Social Media Idiocy Strikes Once more! Two TikTok hikers, sporting Crocs and carrying minimal gear, tried a 16-mile trek up Mount Charleston’s icy South Loop Path, solely to face freezing temperatures, three inches of snow, and lifeless telephone batteries throughout their descent. Unwell-prepared and with out correct navigation instruments, they relied on swapping a single pair of mountaineering boots between them to outlive the treacherous situations. Their ordeal practically required a helicopter rescue, highlighting the harmful pattern of unprepared adventurers tackling critical trails with out respect for the wilderness.
Let’s minimize the crap: two hikers, Josh Macandog and Issay Dibaba, simply proved that social media stupidity isn’t confined to selfies and TikTok dances—it might observe you straight up a 16-mile, ice-covered mountain in Crocs. Yeah, you heard that proper. They thought a day hike up Mount Charleston’s South Loop Path—some of the difficult in Nevada—was the right setting for goofing round and snapping “cool” images. Seems, nature didn’t give a rattling about their vibe.
16 Miles of Unhealthy Selections
These two geniuses began their hike at 8 a.m. on November 15, promising pals they’d be again by 5 p.m. Spoiler: they weren’t. Their plan? A gasoline station sandwich for lunch, zero cold-weather gear, and footwear straight out of the clown faculty handbook. Josh introduced boots, however just one pair, and Issay figured Crocs have been as much as the duty of slick, icy trails.
By 2 p.m., they reached the summit. They posed for images and movies for social media, did their Tik Tok dances, ate their sandwiches, and began their descent—simply as snow started to fall. Three inches of it. Their water bottles froze, their telephones died, and a thick fog rolled in, leaving them with no navigation instruments and no mild. At this level, their descent changed into a comedy of errors: slipping, falling, hallucinating from dehydration, and ultimately swapping sneakers—one Croc, one boot every—like some tragic survival parody.
Social Media Narcissism Hits the Path
This wasn’t simply an sincere mistake by some mountaineering rookies. It’s the byproduct of a tradition obsessive about clout and content material over frequent sense. These guys weren’t there to hike—they have been there to indicate off. Climbing bushes for photoshoots, dancing for movies, and ignoring the fundamental realities of the path.
Social media has turned folks into full idiots. Everybody thinks they’re particular as a result of their 5 followers appreciated their TikTok. Girls who reside for Instagram selfies and speaking to themselves on Twitter, dudes flexing for meaningless clout, and TikTokers appearing like their stunts make them pioneers of the wilderness. Shit you even have mentally unwell pastors (making an attempt yo upstage the Jesus) with podcasts chasing clout on-line, and naturally congregations filled with sheep cheering it on– THE MENTAL ILLNESS OF SOCIAL MEDIA IS REAL!
Nature Doesn’t Care About Your Followers
Mount Charleston’s Hearth Chief Jason Douglas summed it up: this path isn’t any joke. It’s not an informal stroll, particularly in winter. Snow melts in the course of the day, turns into ice at evening, and even skilled hikers want traction gadgets like crampons to keep away from accidents. Within the final month alone, there have been 4 air rescues on this path. FOUR. Every one costing taxpayers and placing search-and-rescue groups in hurt’s approach.
Josh and Issay acquired fortunate. Their pals reported them lacking, which set search-and-rescue into movement. The hikers ultimately stumbled again to their automotive round 9 p.m., hours late and hypothermic the place they have been greeted by search and rescue groups who have been on the brink of a recue try. Helicopters have been on the brink of launch, however fortunately, weren’t wanted. Let’s be actual although: it shouldn’t have gotten that far.
The Actual Value of Their Stupidity
Each time considered one of these social media hikers screws up, it’s a drain on public sources. Search-and-rescue groups danger their lives to avoid wasting individuals who thought filters and hashtags have been extra essential than survival gear. Taxpayers foot the invoice for helicopters and emergency providers. And whereas these clowns get their feel-good rescue story, another person with an actual emergency could possibly be left ready.
Take Duty or Keep Residence
When you’re nonetheless fascinated about chasing clout within the wilderness, right here’s a actuality verify:
- Crocs Aren’t Climbing Footwear: This isn’t a debate. Get boots with correct traction and kit for the situations.
- Telephones Don’t Change Survival Abilities: When your battery dies, so does your plan. Discover ways to use a map and compass.
- Respect the Open air: The wilderness isn’t your stage, and it positive as hell isn’t forgiving.
Whether or not you might be an skilled outdoorsman or a starting adventurer, correct pre-trip planning is important to make sure a protected and pleasing journey. Try our Complete Information to Planning Your Subsequent Out of doors Journey.
Cease the Insanity
Social media isn’t simply annoying—it’s harmful. It’s breeding attention-addicted idiots who care extra about “likes” than residing. When you’re unprepared, you don’t belong on the paths. Interval. Nature doesn’t care about your followers, your movies, or your selfies. Present up prepared, or keep the hell house. The remainder of us—and the search-and-rescue groups—are sick of cleansing up your mess.
Social media has turn out to be a breeding floor for attention-seeking, mentally unstable conduct, turning on a regular basis folks into narcissistic wrecks determined for validation. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram reward shallow, performative nonsense, encouraging customers to commerce their dignity for fleeting likes and follows. You see it in every single place: girls appearing like celebrities over 5 likes on a selfie, dudes flexing pretend existence, and TikTokers chasing viral traits with no shred of self-awareness. This limitless pursuit of clout has warped actuality, making a era of fragile egos hooked on on-line approval. The worst half? These platforms glorify this mentally unwell conduct, leaving us with a society the place substance, ability, and real connection take a backseat to curated fakery and shallow self-obsession. It’s not simply annoying—it’s a psychological well being disaster hiding in plain sight.
