June 2016 has been a month filled with heartbreak for people all over the world. In the United States alone, we have experienced several major tragedies, ranging from the mass shooting in Orlando to 2-year-old Lane Graves’ death by alligator attack. Though such tragedies affect people in varying degrees of closeness, we all hurt on some level simply as Americans. We hurt to see other Americans hurt, regardless of whether or not we share close communities.
As is the case after most major events, news-based posts and opinions have rapidly filled the Internet to the point where it is almost difficult to avoid reading them. Rants from opposite-minded Facebook friends can cause one to roll one's eyes from the other side of the screen, and news images and video clips stream over televisions in lobbies everywhere. The media is such a powerful tool; so much of what we are exposed to in terms of ideas and opinions is solely dependent upon the media, particularly if one does not have the time or interest to do one's own research and formulate one's own ideas.
I feel that often, this phenomenon results in a brainwash effect. People too easily believe what they are told without further questioning, and too few individuals take the time to consider possible biases and slants that may alter the quality of the news they receive. Social media, news and the like are huge influences on the minds of people everywhere, and while this can sometimes be a negative thing, it has recently proven to also serve the world in a great way—through the “Cheerio Challenge.”
Just in time for Father’s Day, there emerged in the world of the Internet a ridiculous viral trend created by Patrick Quinn, a social accounts manager for the website Life of Dad (and also a new father). Feeling “trapped” as his three-week-old son slept on top of him, Quinn looked to a bowl of nearby Cheerios for the only possible form of entertainment without waking his son up. Quinn simply stacked as many Cheerios as possible on top of his sleeping son’s head; the challenge was to do so without laughing or accidentally tipping them over.
In no time at all, the Cheerio Challenge went viral, and people everywhere are thinking twice and grabbing a bowl of Cheerios before they settle down with their infants for naptime. Deemed “the most ‘Dad’ thing ever,” the Challenge is innocent, hilarious, and frankly, much needed.
In a time of great worldwide heartache, it gives me hope that something so silly and simply can still attract this much attention. It gives me hope that the media spreads not only accusations and upsetting news, but also photos of adorable sleeping babies covered in cereal. I am grateful for the Cheerio Challenge as I believe that it came at a time when it was sorely needed.
