Category:
Subcultures

Flapper Dictionary

As defined by Wikipedia, "Flappers were a generation of young Western women in the 1920s who wore skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior. Flappers were seen as brash for wearing excessive makeup, drinking, smoking cigarettes, driving automobiles, treating sex in a casual manner, and otherwise flouting social and sexual norms."

A "Flapper Dictionary" appeared in various newspapers and magazines in 1922. Selections below. Even more flapper terms can be found at Book Flaps and Click Americana.











New Castle Herald - Apr 1922


Posted By: Alex - Tue Oct 08, 2019 - Comments (4)
Category: Languages, Slang, Subcultures, 1920s

Whitby Goths



A more recent report and video here.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Apr 30, 2012 - Comments (2)
Category: Fashion, Horror, Literature, Subcultures, Europe

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or Braingasms

The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) Research & Support site defines the phenomenon as, "a physical sensation characterized by a pleasurable tingling that typically begins in the head and scalp, and often moves down the spine and through the limbs." Various stimuli can trigger the sensation -- certain kinds of sights, sounds, and situations. It's sometimes referred to as a "braingasm".

I'm not sure whether ASMR is considered to be a scientifically verified phenomenon. Nevertheless, there's a sizable community of people who actively seek the sensation, and they post videos on youtube designed to trigger it. That's why, if you wade deep enough into the depths of youtube, you'll eventually come across a whole slew of odd ASMR-trigger videos, such as this one of the sounds of gift wrapping



I believe that the whisper videos I posted about yesterday are related to this ASMR phenomenon -- because whispering can be an ASMR trigger. That is, most people simply find it annoying to have to strain to hear someone whispering, but there are a few who are getting a tingly, braingasm feeling from it.

Posted By: Alex - Thu Apr 19, 2012 - Comments (16)
Category: Emotions, Subcultures, Psychology, Brain

The Whispering Community

Is the internet too noisy for you? Then perhaps you might want to join the web's whispering community. They post videos (or audiotracks) of themselves whispering. Here's an example:



I first encountered the whisper community a while back when I did a search on youtube for "Elephants on Acid" (title of one of my books) and came across videos of people whispering stories from the book. Here 'WhisperHub' whispers 'The Tickle Experiment'.


Posted By: Alex - Wed Apr 18, 2012 - Comments (7)
Category: Subcultures, Screams, Grunts and Other Exclamations

WU-style Personality Test





When it comes to choosing African-American ventriloquists, are you the kind who likes the clean soul stylings of Willie Tyler and Lester?

Or the dirty funk of Richard and Willie?

The latter clip is verbally NSFW.




Posted By: Paul - Wed Jan 04, 2012 - Comments (8)
Category: Entertainment, Puppets and Automatons, Racism, Stereotypes and Cliches, Subcultures, 1970s

Happy Japanese Reggae Band



I'm insulted and embarrassed, and I'm not even Jamaican!

Posted By: Paul - Thu Aug 11, 2011 - Comments (5)
Category: Music, Religion, Stereotypes and Cliches, Subcultures, Asia, Caribbean

The High Heels Posse

image
If sneakers hanging from an overhead wire signals the borders of a gang's territory, what kind of gang is marked with high heels?

image
Photographed in Providence's ritzy East Side.

Posted By: Paul - Sun May 09, 2010 - Comments (11)
Category: Subcultures, Shoes

Darth Vader is in control of your car

Very cool!! You can have the Dark Lord guide you to your destination with his new TomTom voice guidance system.



Do not underestimate the power of people driving in a circle because they are lost!!

Posted By: gdanea - Sat May 08, 2010 - Comments (3)
Category: Subcultures

First Ever Monster Truck Backflip



The USA cannot pass any useful laws or put its citizens to work. But we can spin giant polluting machinery in the air.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Mar 06, 2010 - Comments (1)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Stupidity, Subcultures, Trucks

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Who We Are
Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

Paul Di Filippo
Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1.

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