by Amra Jean
Why?
Why does something like this exist? Why is it when I look up ASMR, I can click on a tab for ASMR videos below the ASMR definition, and the picture that accompanied the tab is that of a woman eating a banana while maintaining eye contact with the viewer. As if the fact that strangers wanted my “senses to tingle” via sounds wasn’t already enough of a red flag.
If you don’t know, ASMR means autonomous sensory meridian response. But, like a lot of acronyms with an actual meaning, it has evolved, or in this case devolved, into a name for a certain trend. I personally hate it, but here’s the anonymous opinion of some people that I’ve interviewed:
“It’s basically the ear ‘candy’ of YouTube.”
“Some ASMR is ok, I guess. But the ones where some person is eating a pickle into the mike, and that’s the entire thing for twenty minutes straight, is pretty weird.”
“It’s ASMR, and… no.”
“Chewing is disgusting. Other than that, ASMR is ok.”
Another mixed bag trend that resides mostly on YouTube. Gee, where did we here that before?
It’s important to note that ASMR isn’t a bad concept. It ranges from cutting through random object with 1,000 degree-hot knives, to… recording oneself eating bananas. However the YouTuber tries to make your senses tingle, it’s OK as long as it’s not causing any true harm, other than the possible loss of brain cells that occurs from watching these people.
