Everyone likes a good dare and the emergence of the #BirdBoxChallenge is proof of that. It’s also proof of how the reception of the film, in the age of social media, can produce some wild reactions.
The horror film centers on an unknown entity that compels anyone who sets eyes on it to commit suicide, so survivors must blindfold themselves when venturing outdoors.
Though critics were mixed on the film, 45 million people have already signed into their Netflix accounts to peep the film. The film has become a cultural phenomenon and of course, an endless source of meme material.
Over the last week, the #BirdBoxChallenge has exploded on social media, featuring people uploading videos of themselves doing everyday tasks blindfolded.
https://twitter.com/RealFakeShanti/status/1079539194861629440
One viral meme shows a gym bro lifting weights blindfolded, while another shows a blindfolded family paddling away in their bathtub.
Another video depicts a family running through their living room, in which the toddler ultimately crashes into the wall.
https://twitter.com/FleshFire/status/1078245919445925890
Plus, there are numerous videos of people walking blindfolded in New York — but by the city’s standards, isn’t that outrageous.
YouTube star Morgan Adams posted a video titled “24 Hour Bird Box Challenge,” in which Adams and a friend spend a whole day blindfolded when they are outdoors. It has received more than 1.7 million views.
Each of the videos varies in their degree of risk.
There have been no reports of serious injuries but that didn’t stop Netflix from issuing a warning on Twitter on Wednesday.
Can’t believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE. We don’t know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes.
— Netflix (@netflix) January 2, 2019
Yet, there is a still a domino effect — whether this stems from the desire for instant fame that is characteristic of our culture, the fact of the matter is, the old disclaimer, “don’t try this at home” is highly applicable to this new internet trend.
So as Netflix says, “PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE!”