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As a soccer match between German teams Preussen Munster and Würzburger Kickers went into its final minutes, a defender from the Kickers, 23-year-old Leroy Kwadwo, stopped to point out a problem in the stands.

A Munster fan was making monkey noises at Kwadwo, a black player of Ghanaian descent. It was a clearly racist heckling—an issue that has publicly plagued the international sport in various venues, even as recently as last week. But this time, the response from the crowd far outshined the racist in the stands.

First, the man was quickly identified by his fellow Munster fans and ejected from the game. While stewards escorted him from the stadium, the crowd chanted, “Nazis out! Nazis out!”

Some fans also stood and applauded Kwadwo and the player received supportive pats on the back from opposing team members as well.

u201cChills.nnIn Germany, a fan hurled racist slurs towards Leroy Kwadwo, a Ghanian football player.nnWhen other fans saw it, they alerted security, who escorted the man out.nnThen, as opposing players came to hug Kwadwo, the entire stadium stood up and chanted “Nazis Out!”u201d

— Muhammad Lila (@Muhammad Lila)
1581795227

This is how it’s done, folks.

Kwadwo thanked fans via social media the next day for their “exemplary” reaction, the Associated Press reported:

“I was racially abused by one single spectator. It just makes me sad. I indeed have a different skin color, but I was born here in this wonderful land that has given my family and I so much and made so much possible. I am one of you. I live here and can live my calling as a professional with the Würzburger Kickers.

Something like yesterday just makes me sad and angry because everyone has to know, racism does not belong in OUR world. We all have the opportunity to oppose it and stop it if it happens.”

Munster said it would seek to ban the racist fan from all German stadiums for three years, which is the toughest sanction the sport itself can implement. However, the man also faces legal consequences and is being charged with incitement.

“As repulsive as the monkey noises against the player were, the subsequent response from the rest of the spectators were so impressive,” the Preussen team said in a statement.

According to CNN, Preussen Munster president Christoph Strasser said of the heckling: “It is not something that belongs on the soccer field and certainly not in our stadium. We don’t want and need people like that here. We clearly distance ourselves from such statements and I apologized to the Würzburgers immediately after the game.”

If we have to live with nasty racists in our midst, it’s at least encouraging to see a huge crowd reject it with such immediacy and fervor. Nazis out, indeed.

This article originally appeared on 3.1.23

The concept of being an introvert versus an extrovert is a fairly new one. Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung first came up with both terms in the early 1900s, and from the get-go, it was understood that people’s personalities generally fell somewhere between the two extremes.

Nowadays introverts are often mislabeled as being antisocial, which isn’t necessarily true. Going off of the Jung definition, introverted people simply orient toward their “internal private world of inner thoughts and feelings”—unlike extroverts, who “engage more with the outside world of objects, sensory perception, and action.”

Most introverts will tell you, it’s not that we hate people. We just find them … draining. What we tend to detest are things like trivial small talk and the cacophony of large groups. But even that, many introverts can turn on for, enjoy even … so long as we can promptly go home afterwards and veg out.

Being introverted is certainly not unique—up to half of the entire population is estimated to be introverted. Heck, it’s even a trait for animals. And it’s certainly not a weakness. Many notable leaders were known for being reserved. However, the world is often made to favor extroversion, making it hard for introverts to be understood, let alone valued.

Reddit user Sarayka81 asked for introverts to share their “nightmare situations.” The answers are an eye-opening (and pretty hilarious) glimpse into how one person’s idea of normal, or even fun, can be another person’s torture.

Enjoy 15 of the best responses. Introverts, beware.

1. Public marriage proposals

“I’ve told every partner so far, if you propose in public I will turn it down.” – @AngelaTheRipper

“All those youtube videos of these big proposals, like a whole dance routine pop up…everyone is like ‘omg what a great gesture!’ No. no. no.” – fearme101

2. Afterparties

“You mean there’s more stuff to do after the stuff we planned on doing? I only have so much energy to deal with people and it was already used up.” – @Nyctomancer

3. Being picked out of the crowd to speak

“People who just raise their hand to be chosen are true heroes.” – @Chogolatine

4. Unexpected visitors

“As a child my worst nightmare was when my parents got visitors and I’m stuck upstairs hungry and thirsty because I can’t access the kitchen.” – @mikasott

“Ask them nicely, ‘would you kindly REMOVE yourself from my personal space.‘” – @GDog507

“But that requires talking to them.” – @StinkyKittyBreath

5. Introducing yourself

“I get locked jaw when this happens. Along with sweaty palms and cold sweat.” – @ellisonjune

6. Multiple conversations at once

“I was at a conference where everyone is doing the circle thing and I was chatting with some people about some interesting, but pretty dry, industry topics. All of the sudden I hear someone in another conversation circle say something along the lines of: ‘Yeah man, gorillas will rip your head off.’

All of the sudden, I can’t concentrate on my current conversation and my brain tunes into the gorilla conversation instead. I could not for the life of me tune back into my main conversation.” – @reAchilles

7. Running into someone you know in a public place

“All you want to do is read your book, but there’s no way out and you decide to put up a brave front. Already you can hear the office gossip in your head: ‘Oh my God, guess who I was stuck on the train with…’Nightmare fuel. Work from home was a blessing in this regard.” – @jew_bisquits

8. Singing “Happy Birthday” at a restaurant

“This shouldn’t be legal” – @Chogolatine

9. Surprise parties

“I’m essentially the 49th wheel at my own party. Kill me now.” – @Anneboleyn33

10. Being talked over

“Especially when the only thing the person interjects with is filler or exclamatory flurry that adds nothing to the conversation while stifling any other contribution. Things like ‘yes girl yes!’ or ‘I can’t believe that!’ or …even loud forced laughter – really any noise interjected in that space to make it seem like they’re contributing or listening instead of actually participating.” – @torn_anteater

11. Networking events

“Don’t forget to come up with a fun fact!” – @sub_surfer

12. Extroverts who just don’t get it

“‘Wanna hang out this Saturday?’

‘Sure!’

… Saturday arrives, 10 minutes before hangout time …

‘Oh also I invited my friend you have never met before to join us.'” – @drflanigan

13. Phone calls

“Receiving and twice as bad having to make one.” – @Isand0

14. Impromptu work presentations

“I need like a couple days to prepare myself for any speaking engagement lol.” – @koriroo

15. Party games that involve small talk

“‘Who’s up for two truths and a lie?’

Thinks … Can they all be lies? No … What are the most boring truths I can think of so no one comes up to talk to me after this?‘” – @littlewittlediddle

This article originally appeared on 09.16.22

An unsupervised toddler with a pair of scissors is nightmare fuel for parents.

Will you find shredded books, a hole in your new couch, or a pile of lopped off hair when you emerge from your quick trip to the potty?

Toddlers may still be very young, but they are fast and have a knack for getting ahold of unapproved things quickly, inflicting maximum destruction. TikTok user, @designerluxury4you, shared a video of their toddler proudly showing off the haircut she had given herself.

Experiencing your child giving themselves or their siblings a haircut seems to be a rite of passage for parents.

But the way this mom handled the discovery is showing how gentle parenting is changing the game. It’s pretty safe to say that most parents would react in a more expressive way and immediately remove the scissors from the child’s hands. This mom responded in the kindest and most respectful way you can imagine and maybe the internet is a little better for having seen it.

When the mom walks in to see her daughter holding a pair of child’s scissors, she calmly asks, “What’d you do?” to which the now mullet-sporting toddler explains her actions. The little girl, Max, says, “I cutted all of it off and I put it on here.” While the toddler is finishing her story we get a quick glimpse of the pile of blonde hair sitting on the nightstand. This is the point that seems to divide the commenters because the reaction isn’t anger or even a stern tone. Instead, this shocked mom says, “Oh, wow. You did a really good job, Max.”

The mom asked if her daughter felt better since her hair was no longer in her face, to which Max answered, “Yep.” Max was given several options, including going to the hairdresser to fix it. The video cuts off before we find out the toddler’s choice, but the mom’s reaction was the topic of discussion in the comments.

One person wrote, “Seriously, this is impressive parenting. What a gift you are to her.”

Another said, “Wow, you handled that so well lol she’s so adorable.”

Others were confused and more critical of the mom’s calm reaction and lack of consequences. Someone wrote, “I just can’t with gentle parenting. She lost me when she said no but allowed it anyway.”

A different user expressed confusion, writing, “Not knocking gentle parenting but at the end of the day how does she learn this was wrong and not to do it again?”

There were multiple comments reminding people that even though the girl is a toddler, it’s still her hair and she should get to decide what to do with it.

Watch the video below. Do you think this mom handled this situation well?

@designerluxury4u

Talent #gamimy #kidsoftiktok #girlpower #beautician ##parentsoftiktok

This story originally aired on 1.4.23

DIIV announced that their next album, Frog In Boiling Water, will be arriving in May. The band also marked their return by sharing the lead single, “Brown Paper Bag,” which finds them taking on a darker tone while blending pop and rock.

This darkness will be carrying over through the rest of the record, as DIIV described it was what inspired the album’s title.

“We understand the metaphor to be one about a slow, sick, and overwhelmingly banal collapse of society under end-stage capitalism, the brutal realities we’ve maybe come to accept as normal,” they shared in a statement. “That’s the boiling water and we are the frogs. The album is more or less a collection of snapshots from various angles of our modern condition which we think highlights what this collapse looks like and, more particularly, what it feels like.”

Check out DIIV’s “Brown Paper Bag” above. Below, find the Frog In Boiling Water tracklist and cover art.

DIIV’s Frog In Boiling Water Album Cover Artwork

DIIV’s Frog In Boiling Water Tracklist

1. “In Amber”
2. “Brown Paper Bag”
3. “Raining On Your Pillow”
4. “Frog In Boiling Water”
5. “Everyone Out”
6. “Reflected”
7. “Somber The Drums”
8. “Little Birds”
9. “Soul-net”
10. “Fender On The Freeway”

Frog In Boiling Water is out 5/24 via Fantasy Records. Find more information here.

It seems that Adele is going viral once again.

Perhaps you’ve seen the image in question previously (it seems to make the rounds every couple of years). But in case you missed it—it’s Adele’s face. Normal, just upside down.

Only it’s not normal. In fact, when you turn Adele’s face right side up, what you notice is that her eyes and mouth were actually right-side up THE ENTIRE TIME, even though the entire head was upside down. So when you turn the head right side up, the eyes and mouth are now UPSIDE-DOWN—and you can’t unsee it. Do you feel like you’re Alice in Wonderland yet?

Just wait. Things get even more fascinating. Especially because this optical illusion is over 40 years in the making.

Below you’ll find the Adele photo in question. Go ahead. Take a look at it. Then turn the image upside down.

Crazy right? And just a little terrifying?

As the Facebook post explains, this mind-boggling image highlights a phenomenon known as the Thatcher effect. Our brains, so much more used to recognizing faces that are right-side up, have difficulty detecting specific changes once a face is upside down.

Seeing that everything is more or less where it should be, our brains don’t notice anything out of the ordinary in Adele’s face until we turn her face back to a normal position.

The Thatcher effect got its name from British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, on whose photograph it was first demonstrated back in 1980 by Peter Thompson, Professor of Psychology at York University.

This demonstration was one of the first to explore just how facial recognition works, and certainly the first to suggest that humans (and monkeys, it turns out) process faces on a more holistic level, rather than by individual components like lips and eyes. Since its publication, there has been a wealth of research exploring how our brain takes in both subtle and striking facial configurations.

Funny enough, it was once believed that this illusion only worked on the Prime Minister’s face. But as Adele has proven, anyone can be Thatcherized.

This article originally appeared on 8.31.23

If someone mentioned Jell-O, deviled eggs, baked ham and Chicken à la King to you and then asked you what era these foods were most popular in, you’d probably guess the ’70s.

Turns out you’d be wrong by about half a century. The above foods were among the most popular in the 1920s. That’s right, a whole hundred years ago! When flappers were flapping and people were drinking bathtub gin and ladies were bobbing their hair and drawing lines up the backs of their legs.

Advances in refrigeration, farming, marketing and technology meant that a full century ago, people were eating in a fashion that really isn’t all that different from what we consume today.

But while the foods weren’t that different, the prep was. It’s estimated that in 1920, people spent 44 hours per week on meal preparation and cleanup. Six and a half hours a day!

Compare that to 2014 when Americans spent an average of just 37 minutes a day (roughly four and a half hours a week) on meal prep. In 2024, one imagines that number has gone down even more given the ubiquity of meal delivery apps.

Read on for some top foods of 1924 compared to 2024.

Here are 10 of the top foods in 1924 that people still love today.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Healthy Eats by Jennie (@healthyeatsbyjennie)

Spinach dip: Popular in speakeasies, this dip made with sour cream, mayonnaise and thawed spinach was affordable, easy to make, and quietly elegant.

Do we eat it today? We do! Fancy people add artichoke.

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 5 out of 5 bell bottoms

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Scott Glaves (@glavesscott)

Pretzels: Native to Europe, pretzels were a popular appetizer and bar snack in the 1920s.

Do We Eat Them Today? Yes!

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 1 out of 5 feathery Farrah Fawcett hairdos

Deviled eggs: Now a relic of potlucks and the occasional too-hip boutique bar, these eggy treats were hugely popular in 1924 because they were easy to make, customizable, and traveled well.

Do we eat them today? Yes, but they’re certainly less popular than they once were.

Inexplicable 70s factor: 5 out of 5 lava lamps

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sammy’s Deluxe (@sammysdeluxe)

Clam Chowder: This creamy uber soup has been a staple of American cuisine for over a century.

Do we eat it today? You bet your clamshells we do.

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 2 out of 5 sideburns

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Employees Only (@employeesonlyny)

Baked Ham: in 1924, alcohol would be banned for 9 more years but recipes that called for alcohol were popular, perhaps because of the scarcity. Prohibition-baked ham, which was popular at home and at speakeasies, incorporated whiskey or bourbon.

Do we eat it today? Yes, but it isn’t sought after in the same way it was.

Inexplicable 70s factor: 2 out of 3 Charlie’s Angels

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Easy Chicken Recipes (@easychickenrecipes)

Chicken a la King: Another dish served both at home and at restaurants, Chicken à la King involves a cream sauce over chicken and vegetables. It’s served on top of or alongside rice or pasta. Sometimes sherry or mushrooms are incorporated and sometimes tuna or turkey is used in place of chicken.

Do we eat it today? Occasionally, but it’s hardly on every menu like it once was.

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 5 out of 5 disco balls

Pineapple upside-down cake: Combining pineapples, cake ingredients, maraschino cherries and gravity, this delectable confection has remained one of America’s most popular desserts.

Do we eat it today? Yes, but it feels kitschy and retro.

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 5 out of 5 Watergate scandals

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vintage Cookbook Gore (@vintagecookbookgore)

Jell-O: In 1924 you couldn’t swing a watch chain without hitting Jell-O. It was everywhere: on dessert tables, in recipe books put out by Jell-O themselves, and even served with seafood.

Do we eat it today? Yes! And if you’ve ever found yourself at a frat party, you know a whole cottage industry has sprung up around clever ways to combine it with alcohol.

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 8 out of 10 shag carpets

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lindsay Conchar (@lifeloveandsugar)

Devil’s food cake: In 1924 they deviled eggs, they deviled ham and they also deviled cake. Supposedly more sinfully indulgent (hence the “devil”) than regular chocolate cake because it’s made with chocolate squares instead of cocoa powder, this was a popular dessert.

Do we eat it today? Yes!

Inexplicable 70s factor: 2 out of 5 Macrame plant holders

For comparison, here are the most popular American food dishes in 2024 as determined by YouGov.

10. Corn on the cob

9. Southern Style Fried Chicken

8. Fried Chicken

7. Steak and Baked Potato

6, Cheeseburger

5 Hashbrowns

4. Grilled Cheese

3. Mashed Potato

2. French Fries

1. Hamburger

If someone mentioned Jell-O, deviled eggs, baked ham and Chicken à la King to you and then asked you what era these foods were most popular in, you’d probably guess the ’70s.

Turns out you’d be wrong by about half a century. The above foods were among the most popular in the 1920s. That’s right, a whole hundred years ago! When flappers were flapping and people were drinking bathtub gin and ladies were bobbing their hair and drawing lines up the backs of their legs.

Advances in refrigeration, farming, marketing and technology meant that a full century ago, people were eating in a fashion that really isn’t all that different from what we consume today.

But while the foods weren’t that different, the prep was. It’s estimated that in 1920, people spent 44 hours per week on meal preparation and cleanup. Six and a half hours a day!

Compare that to 2014 when Americans spent an average of just 37 minutes a day (roughly four and a half hours a week) on meal prep. In 2024, one imagines that number has gone down even more given the ubiquity of meal delivery apps.

Read on for some top foods of 1924 compared to 2024.

Here are 10 of the top foods in 1924 that people still love today.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Healthy Eats by Jennie (@healthyeatsbyjennie)

Spinach dip: Popular in speakeasies, this dip made with sour cream, mayonnaise and thawed spinach was affordable, easy to make, and quietly elegant.

Do we eat it today? We do! Fancy people add artichoke.

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 5 out of 5 bell bottoms

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Scott Glaves (@glavesscott)

Pretzels: Native to Europe, pretzels were a popular appetizer and bar snack in the 1920s.

Do We Eat Them Today? Yes!

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 1 out of 5 feathery Farrah Fawcett hairdos

Deviled eggs: Now a relic of potlucks and the occasional too-hip boutique bar, these eggy treats were hugely popular in 1924 because they were easy to make, customizable, and traveled well.

Do we eat them today? Yes, but they’re certainly less popular than they once were.

Inexplicable 70s factor: 5 out of 5 lava lamps

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sammy’s Deluxe (@sammysdeluxe)

Clam Chowder: This creamy uber soup has been a staple of American cuisine for over a century.

Do we eat it today? You bet your clamshells we do.

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 2 out of 5 sideburns

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Employees Only (@employeesonlyny)

Baked Ham: in 1924, alcohol would be banned for 9 more years but recipes that called for alcohol were popular, perhaps because of the scarcity. Prohibition-baked ham, which was popular at home and at speakeasies, incorporated whiskey or bourbon.

Do we eat it today? Yes, but it isn’t sought after in the same way it was.

Inexplicable 70s factor: 2 out of 3 Charlie’s Angels

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Easy Chicken Recipes (@easychickenrecipes)

Chicken a la King: Another dish served both at home and at restaurants, Chicken à la King involves a cream sauce over chicken and vegetables. It’s served on top of or alongside rice or pasta. Sometimes sherry or mushrooms are incorporated and sometimes tuna or turkey is used in place of chicken.

Do we eat it today? Occasionally, but it’s hardly on every menu like it once was.

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 5 out of 5 disco balls

Pineapple upside-down cake: Combining pineapples, cake ingredients, maraschino cherries and gravity, this delectable confection has remained one of America’s most popular desserts.

Do we eat it today? Yes, but it feels kitschy and retro.

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 5 out of 5 Watergate scandals

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vintage Cookbook Gore (@vintagecookbookgore)

Jell-O: In 1924 you couldn’t swing a watch chain without hitting Jell-O. It was everywhere: on dessert tables, in recipe books put out by Jell-O themselves, and even served with seafood.

Do we eat it today? Yes! And if you’ve ever found yourself at a frat party, you know a whole cottage industry has sprung up around clever ways to combine it with alcohol.

Inexplicable ’70s factor: 8 out of 10 shag carpets

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lindsay Conchar (@lifeloveandsugar)

Devil’s food cake: In 1924 they deviled eggs, they deviled ham and they also deviled cake. Supposedly more sinfully indulgent (hence the “devil”) than regular chocolate cake because it’s made with chocolate squares instead of cocoa powder, this was a popular dessert.

Do we eat it today? Yes!

Inexplicable 70s factor: 2 out of 5 Macrame plant holders

For comparison, here are the most popular American food dishes in 2024 as determined by YouGov.

10. Corn on the cob

9. Southern Style Fried Chicken

8. Fried Chicken

7. Steak and Baked Potato

6, Cheeseburger

5 Hashbrowns

4. Grilled Cheese

3. Mashed Potato

2. French Fries

1. Hamburger

My family has an ongoing debate about a specific lamp in our house. We have five lamps in our living room, but one of them only gets used half as often as the others because half of the family hates the light that lamp gives off and half of us are bothered by the lack of light in that corner of the room when it’s off. Lamp on, lamp off. Lamp on, lamp off. Every night.

But there’s one thing we all agree on: We never EVER turn on “the big light.”

The big light is the overhead light in the center of the ceiling. If anyone ever turns on the big light, everyone else says, “Ewww! Turn it off!” It immediately evokes a visceral disgust in all of us, which is why we are tolerant of one another’s feelings about the lamp-in-dispute. We may not agree on that particular lamp’s effect, but we all fundamentally understand that lighting matters.

Apparently, we’re not the only ones.

TikTok designers Josh and Matt shared a video explaining why the big light needs to be banned, and it’s racked up a whopping 35 million views and 7.5 million likes.

“We all have big light friends who need to hear this,” reads the caption. I have never felt so seen. Watch:

@joshandmattdesign

We all have big light friends who need to hear this 🤭💡 #interiordesign #lighting #biglight

But what’s interesting is that in the comments, people’s opinions on the big light are split. Some of my fellow #TeamLamp members shared how the big light makes them feel:

“I’m physically allergic to the big light ESPECIALLY at night.”

“The big bright light gives me anxiety istg.”

“Literally me at all times I cannot stand the big light anywhere it overwhelms and irritates me @🌙.”

“I am the worst version of myself when the big light is on.”

“The big light is for when i’m cleaning my room and that’s it.”

“Big light it’s only for cleaning or looking for something important.”

“The big light feels like when they turn on the lights in the club and you’re just embarrassingly forced to go home.”

But some people are totally #TeamBigLight, eschewing the soft, ambient lighting that #TeamLamp lives for:

“Using low ambient lighting makes my brain feel like idk muddy or something, I hate it.”

“I feel like I can’t see…like I can’t wear sunglasses because if my vision is distorted in any way I get so anxious.”

“I love and exclusively use the big light. I wanna seeeee not have a bunch of different headache points 😂😂😂.”

“I need the big light on when I’m cooking or I simply cannot cook.”

“As someone who grew up with dim warm lights & dark New England winters, I like the big white lights. Makes me feel like I can actually see for once 😅.”

“Sometimes ambient lighting actually triggers my anxiety (no clue why lol) so big light just gets a warm bulb for me. I like seeing stuff clearly.”

So the big light makes some people anxious and not using the big light makes other people anxious. Huh.

That last commenter hit on something that others mentioned also. Overhead lighting is often cool (bluish-hued) lighting while lamps are warm (yellowish-hued) lighting, but you can buy warmer light bulbs to put into overhead lights to make them less harsh and hospitally. That doesn’t fix all of the big light issues, but does help reduce the “this lighting makes me feel stabby” effect.

So what does science say about all of this? Surely if people feel this strongly about something, there’s a solid reason behind it, right?

Environmental psychologist Sally Augustin, PhD, writes that lighting does impact how we feel and how we function. Warm lighting is conducive to creative work and socializing, whereas cool lighting can help us concentrate and be more productive. “Do your taxes in cool light, write poetry and hang out with friends in warmer light,” she says.

However, she also adds that putting cooler lights in overhead fixtures and warm lights in lamps mimicks how light works in nature. “Warmer light generally is found lower in the natural world, at the horizon during sunrise and sunset, for example, while the sun overhead at noon is cool light,” she writes.

That may be true, but for those of us who can’t stand the big light, there’s nothing about it that feels natural. And there’s no question that it’s unflattering. That’s even true in nature—ask any photographer if they want to take someone’s portrait outside at noon and they’ll laugh in your face.

This debate does make one wonder if #TeamLamp tends to be more creative and laid back by nature and #TeamBigLight tends to be more focused and productive, and that’s why some prefer one kind of light over the other. Or maybe it really is just about being able to see clearly or not.

At any rate, people clearly have strong feelings about this. Isn’t that fascinating? Are there any unicorns out there who don’t give any thought to lighting at all? (If so, how do you live like that?!?)

My family has an ongoing debate about a specific lamp in our house. We have five lamps in our living room, but one of them only gets used half as often as the others because half of the family hates the light that lamp gives off and half of us are bothered by the lack of light in that corner of the room when it’s off. Lamp on, lamp off. Lamp on, lamp off. Every night.

But there’s one thing we all agree on: We never EVER turn on “the big light.”

The big light is the overhead light in the center of the ceiling. If anyone ever turns on the big light, everyone else says, “Ewww! Turn it off!” It immediately evokes a visceral disgust in all of us, which is why we are tolerant of one another’s feelings about the lamp-in-dispute. We may not agree on that particular lamp’s effect, but we all fundamentally understand that lighting matters.

Apparently, we’re not the only ones.

TikTok designers Josh and Matt shared a video explaining why the big light needs to be banned, and it’s racked up a whopping 35 million views and 7.5 million likes.

“We all have big light friends who need to hear this,” reads the caption. I have never felt so seen. Watch:

@joshandmattdesign

We all have big light friends who need to hear this 🤭💡 #interiordesign #lighting #biglight

But what’s interesting is that in the comments, people’s opinions on the big light are split. Some of my fellow #TeamLamp members shared how the big light makes them feel:

“I’m physically allergic to the big light ESPECIALLY at night.”

“The big bright light gives me anxiety istg.”

“Literally me at all times I cannot stand the big light anywhere it overwhelms and irritates me @🌙.”

“I am the worst version of myself when the big light is on.”

“The big light is for when i’m cleaning my room and that’s it.”

“Big light it’s only for cleaning or looking for something important.”

“The big light feels like when they turn on the lights in the club and you’re just embarrassingly forced to go home.”

But some people are totally #TeamBigLight, eschewing the soft, ambient lighting that #TeamLamp lives for:

“Using low ambient lighting makes my brain feel like idk muddy or something, I hate it.”

“I feel like I can’t see…like I can’t wear sunglasses because if my vision is distorted in any way I get so anxious.”

“I love and exclusively use the big light. I wanna seeeee not have a bunch of different headache points 😂😂😂.”

“I need the big light on when I’m cooking or I simply cannot cook.”

“As someone who grew up with dim warm lights & dark New England winters, I like the big white lights. Makes me feel like I can actually see for once 😅.”

“Sometimes ambient lighting actually triggers my anxiety (no clue why lol) so big light just gets a warm bulb for me. I like seeing stuff clearly.”

So the big light makes some people anxious and not using the big light makes other people anxious. Huh.

That last commenter hit on something that others mentioned also. Overhead lighting is often cool (bluish-hued) lighting while lamps are warm (yellowish-hued) lighting, but you can buy warmer light bulbs to put into overhead lights to make them less harsh and hospitally. That doesn’t fix all of the big light issues, but does help reduce the “this lighting makes me feel stabby” effect.

So what does science say about all of this? Surely if people feel this strongly about something, there’s a solid reason behind it, right?

Environmental psychologist Sally Augustin, PhD, writes that lighting does impact how we feel and how we function. Warm lighting is conducive to creative work and socializing, whereas cool lighting can help us concentrate and be more productive. “Do your taxes in cool light, write poetry and hang out with friends in warmer light,” she says.

However, she also adds that putting cooler lights in overhead fixtures and warm lights in lamps mimicks how light works in nature. “Warmer light generally is found lower in the natural world, at the horizon during sunrise and sunset, for example, while the sun overhead at noon is cool light,” she writes.

That may be true, but for those of us who can’t stand the big light, there’s nothing about it that feels natural. And there’s no question that it’s unflattering. That’s even true in nature—ask any photographer if they want to take someone’s portrait outside at noon and they’ll laugh in your face.

This debate does make one wonder if #TeamLamp tends to be more creative and laid back by nature and #TeamBigLight tends to be more focused and productive, and that’s why some prefer one kind of light over the other. Or maybe it really is just about being able to see clearly or not.

At any rate, people clearly have strong feelings about this. Isn’t that fascinating? Are there any unicorns out there who don’t give any thought to lighting at all? (If so, how do you live like that?!?)

In terms of fictional universes, the John Wick world is one you definitely don’t want to mess with, considering all of the violence and hotel bills that you would inevitably have to pay. That’s not even taking into account how many suits you’d need to buy. But If you look beyond that, John Wick’s universe has enough material to expand on in the Real World. Well, maybe not the real world, but Vegas, which is a world of its own.

A new “John Wick Experience” will debut later this year in Las Vegas, and while it won’t be Keanu Reeves’ face displayed on the Sphere, it will probably still be worth doing if you are a Wick enthusiast.

The experience will feature specific missions for each group of guests which will entail “rubbing elbows with Continental staff, assassins, crime bosses, or other curious guests like themselves within the relative safety of the Continental.” Luckily, killing isn’t allowed in the Continental, or else Ian McShane will personally escort you out of the building.

This is the latest collaboration between Lionsgate and AREA15, an immersive entertainment company that also helped launch various Saw and Blair Witch escape rooms in Vegas. One could argue that every room in Vegas could be considered an escape room if you are in enough debt.

Jenefer Brown, EVP & Head of Global Products and Experiences at Lionsgate, says that bringing Wick to life inspired numerous possibilities. “One of the things I love about the John Wick franchise is the idea that there’s a whole world of alliances and vengeance hiding in plain sight – all converging within the worldwide locations of the Continental. This experience draws fans into that world like never before, and AREA15 is an ideal place for fans to live out the fantasy, action and danger portrayed in the films,” she said.

Just think about all of the other potential immersive adventures that Wick could inspire! Some ideas: “Wick’s Water World,” a water park that doubles as a fight demonstration, or “Wick’s Wags,” a dog hotel for strays. Or a real-life Continental hotel that also serves free continental breakfast!!! The ideas are all there. Now they just have to be implemented.

(Via Deadline)