Eating a detergent capsule? Vacuum a shot glass on your lips? Are challenges on social media entertaining or dangerous?
“I once participated in the cinnamon challenge, together with my brother. He turned completely red, because he felt like he couldn’t breathe. I’ve heard of people choking on it. I think challenges can be funny, but they often go too far. Like the Kylie Jenner lip challenge, it makes your lips completely swollen.”
Lotte, student Journalism
“I actually think challenges are nonsense. I think it’s more something for children, who are more involved in such an activity and find it more fun. There are also dangerous challenges, such as the Kiki do you love me challenge, where people dance next to a moving car. And that challenge where you get plump lips by vacuuming them: what if you do that and it doesn’t go away? Terrible!”
Roy, student Logistics Engineering
“I sometimes find it very entertaining to watch, but I don’t do it myself. I often see challenges that are in the news, where people die, those are what you hear the most about. Like the Tide Pod challenge, where people eat a detergent capsule. That speaks for itself, that is just not very smart and extremely dangerous.”
Daan, student Journalism
“It depends a bit, sometimes a challenge is for a good cause and then I think it’s cool. Like the Ice Bucket challenge, I did that too. And the one where you drop a condom with water over your head. But the challenge that they ate those detergent pods: sorry, I just think that’s ridiculously stupid.”
Liz, student Teacher Education in History
“I just don’t understand all those challenges. With a cinnamon challenge you see someone take a bite of cinnamon and then cough intensely. It can cause a collapsed lung. Those are things that are dangerous. Because they are spread through social media, many young people are inspired to do something similar. I am, to put it mildly, not a fan of that.”
Luuk, student Teacher Education in Geography Tekst & photos: Daniëlle Pathuis
