits who either try to drink boiling water or throw it on an unexpecting person. The damage to mind and body can be significant and horrifying.
Eyes Up
Have you heard of an idiot’s adventure or challenge? Let us know at info@wellwellusa.com
