Can you name a few ridiculous trends of the decade?Â
The internet is full of wonders, they say, and while it can be so useful to find stuff like plane tickets, see what events are worth going to in your town, where to go shopping, connect with anyone anytime across the world with just one click, and so on, it also gave us a lot of cringe-worthy things and trends we’re still hooked on.
The ice bucket challenge was popular at one point, right? Or do you remember that time when everyone was eager to share the video on social media and perform the Harlem Shake with their friends? Even though it happened in 2013, it feels like it happened a century ago. Seems unlikely, doesn’t it?
That’s why in today’s article, here on GoViral, we will have some fun remembering some of the most ridiculous (yet funny) trends of the decade. Who’s up for a trip down memory lane?
Neon clothes
Neon is fun. When it’s on the traffic lights or worn by those who go cycling to be sure they won’t get hit by a vehicle during the night. Or during Halloween, when everybody is free to let their imagination flow and be both spooky and weird.
However, neon clothes were a thing back in the day and were one of the most ridiculous trends of the decade. Even though adding a few colors to your wardrobe can be enjoyable, wearing an entire outfit made of neon makes us cringe. Don’t you think so?
We don’t know about you, but we really hope this trend will remain in the past, where it belongs! (haha)
The Tide Pods Challenge
Yikes! This was one of the trends of the decade that went completely wrong, risking many teenagers’ lives! Started as a joke and compared Tide pods to colorful candies; probably nobody thought that this would happen, but this went viral after a few naive kids filmed themselves eating the pods and then uploaded the video on the internet.
Although many people, especially teenagers’s parents, were concerned about this trend, even Tide gave a statement in which it asked people to never consume the product and use it for what it was intended; it went on for a bit before being heavily condemned. What a time to be alive!
2012 -the year when we were supposed to die
Do you remember that time when everyone said that 2012 would be the year when every single living creature on Earth would perish? Oh well, we’re in 2024, and it’s ridiculous to even talk about those times!
This was due to the Mayan calendar foreseeing the end of the world on December 21, 2012. People all over the world went crazy over this and began to imagine all the possible apocalyptic situations that might arise in the next few months. Some even threw some goodbye parties!
Then came the release of 2012, a massive blockbuster despite being essentially just a series of jump scares, with the only thing that made people want to see it was the idea of dying in that year.
The Cinnamon Challenge
Another super risky trend that went viral back in 2010 is the cinnamon challenge. People who were “brave” enough to do this challenge were supposed to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon without drinking water after it. Oh, wait what? Crazy huh? Definitely! Of course, the cinnamon’s texture is very dry, and it was almost impossible to swallow it fully, and unfortunately, many people choked on it. Despite being very dangerous, it was all over the internet for weeks!
Death-selfies
Selfies are supposed to be fun—a quick memory to keep on your phone to look at whenever you’re melancholic about a certain thing. Furthermore, selfies were supposed to be harmless as well. But guess what? Between 2011 and 2017, things escalated quickly; a regular selfie was boring, so death selfies became popular, and approximately 300 people lost their lives trying to get the perfect photo in unsafe places.
Harlem Shake
We can see you dancing on it right now; don’t deny it! After all, compared to other dangerous trends of the decade, this one was pretty fun. The best part of it? Nobody was judged for going berserk and dancing like there was no tomorrow. That was the beauty of it!
The trend came out of nowhere, but it didn’t matter because people from all over the world were eager to participate in the challenge, and even if you wouldn’t want to, the song was so catchy you couldn’t sit through it. It was absolutely ridiculous, and we loved it. Actually, we still do!
The Ice Bucket Challenge
The Ice Bucket Challenge was initially created as a way to draw attention to the difficulties faced by those who have Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. However, somewhere along the line, the challenge’s original intent seemed to be lost.
While participating in the challenge implies releasing a bucket of icy cold water on oneself and nominating others to do the same, participants on the internet were frequently observed covering friends in water or using regular, not icy cold, water. Despite the millions of dollars raised, many people participated more for social media likes and views than for charity.
Gangnam Style
“Oppa is Gangnam style.” Whoop, whoop. Another hit that marked 2012, and the same as the other trends, came overnight. Ridiculous but fun dance with colorful and funky costumes, this song managed to be on top for many months. People who married that year even used it as their newlyweds song to dance to.
Even though many people said it was ridiculous, it was a staple for many parties, and even now, in 2024, we can still remember it and might start dancing to it if somebody decides to play it! If you’re feeling nostalgic, you can purchase the PSY Gangnam Style CD at Amazon for $67.47. Yep, it’s pricey, but it’s a rare find nowadays!
Mannequin Challenge
This trend featured crowds of people posing like mannequins and having their bodies frozen in midair as a camera moved through them. Like the Harlem Shake Challenge, the mannequin challenge made no sense and was solely intended to be fun, which it certainly was.
VR Experience
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, the internet and technology itself are great. We’re living in an era in which you can order food, clothes, furniture, and other stuff with just one tap straight from your smartphone.
With the risk of sounding like a broken record, the overuse of technology might pose you with serious health threats. For example, VR, is an amazing piece of technology, especially for gamers, but if you use it for many hours, it can dry out your eyes so much and cause serious damage. Even though we all enjoy the experience because frankly, it’s quite an adventure, we advise using it cautiously!
Are there any other trends of the decade that draw your attention but we forgot to mention on the list? Let us know in the comments below.
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