Some of the (unintentionally) funniest and most insincere writing on the internet can be found behind those outrageous headlines that pop up all over the internet like dandelions.
The term is "clickbait".
Google serves me up a new batch every day. Sometimes I give in. I tell myself that my real curiosity isn't about the supposed "story". No, my curiosity is about how distant that story is from the headline.
But in reality, it's probably 50/50.
My recent favorite is "Disney alters a Muppet classic and Fans are Outraged!"
Yes, the algorithm knows I like Kermit the Frog. And, yes, I clicked on that headline to see the story.
The alteration? Disney digitally erased the metal rods the puppeteers used to move Muppet arms.
The outrage? The author cited two commenters on Twitter who said, in essence, "That's pointless. Part of the fun of the Muppets is knowing they are puppets."
This is somebody's job.
Human beings are endlessly fascinating.
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