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Joy

5 small things that made us smile this week

We're giving you the small things that make us smile, every single week

5 small things that made us smile this week
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Hey, have you heard? Life is kind of stressful. Between a news cycle that just won’t quit and the never-ending temptation to doom-scroll, finding small moments of joy throughout the day has become more important than ever.

Case in point: A dog wearing sunglasses.

A news headline that makes you want to high-five a million angels.

A sweet snack that boosts your dopamine, courtesy of our friends at All In.

Or a tweet so perfectly timed it restores your faith in the algorithm (even if only for a second).



These momentary mood boosters are everywhere you look—you just have to be able to find them underneath all the noise. And that’s where we come in.

Consider this weekly web series your cheat sheet to the best of the Internet—not just random memes to make you laugh, but examples of people truly finding something extraordinary in the mundane. We'll be delivering five pieces of media that allow you to stop for a second, take a breath, and feel just a little bit brighter among the daily stress. (Think of us as your chronically online bestie who knows exactly how to make you smile, exactly when you need it the most.)

Ready to laugh? Have your heart melted? Cry happy tears? Let's get into it.

1. Petunia the pig

@knightk64 #petuniathepig#fyp#babypig#alltheprettygirls#animallove ♬ original sound - petuniathepig1

With over nine million views on a single video alone, you know there’s got to be something special about Petunia the Pig. And there is. Behold: the tiniest, most adorable pig we’ve ever laid eyes on. Abandoned by her pig mother, Petunia is a spotted teacup pig who was taken in by TikTok user @knightk64, and we’re all the better for it. She snorts (squeaks) constantly. She tippy-taps across the floor. She takes long naps nestled in her favorite blanket. And she now even has an adopted teacup pig sister named Rosie. Not to be dramatic, but we’d die for this pig.

2. Pop Muzik dances 

@ptpowers Everyone’s #foryoupage the @project21 dance or just us? #dad #baby #dance #fyp #trending ♬ Pop Muzik - M & Robin Scott

Remember when TikTok used to be a dancing app? The dance trends are making a comeback now in the best way—and this new trend is the most fun we’ve seen people having on this app in a while.

The trend started when a mega-talented group of girls from the Project 21 dance studio performed at the NYCDA 2025 dance competition in Las Vegas back in early April. Not only did the girls nab some of the highest awards at the competition, their recorded performance quickly went viral. The song choice? The 1979 classic “Pop Muzik.” The dance? Impossible to look away from. (Here’s a short clip of the girls in all their glory.)

While the original dance is just so fun to watch, what might be even more fun is seeing all the copycat performances and tutorials that have been launched across TikTok ever since. If this doesn’t make you want to get up and dance, nothing will.

3. Seeking out the extra in the ordinary 

There are so many beautiful moments each day that are worth noticing, and the folks at All In are out to help us recognize them. Each week, the All In crew takes to the streets to find the "extra" in the ordinary—small moments of joy that make a typical day just a little bit brighter. Today's moment of joy? Finding community and feeling like you're part of something really special. Can't get much better than that.

4. This tweet series about COVID lockdowns 

Back in 2023, a study in the British Medical Journal made headlines when it claimed that the COVID lockdowns of 2020 only “minimally” affected people’s mental health. As you can probably guess, when news of the study hit Twitter, people were not having it.

Cue one of the funniest and most eye-opening discussions of mental health we’ve possibly ever had as a society. Thousands of people took to the Internet to quote-tweet the article, sharing the most unhinged things they did while stuck in the confines of their house or bedroom, such as: Learning how to play a recorder with one nostril. Watching Glee 26 times in a row. Throwing a birthday party for the dishwasher. The list goes on.

As the fifth year anniversary of COVID lockdowns just passed, these tweets are circulating again. They’re funny, they’re raw, and they shine a spotlight on the effects of isolation on mental health in a way that’s never been done before. Here’s part one of a series, and here are some more. Enjoy!

5. Thirst edits featuring regular people

@coreymbrandon thank you 🥹 @Chili’s Grill & Bar #chilis #CapCut ♬ som original - helo

Here’s where the writer of this article shows her age and admits that, before this trend, she had no idea what a thirst edit was. Allow us to break it down for you: According to ChatGPT, a thirst edit is a video (or series of short videos), usually with specific music or text overlays, created to be seductive and attention grabbing. (Kinda like this, only set to music.)

This new trend takes a normal thirst edit and flips it on its head. Instead of trying to seduce the audience, people are now using thirst traps to romanticize daily life—stuff like eating mozzarella sticks at Chili’s, or hanging out by the pool—or to cheekily boost their own confidence. Set to the song “My Bubble Gum” by Rasheeda, this trend is just normal, everyday people absolutely feeling themselves and celebrating ordinary life. We love to see it.


For even more “extra”-ordinary moments, come find us on social media (@upworthy) or on upworthy.com!

For scrumptious snacks that add an extra boost of joy to your day, be sure to check out All In.

Joy

Under or over? There actually is a 'right' way to hang a toilet paper roll.

The debate is settled, once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?

Humans have debated things large and small over the millennia, from democracy to breastfeeding in public to how often people ought to wash their sheets. But perhaps the most silly-yet-surprisingly heated household debate is the one in which we argue over which way to hang the toilet paper roll.

The "over or under" question has plagued marriages and casual acquaintances alike for over 100 years, with both sides convinced they have the soundest reasoning for putting their toilet paper loose end out or loose end under. Some people feel so strongly about right vs. wrong TP hanging that they will even flip the roll over when they go to the bathroom in the homes of strangers.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not merely an inconsequential preference. According to health experts and the man who invented the toilet paper roll, there is actually a "correct" way to hang toilet paper.

What is the correct way to hang a roll of toilet paper?

First, let's be clear about what we're even talking about here with a visual. In the image below, left is "over" and right is "under."

toilet paper, bathrooms, over or under, toilet roll, bathroom etiquetteToilet paper hung "over" (left) and "under" (right)Elya/Wikimedia Commons


So which one is the right way? According to health experts, "over" is the way to go.

"One key to maintaining a hygienic washroom is minimising contact between people and surfaces," Dr. Christian Moro, associate professor of health sciences and medicine at Bond University on Australia's Gold Coast, told Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "Depending on the type of roll holder, [hanging the toilet paper "over"] often lowers the chance that a user will touch the wall behind when fishing for paper, leaving germs behind on that surface which can be spread to the next user."

Picture it: Grabbing the end of the toilet paper when it's hung "over" means you only touch the part of the toilet paper you're going to use. When it's "under," you sometimes have to fish for it or scrape your fingers on the wall in order to grab the loose end. In addition to whatever might be on people's hands already, think about all the people who wipe twice, potentially transferring fresh fecal matter or other bacteria to the wall on the second pass, which then get picked up by other people who inadvertently touch that wall when trying to grab their TP.

Theoretically, we all should have become better hand washers during the pandemic, scrubbing with soap for the full 20 seconds it takes to remove bacteria. But I wouldn't be willing to bet on it.

toilet paper, empty toilet paper roll, batthroom, bathroom etiquette, over or underEmpty toilet paper roll.via Canva/Photos

And touching any surface in a bathroom is pretty nasty, according to a study from the University of Colorado. As Inc. reported: "Using a high-tech genetic sequencing tool, researchers identified 19 groups of bacteria on the doors, floors, faucet handles, soap dispensers, and toilets of 12 public restrooms in Colorado — six men’s restrooms and six women’s restrooms. Many of the bacteria strains identified could be transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces."

Bacteria means things like e.coli, which is a common source of food poisoning and one of the most common bacteria found on bathroom surfaces in the study. If you've ever had a bout of food poisoning, I'm sure you'll agree that a toilet paper roll hanging preference isn't worth risking it.

But sanitary health concerns aren't the only argument for the "over" camp. After all, the original patent for the toilet paper roll, issued in 1891, clearly shows the TP in the "over" position. Thank you for the clarity right from the get go, Mr. Wheeler.

toilet paper, bathrooms, over or under, toilet roll, bathroom etiquetteThe toilet paper roll was patented by Seth Wheeler in 1891.Public Domain


In Wheeler's patent, the perforated toilet paper hangs on a roll in the "over" position. In the words of the patent, the sheets of TP are “partially separated, having their points of attachment arranged in a novel manner, whereby each sheet will easily separate from the series as it is drawn from the roll, there being no litter occasioned, and any waste of paper is thereby prevented.”

Now, before the "under" folks come running with their pitchforks, there are some understandable exceptions to the "over" rule. Namely: cats and kids.

If you have a furry friend or a tiny toddler who likes to unroll the toilet paper roll, "over" makes it super fun for them, while "under" stops them in their tracks. For many people, cats and kids are the primary motivator of their TP hanging habits.

That doesn't change the fact that "over" is actually the "correct" way to hang toilet paper according to health science and the inventor's intention, of course, but "under" is certainly preferable to having a pile of TP on the floor.

Now go forth, do that with information as you will, and try to make peace with your over vs. under rivals.

This article originally appeared last year.

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toilet paper
Culture

16 nostalgic sounds only people over 30 will recognize

Most of these will never be heard in their natural habitat again.

Canva Photos & Jason Toney/Flickr

The sound of a dot matrix printer, or the pop of a Snapple bottle — that's what the world used to sound like.

Is it just me or has the world become increasingly silent? Don't get me wrong, we're certainly bombarded by things fighting for our attention—ads, content distributed by algorithms, notifications. But it's mostly visual noise. The more time goes on, the more it feels like there are fewer and fewer real, tactile sounds in our life.

Even the relatively iconic "iPhone ringtone" is a thing of the past, as is the text message "ping." A majority of people keep their phones on silent, even going so far as to watch YouTube and social media videos without sound. After all, auto-captions are far less intrusive when out and about.

One social media user, perhaps nostalgic for when real-life objects actually made noise, had a question for people over 30: What’s a sound from your childhood that younger generations will never hear?

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The answers in the Reddit thread did not disappoint. Collectively, they're a warm and welcoming stroll down memory lane, and a reminder that the world used to sound, well, really nice.

1. A floppy disk being read

Honestly everything about old computers was so manual and tactile. This is what booting up a computer and reading a few files sounded like back in the day. You can practically feel the vibrations running down your spine in the best way!

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

2. The clink of a metal seat belt buckle

Buckling yourself into the car used to sound so much better when the entire buckle was made of metal and not plastic. The satisfying "cachunk" really made you feel safe and protected.

You just had to watch yourself if your car had been sitting in the hot sun for a while, or you could seriously burn your leg. But that's also why the 80s and 90s invented car window shades that looked like a big pair of sunglasses.

3. Cassette tapes and VHS tapes rewinding

It might shock younger people to hear it, but that Netflix button "Play From Beginning" didn't always exist. No, media used to be linear, and when you were done watching, you had to rewind it back to the beginning for next time (or for the next person... "Be Kind, Rewind" was the saying).

The sound was incredibly soothing.

4. The sound on AIM when your friends logged on or off

To me, this is the sound that encapsulates middle school. It was mine and my friends' first taste of freedom; the freedom to communicate with each other outside of school without our parents facilitating it. We'd spend hours on AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) and the sounds of a buddy logging in, logging out, and sending a message are forever etched in my brain.


- YouTubewww.youtube.com

5. The sound of the phone operator

Hey, remember when you picked up the phone and waited too long to dial? Or dialed the wrong number? I bet you can recite the script from memory if you're over 30:

"If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again."

6. The sound of hanging up a phone

Just trust me, kids. Pressing the little red "End Call" button on your phone has nothing on physically hanging up a telephone receiver the size of a large hot dog.

If you were pissed at someone you could even slam it down to end the call with incredible emphasis. It was powerful. It was awesome. You really had to be there.

7. The Windows start-up sound

In the 90s and 00s, you were either a PC family or a Mac family. If you were a PC family, you probably walked into your family's "computer room" thousands of times only to hear this:


- YouTubewww.youtube.com

8. A dial tone and the busy signal

On some modern phones and carriers, you may still hear some form of "busy" signal when you call someone who's talking on the other line. Chances are, though, the phone will just ring and eventually you'll be sent to voicemail.

The dial tone, though, is truly special. Any time you picked up a phone, you'd hear this sort of plain, inoffensive, steady tone that indicated your phone line was active and waiting for you to punch in a number.

Anyone who's old enough to have used a landline phones knows these sounds intimately.

9. The dial-up Internet sound

Similarly, you have to be of a certain age to remember "logging on" to the Internet. You'd have a small machine called a modem that, instead of being constantly connected, had to quite literally dial a number to connect to the web.

For some reason, they all made the same hideous screeching noise while trying to connect. It's called a "handshake" and it's basically the sound of your modem exchanging data with a server somewhere. Why our poor ears had to hear it is a mystery, but after all these years, the horrid sound has become nostalgic and quite pleasing.

10. The "KASHUNK!" of turning off an old, chunky TV

Older televisions, too, were not dainty little things. They were filled with tubes, lead, circuit boards, and gasses. They made real noises, both when you pressed in their gigantic Power buttons (or better yet, turned a knob).

But the innards also made very satisfying sounds when they turned on and off. Some models had a very tangible pop that felt so much better than modern TVs which just silently go dark.

11. The sound of a quarter in a juke box

Or an arcade game. Or a vending machine.

Sliding a metal coin into a slot and hearing it fall down and activate the mechanical mechanisms inside a machine was so outrageously satisfying. And you knew right away when it didn't sound right and the machine was broken! Today, most machines are coinless. Some still accept bills, while others take credit cards or "game cards" that are loaded with money. We really lost something when we got rid of quarter pinball machines, I'm telling you.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

12. The popping of paper caps in a cap gun

It might be for the best that toy guns are no longer in vogue, but the sound (and smells...mmm, the smells) of paper caps popping off from a cap gun just take you right back to childhood.

I can still remember exactly what the little cap rolls looked like, the way they felt in my hands, and what they sounded like as those little puffs of white smoke drizzled out of the end of the toy. Pure bliss.

13. AOL: "You've got mail!"

It's not just a rom-com! No, "You've Got Mail" was truly a way of life for early Internet users getting by on free AOL trial CDs.

Can you imagine your computer literally saying "You've got mail!" every single time you get an email nowadays? It would simply be unmanageable. But back in the 90s, getting an email was an exciting event, and AOL helped commemorate it with this iconic sound effect.

14. A dot matrix printer

Laser printers really ruined everything. This is what real work is supposed to sound like:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

15. The "Cha-Ching" of an old cash register

Cash registers are still around, obviously, but they're computer-driven with fancy interfaces, touchscreens, and automatic drawers.

You haven't really lived until you've experienced what a real cash register sounds like. When you hit that drawer button and the mechanical springs pop the drawer open, my goodness does it sound nice. It sounds like commerce is supposed to sound. In fact, "Cha-Ching!" is so iconic that we all associate it with money even though most young people have never heard the sound in its truest form.

16. The popping sound of opening a fresh Snapple

Snapple may still exist in some stores, but there was a time when it was one of the most popular beverages on the planet. And it had to be in no small part because of the satisfying "pop" you'd hear when you twisted open one of their famous glass bottles.

As a little bonus, you were then treated to a Snapple Fact under the lid for your effort. Now that's refreshing.

The good news for millennials and Gen Xers is that tactile, mechanical buttons and interfaces may be making a small comeback.

Engineers and designers have recently realized they've gone too far in some cases—people truly don't want everything to be a touchscreen. In cars, for example, customers find computer interfaces annoying and distracting, much preferring a real knob to change the temperature or a button to turn on their hazard lights.

We like a little physical and audible feedback in our lives. It's why our phone sometimes buzzes or pulses every so slightly when we press a button. But those little vibrations just aren't the same as a ratcheting dial, a thick heavy button that snaps in and out of place, or even the iconic trilling noise of collecting coins in Mario. Call it pure nostalgia if you want, but some things were actually better when they made noise, and this list is the proof.

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nostalgia
Education

Simple '30-second rule' can help you win every conversation, even if you're a little awkward

You only have to remember one thing.

via Canva/Photos

A man and two women having a fun conversation.

Babbel's Biggest Sale of the Year: Get 65% off for Memorial Day!


There’s no one alive who doesn’t feel some anxiety about making small talk with other people. The difference is that some confront their fears because they know the incredible benefits that it can mean for their social life, romantic prospects, and careers, while some shy away and miss out on many opportunities.

Many people who avoid small talk believe those who excel at it are naturally charismatic or have been blessed with the “gift of gab.” However, many great conversationalists honed their skills and have a set of rules, techniques, and strategies they use when speaking to people, just like how people who do improvisational comedy or acting have a set of rules to follow to put everyone on the same page. Confident, sociable people may make engaging with others look effortless, but that’s because they have a strategy.

conversation, fun office, men and woman, funny conversation, jokes, levityA group of coworkers having a laugh.via Canva/Photos

What is the 30-second rule?

New York Times bestselling author and founder of the Maxwell Institute, John C. Maxwell, had a rule whenever he started a conversation: “Within the first 30 seconds of a conversation, say something encouraging to a person.” This can work in any social or professional situation, for example:

At work:

“Wendy, I heard you did great on yesterday’s conference call.”

“Frank, I hear the clients really love working with you.”

At a party:

“Mohammed, I really loved those pictures you posted on Instagram on your trip to Mexico.”

“Sang, are we going to get some of your incredible barbecue today?”

On a date:

“Thanks for choosing such a great restaurant, it has such a nice ambiance.”

“I really like the way your necklace brings out your eyes.”

date, conversation, laughs, jokes, salads, dinner, restaurant, cafeA man and woman joking on a date.via Canva/Photos

Whether you are complimenting, relaying positive information about the person, or encouraging them, the key is to pump them up and make them feel good about themselves. The 30-second rule fits nicely into Maxwell’s overall view of relationships: “Those who add to us, draw us to them. Those who subtract, cause us to withdraw,” he said.

The key to giving the other person encouragement is to do so genuinely. If you aren’t genuine with your compliments or words of encouragement, your words can have the opposite effect and make the other person feel like you are being condescending.

How does encouragement make people feel?

encouragement, poeple in blue shirts, luaghs, my bad, smiles, supportive peopleA man making a joke with other people in blue shirts.via Canva/Photos

Studies have shown that when people hear words of encouragement, they feel good and have a burst of energy. Psychologist Henry H. Goddard studied tired children and found that they had a burst of energy when he said something encouraging to them. But when he said something negative, they became even more tired.

Ultimately, a direct connection exists between being likeable and being genuinely interested in other people. William King said, “A gossip is one who talks to you about other people. A bore is one who talks to you about himself. And a brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you about yourself.”

Every time you start a new conversation with someone, take the opportunity to share some words of encouragement with the other person, and you’ll be on your way to being seen as a brilliant conversationalist.

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communication tips
Love Stories

Smitten woman bought a 'love spell' from a witch on Etsy and it backfired spectacularly

This story has ethical conundrums galore.

Canva Photos

You can buy curses, potions, and spells on Etsy now.

Unrequited love—we've all been there, right? Rejection sucks, even when it's self-rejection in the form of being too afraid to tell someone you have feelings for them. It hurts to keep it inside, and it hurts to get shot down. If only there was a better way!

Some people believe that there might be. While it may not be possible to just snap your fingers and make someone fall in love with you, potions, spells, and other forms of witchcraft promise to bring you basically the same result. What's great is that, in 2025, you can hire a witch to do your romantic bidding on the Internet from the comfort of your own home!

One woman recently decided to take a chance on a magical love spell, and got way more than she bargained for.

Yes, it sounds like the opening backstory montage of a Disney movie, but this one takes place in our very real world. A TikTok user named Corinne recently shared the embarrassing story of witchcraft gone wrong in a thirteen second video clip. Previously, she had decided to pony up a few bucks for a "love spell" on her crush.

A similar product description from a different seller on Etsy describes it like this: "Dive into the deepest, most powerful realms of black magic with this LOVE OBSESSION Spell, designed to create an unbreakable bond of passion, obsession, and undying love. This is not just any love spell; it’s an advanced black magic voodoo ritual, tailored to ignite intense passion and force someone to obsess over you—an emotional, irresistible connection that can't be broken."

As of this writing, the spell costs an eyebrow-raising $66.

But people have certainly done crazier things for love! Unfortunately, once Corrine's order was processed, the seller turned out to be a bit of a backstabber.

“Guys the Etsy witch told on me,” she said in the social media video, clearly upset and humiliated. “I said the guy’s name, his birthday and stuff, and she literally DM’d him on Instagram and exposed me.”

"So much for supporting small businesses" she added in the video's caption.

@andtheg4gis

So much for supporting small businesses 😭 #etsywitch #lovespell #fyp #foryou

The video quickly went viral to the tune of two million views. Commenters were furious on Corrine's behalf.

Whether or not you believe in the occult, it's pretty screwed up to out someone like that, right? One user called the betrayal a HIPPA violation:

"AW NAH THAT'S A WIPPA VIOLATION," one joked.

"Genuinely like report that to Etsy that's so crazy"

"u better have disputed that charge babe"

"Imagine getting a 'hey girly' text from a witch"

"oh baby you gotta tell the elder witches"

Probably the best advice was for Corrine to own up to the whole thing with an outrageous level of confidence:

"GIRL DOUBLE DOWNN!! dm him n say 'did it work?'"

"Did it work" is such an amazing line, I'm mad I didn't think of it."

witches, witchcraft, love, love spells, love potion, relationships, dating, romance, women, girls, internet, tiktok, funnyJust your basic witch supplies. Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash

The whole wild story brings up so many questions. For starters, is it ethical for psychics and witches to perform these "services" for money?

Witches have become super popular on Etsy, but that doesn't mean that everything is on the up-and-up. There's quite a bit of evidence that psychic powers and witchcraft aren't real and can not be verified by science. So there's been fierce debate for years over whether people should actually be allowed to sell psychic/witch services. Isn't the entire industry inherently misleading? Does it exist to prey on vulnerable people who are desperate for good news or a positive outcome in their life Then again, maybe it's not all about the outcome. Maybe believing in an unexplained power and using it for selfish reasons can be cathartic. Just ask all the people spending their hard-earned money paying Etsy witches to "curse" certain hated political and public figures.

If we assume all parties know that a "love spell" won't actually work — what's the harm in ritualistically throwing yourself at the mercy of the universe and asking for a break? Even if it costs a couple of bucks?

Jeffrey Moriarty, a professor of philosophy at Bentley University, argues in a paper that psychic services should be allowed for sale provided customers are not being lied to or mislead, "even though much of the money spent on them will be money wasted."

If we assume that certain parties really do believe a love spell will work and "make" a person fall in love with them... well, that brings up even more ethical questions, doesn't it? Consent, free will. It's an extremely messy witches brew, that's for sure.

As for Corrine, her story has a happy ending. After getting a deluge of viral fame and advice, she decided to perform a love ritual herself!

People encouraged her to take matters into her own hands, so she did.


@andtheg4gis

UPDATE!! I sooo have my man back (that is, if he doesn’t look down😭) #etsywitch #lovespell #update #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

"I wrote his name on the bottom of my foot," she says in an update a few days later. "Dipped it in a jar of manuka honey. Literally 20 minutes later he texted me asking what I was doing tonight. So now I'm going over."

All's well that ends well. But the lesson is to never trust a witch unless they've got a perfect five-star Etsy rating. Otherwise? You're better off performing your own spells.

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Celebrity

Thom Yorke publishes letter on Gaza conflict and it's more thoughtful than any politician

He was being harassed by fans from both sides of the debate.

Wikpedia, Instagram, Canva

Thom Yorke posts a statement.

In October of 2024, Radiohead front man Thom Yorke was crooning his electric songs in dreamy blue and pink light on-stage in Melbourne, Australia, when a man from the crowd began screaming about war. "Do you condemn the Israeli genocide of Gaza? Already 200,000, half of them children," he yelled.

Thom pauses, then responds, "Come up here and say that. Don't stand there like a coward; come here and say it."

Many in the crowd scream for Thom to ignore the heckler, though some pile on. He continues, "You want to piss on everybody’s night? OK, you do it, see you later," and then leaves the stage. He returns soon after the crowd chants his name and sings Radiohead's "Karma Police," met with exhilaration.

-Thom Yorke on stagewww.youtube.com, CNN

In a piece about the incident for NBC News, Patrick Smith notes, "Radiohead has faced criticism in the past for playing gigs in Israel and not joining a boycott of the country by some artists." Smith also shares a statement Yorke made in 2017 at a concert in Tel Aviv: "We don’t endorse Netanyahu any more than Trump, but we still play in America. Music, art and academia is about crossing borders, not building them."

Unfortunately, those border walls have only gotten higher in the divide between human beings, as of late. The art of nuance, historical context, and listening to one another has somehow been lost among the memes and soundbites.

Yorke has now made a lengthy, thoughtful statement which he released on Instagram in order to, as he writes, "fill in the blanks" and to address the constant online (and in-person) bullying.

He begins his note, referencing what happened at the show: "Some guy shouting at me from the dark last year when I was picking up a guitar to sing the final song alone in front of 9000 people in Melbourne didn’t really seem like the best moment to discuss the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.”

He shares that his silence following the incident has allowed people to put words in his mouth. "My attempt to show respect for all those who are suffering, and those who have died, and to not trivialize it in a few words has allowed other opportunistic groups to use intimidation and defamation to fill in the blanks."

Yorke is now ready to make sure there are no gaps in his beliefs. He writes, "I think Netanyahu and his crew of extremists are totally out of control and need to be stopped, and that the international community should put all the pressure it can on them to cease."

But he notes this is not a one-sided conflict. "At the same time, the unquestioning Free Palestine refrain that surrounds us does not answer the simple question of why the hostages have still not all been returned? For what possible reason? Why did Hamas choose the truly horrific acts of October 7th? The answer seems obvious, and I believe Hamas chooses too to hide behind the suffering of its people, in an equally cynical fashion for their own purposes.”

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

He then addresses the polarization happening due to the easy spread of misinformation on social media. "Social media witch-hunts (nothing new) on either side, pressurizing artists and whoever they feel like that week to make statements, etc., do very little except heighten tension, fear, and over-simplification of what are complex problems that merit proper face-to-face debate by people who genuinely wish the killing to stop and an understanding to be found.

This kind of deliberate polarization does not serve our fellow human beings and perpetuates a constant ‘us and them’ mentality. It destroys hope and maintains a sense of isolation, the very things that extremists use to maintain their position. We facilitate their hiding in plain sight if we assume that the extremists and the people they claim to represent are one and the same, indivisible."

Yorke makes it clear that he understands the helplessness that many feel when watching the news coverage of today's world. "I sympathize completely with the desire to ‘do something’ when we are witnessing such horrific suffering on our devices every day. It completely makes sense. But I now think it is a dangerous illusion to believe reposting, or one or two line messages are meaningful, especially if it is to condemn your fellow human beings. There are unintended consequences."

But he warns that keyboard justice warriors dehumanize one another. "It is shouting from the darkness. It is not looking people in the eye when you speak. It is making dangerous assumptions. It is not debate and it is not critical thinking."

He later ends with an acknowledgement that he won't be able to please everyone. "I am sure that, to this point, what I have written here will in no way satisfy those who choose to target myself or those I work with, they will spend time picking holes and looking for reasons to continue, we are an opportunity not to be missed, no doubt, and by either side.

I have written this in the simple hope that I can join with the many millions of others praying for this suffering, isolation and death to stop, praying that we can collectively regain our humanity and dignity and our ability to reach understanding… that one day soon this darkness will have passed."

On the subreddit r/Radiohead, there are already thousands of comments. One person asks, "This parasocial obsession with making celebrities take sides on political issues is so weird. Why aren't they allowed to have privacy for their own beliefs?"

Another answers, "Because some people want the celebrities to tell them what to think. Not having a definitive answer is a discomfort too hard to bear for them. They feel entitled to have the answer now because their identity is entwined with the celebrities. They don't want to feel the disappointment that these celebrities are just humans who don't think exactly like they do."

This Redditor discusses how complicated the history of the world is, and questions why Thom Yorke (and other celebrities) seem forced into commenting about events of which they are not experts: "The reality is this is a hundred-year-long conflict with a deep and complicated history.

There's no simple black-and-white answer of "Palestine good, Israel bad." Obviously Israel should not indiscriminately kill civilians, but they also cannot allow Hamas to terrorize their population.

I still have no clue what people hoped to accomplish by making Thom say something about it. He's neither an expert nor an especially influential person in this sphere. Other than making you feel good that your favorite musician agrees with your political stance... what does this accomplish?"

In a more hopeful message, this commenter says: "His music says a lot but the direct words in this message are also beautiful, thoughtful, and reinforcing. Thank you Thom. Much respect."



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