Charlie Charlie Challenge – The Latest Way to Exorcise Intelligence from Social Media
The Sleep of Ignorance Produces Monsters |
| news.com.au |
You know what I’m on about, ‘The Last Girl Who Didn’t Post
This Email To Her Friends In 5 Minutes Was Chopped Up By A Psycho Zombie Spider Clown And YOU’RE
NEXT’, that kind of thing. I honestly thought that with the advent of Facebook
and Twitter that kind of BS would cut a swift exit, but, as it turns out,
internet superstition is tantamount to some kind of titanium cockroach fitted
with a GPS tracker directly targeted to your faith in human kind.
Never mind the fact that those same chain emails have given
way to chain Facebook posts which fulfill exactly the same role, now it seems
like demonic summoning has started to catch on. Did you ever play ‘Bloody Mary’?
You say the name 3 times in front of a mirror whilst flicking the light on and
off and supposedly she appears. The Charlie Charlie Challenge is a bit like
that, but the key difference is that people who play Bloody Mary are usually too young to remember who the president was before Obama.
It's based on a traditional Mexican 'pencil game', but the version trending online is far more condensed. You write a question on a piece of paper, then 4 possible answers
below in a square grid. You balance two pencils in a + shape to intersect them
and then summon ‘Charlie’. Holding the top pencil level, you say ‘Charlie,
Charlie, can we play?’ For this reason the first question has to be a yes/no,
so that Charlie’s demonic influence (or, you know, gravity) can determine
whether or not the game can be allowed to continue. Only then can you ask
Charlie what the future holds for One Direction.
It’s completely harmless in isolation, and I take no issue
with people pretending that a Mexican demon is talking to them but it’s another
depressing example of how unevenly weighted towards irrelevant nonsense ‘trending’
really is. It’s true that most of the other popular ‘challenge’ trends have
been a hell of a lot worse, ranging from downing drinks to setting yourself on
fire (not even kidding), but this one has gotten to the point where Catholic
priests are speaking out against it for fear that the whole world will descend into some chaotic phantom free-for-all like that scene near the end of Ghostbusters.
The thing that’s been keeping this thing going for so long is that the answers in many cases have become increasingly sinister, befitting some kind of malevolent (or demonic) (or completely random) force. Truth be told, while I lament the fact that something like this has reached the point where it makes international news, when even a few years ago even a local news feature on it would have been utterly preposterous, it does neatly highlight the fact that just because global connectivity has skyrocketed, and half the world has more information than they could absorb in 1000 lifetimes at their fingertips, there will always be idiots, and they will always be loud.
Callum Davies
Callum is a film school graduate who is now making a name for himself as a journalist and content writer. His vices include flat whites and 90s hip-hop. Follow him @CallumAtSMF
Charlie Charlie Challenge – The Latest Way to Exorcise Intelligence from Social Media
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Rating:
Unknown
Keeping you up to date on social media, digital marketing, apps, news & reviews. Social media, and digital marketing as a whole, are rapidly and constantly changing, adapting to new developments at an ever increasing rate. Just keeping up to date can be a nightmare. Our team of writers know their field, and keep an ear to the ground. We aim to keep you informed of all recent developments in the online world, and teach you a little something along the way. So whether you just want to stay connected, or gain some knowledge for yourself, the Social Songbird will keep on singing! More articles are posted every day so keep checking back! Join the discussion on Twitter - #SocialSongbird Or contact us directly - @SocialSongbird_
Entrepreneur, international speaker on Social Media Marketing. First one in the UK to write and speak in conferences about Twitter as a marketing tool. Consultant to Corporate Companies, Government Organizations, Marketing Managers and Business Owners.
Aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. He hopes to one day drop that 'aspiring' prefix. He started as a writer and soon after he was made Executive Editor and Manager of the team at Social Songbird. A position he held for 5 years.
Adrienne is a passionate writer with experience in editing, content creation, and social media marketing. She’s a lover of animals, helping others improve their writing, and 2000s pop culture.
Musician, audio technician, professional tutor and a Cambridge university English student. Interested in writing, politics and obsessed with reading.
Recently graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Exeter, and he is about to study an MA in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. He is an aspiring journalist and novelist; in his free time he enjoys playing chess, listening to music and taking long walks through nature.
Lucy is an undergraduate BSc Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anna Coopey is a 4th year UG student in Classics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She is a keen writer and researcher on a number of topics, varying from Modern Greek literature to revolutionary theory.
Ellie is a recent BA English Literature graduate and aspiring publisher with a passion for writing. Her favourite pastimes include reading and shopping.