Just out of curiosity (faulty, it turns out) I recently registered for Tik Tok, the social media platform that has grown wildly popular over the past five years. Tik Tok’s function enables any member to record and publish mostly 5 to 30 second homemade videos, featuring a variety of filters, music, editing and visual enhancement tools. Its core is younger than other popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat … the difference is that Tik Tok is not a space for political discourse or social commentary. It is just a multimedia ADD pastime occupying our already shrinking brain capacity.
I have nothing against using social media for marketing and entrepreneurship, or to “have your voice heard.” Tik Tok enables anybody with a smartphone a platform to achieve their 15 minutes (or 30 seconds) of fame. Moreover it can be “monetized” through advertising, subscriptions, donations, etc. And there is some advertising, primarily for cryptocurrency advice and quick loan apps.
What’s it about? Surprise!
However, I was expecting a slough of cute pet or baby clips, or juvenile male “fail’ stunts where testicle pain is self-inflicted (previously the province of YouTube). But instead I was struck by a deluge of obtuse jokersters, lip-synching wanna-be’s, musings from self-assumed philosophers, and a prevalence of female sex provocation.
… I was struck by a deluge of obtuse jokersters, lip-synching wanna-be’s, musings from self-assumed philosophers, and a prevalence of female sex provocation.
Perhaps the Tik Tok algorithms correctly identify me as an older male, because it seems one out of every three videos are of attractive young women in a skin-tight, crease-revealing outfits either a) dancing to sex lyrics, or b) telling viewers “if you aren’t an older male, please swipe past and have tissues ready.” The implication, of course, is a porn tease … in other words, guys, get ready to masturbate.
Now I’m anything but prudish or sexually repressed. I embrace the female form and dirty jokes at 66 as much as I did in my 20s. But these video strippers aren’t seeking dollar bills shoved into their thongs by slobbering, delusional men. (At least that paid for college, right?) Rather, these girls are openly and desperately appealing for “likes” and followers, that dopamine kick so pervasive on all social media. So sad. To my mind, Tik Tok is further proof that society is rapidly hurtling toward extinction.
Tik Tok is narcissism on steroids, an acceleration of society’s “look at me” compulsion. It is promoting a spiritless, empty form of self-approval, especially for young women. Groveling for validation through wanking isn’t the strongest “Me, Too” statement, is it? Actually, this isn’t really about soft porn, but a question of how far we’re (you listening, girls?) willing to go to build self-esteem. Breaking the glass ceiling doesn’t necessitate clear heels. You might consider education, expertise, accomplishment and achievement as better options for self-fulfillment and success.
Hey, femininity is manifested in many forms. Take it from a healthy, testosterone-filled male … looking great and feeling great about it is … well, great. Being sensual and promoting your identity is an integral part of “feel(ing) like a woman” (bless you Shania Twain), as is strength, intelligence and character.
You don’t need to ask us to have tissues ready to know that.
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Yes, I deleted the app.