On "Cringe Culture"
We’ve all cringed at ourselves. Whether it’s listening to a recording of your own voice, looking at old pictures, or randomly remembering something stupid you did seven years ago, it happens to all of us. It’s a natural emotion, and we all hate it. Thank god, then, that the Internet allows us to cringe at others as much as we want, mainly in the form of “cringe” content and culture. Cringe culture involves mocking individuals for their perceived lack of social awareness, unconventional interests, or unconventional self-expression. Whether through cringe compilations, leaving comments on a piece of original content, or talking about a group of people directly, cringe culture permeates much of the online space. It’s indisputable that the Internet has been a great outlet for a myriad of subcultures, each with its own norms and taboos. Several online communities have been frequent targets of cringe culture. Among them are fandoms, which include passionate fans of various TV shows, mo...