HOW FAR IS TOO FAR?

By KRISTEN BOERKE

It seems as if “challenges” have been taking society by storm.  Sometimes this means people have been known to put their bodies to the test for the greater good of humanity or simply just for humor.  Often, the outcomes of such challenges are unlike anything participants had expected.

Over the past couple of years, social media has been able to spread different types of challenges all over the world.  Some of these challenges were created to spread awareness of different causes and are beneficial to society.  For instance, the ALS ice bucket water challenge was originally a fundraising campaign that actually changed into a viral internet sensation. This sensation raised more than $15.6 million for the ALS Association to research Lou Gehrig’s disease. 

KRISTEN BOERKE FOR THE WIZARD WEEKLY

This challenge had hundreds of thousands of people nominating friends and family to pour a bucket of ice water on themselves.  If one did not complete the task, they had to donate money to the foundation.  Once they completed the task, they would then nominate someone else.  This started a chain reaction.  Not only did this challenge raise money, but it also shed light on a terrible and debilitating disease.

Unfortunately, some challenges are not designed for the betterment of society; some are just for humor and eliciting attention.  Challenges such as the cinnamon challenge, the chubby bunny, the salt and ice challenge and, most recently, the tide pod challenge, are among the many that are strictly for humor and/or attention.  Challenges such as these have resulted in the injuring of many and even death. 

The cinnamon challenge, for example, is a challenge where participants put copious amounts of cinnamon on a large spoon and eat it.  This can result in coughing, choking, and vomiting.    While onlookers might find this funny, it is actually quite dangerous.  According to npr.org, doctors claimed, "Given the allure of social media, peer pressure, and a trendy new fad, pediatricians and parents have a 'challenge' of their own in counseling tweens and teens regarding the sensibilities of the choices they make and the potential health risks of this dare."

Jamie Smith, a sophomore at WHS, has taken part in the cinnamon challenge because her friend dared her to.  She confessed that “It was funny, yet scary because it makes you feel like you’re choking in a way.”  Jamie’s challenge resulted in coughing and a huge cloud of cinnamon dust that filled the air. 

Many more challenges have resulted in medical attention.  Currently, there is a challenge called the tide pod challenge.  There could not be a more ill-advised challenge.  Tide pods are laundry detergent put into a handheld pod made convenient for consumers to pop into their washing machines.  Some say that due to the bright colors and small fun size, the pods resemble a sweet treat.  Someone out there in the world decided,  “Wow, let me put this into my mouth and see what happens.”  Spoiler Alert… nothing good can come from consuming laundry detergent.  So far, the death toll is ten and will continue to rise if this challenge does not cease to exist.  

A spokesperson for the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), Edward Walrod, told TIME Magazine, “Thirty-nine reports of teenagers intentionally misusing laundry pods came in during the first 15 days of 2018 alone, according to data from the AAPCC.  For context, there were 39 cases of intentional misuse of these pods among teenagers in all of 2016, and 53 in 2017.”  Tide has made statements regarding this challenge urging teens not to consume the product and, if it is consumed, call their poison control or see a doctor.

Chelsea Marseille, a junior at WHS, feels that this challenge in particular “is very unsafe and it is ridiculous that people would eat detergent.”  As the challenge continues to be reported, people are becoming more and more curious.  

It is a good thing that some of society’s youth, like Jamie and Chelsea, are still sane.  Jamie expressed, “The tide pod challenge is probably one of the most ignorant things I’ve seen people do on social media. I would think common sense would tell people not to put detergent pods in their mouths, but with our generation, I am not surprised.”  Both students stated that they would not be participating in the challenge. 

This challenge was created for humor and attention, but it is costing people their lives.  Become aware of the dangers and not curious.  Before taking part in any challenge, ask yourself,  “How far is too far?”  A person’s worth is not measured by views, likes, or laughs; life is far more important.