Color commentary

I love Tik Tok. I manage my time there because I recognize the addictive nature of the place, but there’s something uninhibited and maybe more importantly unsophisticated about it that makes it unlike every other site. I am just so tired of liberal commentary online - it all sounds like the self congratulatory in-group signaling of people with graduate degrees to me. Tik Tok liberals are all over the map demographically and in terms of class - you’ll find well-off white ladies like me along with women who will happily give you a brief tour of their 1990’s double wide. I once followed a whole debate on whether electrical linemen are prone to cheating on their spouses - I had no idea this particular group were known for that behavior.

The Left side of Tik Tok has none of the rigidly correct scolding nature of Bluesky - it’s playful, original and often very, very funny. “Themes” develop on Tik that one would never see anywhere else - there was once a weeks-long trend on Tik Tok where people who receive food stamps showed us what they buy every month. The food stamp videos started this whole food stamp dialogue between those who rely on food stamps and those who don’t that I think was enlightening for both sides.

The Right side of Tik Tok is just as nasty and sneering as Right wingers in real life, although I admit I do go over there to troll for kicks - I’m “Kay” over there too so look for me inciting incoherent rage commenting on the MAGA posts.

Here’s what’s going on over on the Left side of Tik Tok today:

Basically what happened is a Black woman posted a video where she said white gingers “are Black people”. The reaction from the Black creators and the “ginger community” was just wild - they wholly embraced it, which led to this very funny but oddly touching Black/ginger dialogue:

I’m sure there will be serious analysis of this charming little moment elsewhere on the internet but it was fun to watch while it lasted.