I’ve noticed an odd phenomenon on the internet recently. There are videos of people overeating to the point of great unhealthiness and tens of thousands of people watching. This is part of a trend called “Mukbang,” which apparently took off in Korea back in 2010. For those unaware (and those who don’t want to click on that link) imagine ASMR and instead of hearing calming stuff, you just watch people eating. It’s generally weird, particularly when poorer Asians show off what they’re eating. It also tends to be far more disgusting than the image at the top of this article indicates. Of course, leave it to the land of the free and home of the Whopper to take an already weird food trend to an insane level.
Now, large meal videos aren’t exactly a new thing. “Epic Meal Time” was the main one that would do absurd giant meals, like fast food lasagna but this was done in a fratty, somewhat funny way. Was it disgusting? Absolutely. However, it was disgusting in the way all frat humor is. Likewise, Man vs. Food or Guy Fieri’s show involved eating unhealthy things, but it was always an example of local cuisine doing something unique or challenging as a case (for most people) to watch momentary gluttony rather than a lifestyle. The Man vs. Food protagonist kept a fairly strict workout regimen and diet off-screen in order for the show not to kill him.
The main offender in this odd trend is a guy named Nicholas Perry, who goes by “Nikocado Avocado” online. He’s done this for several years and has made himself exceedingly unhealthy through this exercise. His health hasn’t just deteriorated physically, but it seems he’s having mental issues, based on his frequency of crying on video. I can’t help but think that maybe he wouldn’t have ended up the way he did if his family didn’t leave Ukraine for “freedom” in America.
What’s most shameful about this phenomenon is the destruction. This is not simply a fat guy overeating. This is a guy who was originally in good shape when he started. He ate more and more as he got more views and now has eaten himself into mental illness and disgusting obesity. Not all of the mukbang do this. Apparently, his version is more excessive than most. The only surprising thing is that more of these “content producers” don’t reach this level.
I don’t want to go so far as to say “only in America” can such a thing happen. After all, the phenomenon originates in South Korea. Though, SK is arguably an outpost of Americanism, so who is to say?
In any event, this phenomenon certainly represents a failure of the system. Why are these people getting wealthy off such destructive activity? Because people are watching it. Since people are watching it, advertisers are advertising on it. Capitalism is not a moral force, after all.
Don’t mistake my point. I’m certainly not going to be an apologist for communism. Nor do I truly see a point in defending fascism. After all, fascism is such a squishy term that it can be used to refer to basically anything, much like socialism. However, this is undoubtedly a failing of capitalism.
And, how is this not human sacrifice? This is a person slowly killing himself for the entertainment of others. Granted, he’s sacrificing himself for his own perceived self-interest (he has a net worth of 2.3 million USD), but it seems pretty clear that this is slowly killing him. Besides all that, in addition to inflicting this horrible damage to his body and recording it, he’s apparently even posted pornographic films of him with his husband on OnlyFans (according to an article, which I’m not going to verify because I don’t want to subject myself to it).
Now, it should go without saying that one way to prevent such people from living their lives in this manner is to simply not patronize their pages. Without getting views and making money, there’s no reason for them to do this. Even going on their videos to downvote would do little good because it still gives views. My point in all this is just to give another stark reminder that our “society” is horribly depraved and will hopefully be replaced with something better soon.
A Southern man trying to make a good Southern plan.
Deo vindice!
Decadence at its finest? The collapse of society at its finest? Or all of the above? I was first aware of this phenomenon when my wife showed me an episode of “Meet 1000lbs. Sister” where one of them has a way of earning money (I assume on top of welfare they receive) by cashing in on the videos where people pay for them to watch them eat. Then there is a show “My 600lbs life” the outdated title, the most patients today are approaching 1000lbs. Some of them earn the living by filming themselves gorge. I asked my wife if there were a lot of people like that (I haven’t watched TV in 20 years). She said the show has been running for over ten years now, and every episode presents the new individual. It’s extremes we see, I understand that in the country of the 300 M+ vast majorities of people live a relatively normal life, but also shows like this, and others celebrating sick indulgence, sexual deviance and behaviors not long ago considered a vice, make me in some way hope that the Leftists get their way in managing the economy and that eventually, we lose it all. I remember back home growing up, food shortages, power outages, we were all tanned, sunken cheeks but we looked dangerous. Compulsory military service proved useful some years down the road in our little civil war.
Best wishes!
“Husband “, now that is a twist I did not see coming, nor now can get out of my head. 🤮