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tiktok trend

@mirandafaye/TikTok

“Proof men need more platonic love in their lives."

What started out as a silly phone prank has turned into an incredibly wholesome TikTok trend—which some are saying might help heal male loneliness.

On May 16, a woman named Miranda filmed her husband calling a few of his buddies just to wish them goodnight. As you can probably expect, the dudes were quite stunned.

“Why? Are you thinking of me for real?” one says, flabbergasted. “God damn I love you too […] I don’t know what to say; you caught me off guard.”

“Uhhhhh…excuse me? Sweet dreams?” asked another, in shock.

The clip quickly went mega viral, racking up three million views. But more importantly, viewers agreed that it actually filled a very real need.

“Proof men need more platonic love in their lives,” wrote one person

Another added, “This is gonna heal the male loneliness epidemic.”

Pretty soon, the trend caught on, with all kinds of guys calling their bros to wish them a good night. Sure, it’s funny to watch—the “WTF?” reactions are pretty priceless—but also undeniably sweet in its own way.

@beefingwiththeblacks Should he post the other ones..? 😬😅😂 @Juss_inTimeHD🦎⏰ @Josh Mukendi @callmeCollins.h.d.c IB: @Sammy D #couplescomedy #friends #homeboy #goodnight #sleeptight #bedtime #sweetdreams ♬ original sound - Mr&MrsBlack


@sydsacks I’ve been cracking up at this trend so I made Peter call his besties to say goodnight 🤪 #goodnight #besties ♬ original sound - syd


@wendyxjason Goodnight trend had me balling - proud of our friends ❤️😭 #goodnighttrend #goodnightprank#fypシ ♬ original sound - WendyxJason

Even celebrities have hopped on board. Boxer Jake Paul filmed himself wishing a goodnight to streamer Adin Ross. Meanwhile, Washington Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil called up his NFL teammates Jayden Daniels and Sam Hartman, who called him “bonkers.”

@selianacarvalho At least they were all concerned 😭 #nfl #commanders #httc #funny ♬ original sound - Seli

With each new video, new comments supporting the trend came rolling in as well.

“NORMALIZE THIS TYPE OF MALE BEHAVIOR.””

“My favorite trend.”

“I’m convinced this trend is gonna save someone’s life when they’re at their lowest.”

And perhaps this theory isn’t so far off. After all, men in the US, especially those under 35, have been ranked as the loneliest demographic in the entire world, according to a recent Gallup poll. This is due to a variety of societal factors, including both the expectation for men to be strong and independent (i.e. misunderstood stoicism), as well as the encouragement for men to focus on money and success rather than building close friendships.

Add to that an increasingly more digital world, which has led many men to seek belonging in, as psychotherapist Justin Yong put it in his interview with Fortune Well, “toxic digital occupiers like gaming and porn.” This "manosphere," as many call it, might give a “short term dopamine hit,” but ultimately “replaces real intimacy and acts as a barrier to being vulnerable to how they might be feeling,” he explained.

So, call it a frivolous viral trend, but it could also be a sign to give your homie a call tonight. It could help build much needed human connection, or, at the very least, it’ll give you a good laugh.

Representative photos by Aaron J. Hill and Greta Hoffman

Women choose being alone with bear instead of man in interview

There are often hypothetical scenarios that people get asked just to see what their answer will be. In most cases, the scenario is something that has a very slim chance of ever happening in real life, but it can be fun to allow your brain to wander. A hypothetical scenario is taking over social media right now and it has women nodding in agreement while many men are left scratching their heads.

Screenshot HQ took to the streets and asked random women if they would rather be stuck in the woods with a man or a bear. Overwhelmingly women chose to take their chances with a bear, some providing the inquirer with a reason as to why they'd chose a bear over a man. Unsurprisingly to most women, the participants saw the bear as the safer option.

Some men had a hard time understanding why women would risk being mauled by a bear, but several men did understand and took to social media to attempt to explain.


Some men seemingly easily knew why women would choose to be in the woods with a bear when their partners asked them the same question but the hypothetical woman was their daughter. In the video, one woman makes her case for choosing a bear.

"Well I've heard about bears, they don't always attack you right unless you f**k with them? So maybe a bear," she laughs.

Luis Torio responded to the video with an explanation for men who seemed confused by the amount of women choosing a bear. In his video he asks, "why would a woman choose a man over a bear when the number one predator of a woman is a man and not the bear?" He goes on to explain that if a woman is put in the woods with the wrong man, she could be in a much worse situation than with a bear.

@yourtango

Women were asked if they would rather be stuck in a forest with a man or a bear - and their answers are sad #manvsbear

YourTango jumped in on the debate and dropped a few facts with the most staggering being, "the 750,000 black bears in North America unalive less than one person per year on average. Men aged 18-24 are 167 times more likely to unalive someone." The woman in the video also cites assault statistics for women.

That's not to say that all men would be dangerous if trapped in the woods with them, commenters and content creators point that out. The concern seems to be more about the predictability of bears verses the predictability of an unknown man.

You can watch the original video that started this weeks long debate below:

@screenshothq

The question of being stuck in a forest with a man or a bear is circulating on TikTok right now and sparking some interesting conversation.... we know what our answer would be 🐻🌳 #manvsbear #tiktok #tiktoktrend #trending #challenge #streetinterview #voxpop

Representative Image from Canva

Packing isn't easy. Even for the lightest of packers.

Sure, there are many people who find light packing a breeze. Those brave souls who come alive at the thought of living three weeks in a foreign country out of a carry on bag.

But then there’s the rest of us. The ones who work ourselves into a headache trying to load our suitcases with every possible outfit that could be needed for the trip…because you never know when you might need a parka and flip-flops on the same trip. (Hey, it could happen! The Alps have hot tubs!)

But luckily, there are a few tips and tricks that chronic overpacker can incorporate to help them feel truly prepared, without having to jam their entire closet into a suitcase.

That’s where the “333 packing method” comes in.


333 packing seems to come from—or at least be inspired by—minimalist fashion blogger Courtney Carver, whose “Project 333” encourages people to declutter by committing to only 33 items of clothing for 3 months. But the concept seems to have taken on a life of its own on TikTok, and its helping travelers of all kinds pack with peace of mind.


The rules of 333 packing are pretty straightforward: pack three tops, three bottoms, and three pairs of shoes. These basic ingredients potentially create dozens of outfits, all of which fit into a carry-on.

The trend really started blowing up after influencers began striking poses in all their different ensemble combinations, tallying upwards of 20.

@ayeshayeshbaby6 the 333 method is a life saver for me when im traveling. it helps me come up with tons of outfit ideas and not overpack #capsulewardrobe #traveloutfit #stylingtips #CapCut ♬ original sound - Ayesha
@itssarasmiles The 333 method really helped me narrow down exactly what I needed for my trip so that I wouldn’t overpack #vacationoutfitinspo #styletips #packinghacksfortravel #333method #stylishtravel ♬ original sound - Style with Sara
@daniela.brkic The 333 method is a lifesaver for not overpacking when travelling + creating heaps of different outfit ideas! #capsulewardrobe #traveloutfit #girlstrip #stylingtips #stylingideas #capsulewardrobeideas ♬ ♡ ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ ♡ - SoBerBoi

However, there are some caveats. It helps if you keep your clothing choices stick to basics in neutral colors, since they are the least likely to clash and can be zhuzhed up with an accessory or two. Plus, for areas where there are large changes in climate, you might be better off packing an extra layer.

Many found that even if they customized a bit—allowing themselves 1-2 “fun” items, for example, or switching up the ratio to 5 tops, two pants, etc.—they still benefited from being completely intentional about getting the most out of whatever went with them on their travels.

“Every time I do it, I stare at my bed where all my clothes and shoes are and think, ‘Wow this seems too simple. There’s no way I can make 17-18 outfits out of just this.’ But then I do,” fashion influencer Krista Lavrusik and 333 outfit aficionado shared with HuffPost.

Bottom line: it might seem like we are easing our anxiety to prepare for inevitable loss of control that comes with traveling to new places, but often we still end up just as stressed by having to lug around so much. If this sounds like you, give the 333 method a whirl. You just might save time and luggage space. Oh, and, you know, actually enjoy that vacation you’re packing for.