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Viral TikTok videos have a knack for delivering the unexpected. The short clips often take viewers through a convoluted path of unexpected twists and turns, leaving people with plenty to talk about in the comments.
A recent video posted by an internet savvy mother offered a prime example.
The creator of the video—known on TikTok as Binky Bell—spent the first few moments of the video displaying the various electronics strewn around her house.
She narrated as she surveyed the gadgets.
"Lemme show you how good my kids have it."
"Playstation. Mounted TV. Another mounted TV. Headsets. Headset. Giant TV. Xbox. Whole gaming PC. Xbox. Another mounted TV."
By that point, one was tempted to write the clip off as yet another person flexing on the internet. And given the terrible economic blow so many have suffered at the hands of the global pandemic, it seemed her timing couldn't be worse.
But that assessment was totally destroyed by the twist that came next.
She grabbed a hammer and suggested her next move.
"So when their grades start to slip because of the video games you know what I gotta do?!"
It seemed clear this woman was going to destroy some Playstations and reap the internet glory.
Again, that wasn't the whole story.
The video took a wildly productive turn immediately after she made the threat.
"I have to sit down and have a conversation with them. I have to tell them that I noticed their grades dropped, and I need to see if there's something going on with them mentally or emotionally."
"I have to have a conversation with them and teach them about healthy boundaries when it comes to technology. I have to stop blaming video games for things that I have the power to control in my own home."
Bell's well-meaning showmanship clearly paid off.
The clip managed to net over 800 thousand views and ignite a discussion about approaches to parenting.
Jade Graco (she/her)/TikTok
Kelly Eden/TikTok
Tobi/TikTok
Darkrai9125/TikTok
Pls buy me food/TikTok
Zelda1397j/TikTok
And according to the Daily Dot, the admiration continued when the video made the rounds.
It was posted to the "F'kYouKaren" subReddit where she was dubbed an anti-Karen—a refreshingly thoughtful person who doesn't scream and abuse everyone in her path like the typical Karen behavior called out in the subReddit.
"She sounds reasonable, rational, and, dare I say it?"
"Normal."
"Nobody is like that anymore." -- COJeepRenegade
"*confused Karen sounds* 'But... Video Games bad'...?" -- CaedusCarnius
"Can we uh, normalize this kind of behaviour?" -- CleverNameTheSecond
Unfortunately, this kind of positive content feels rarer and rarer—especially in a year like 2020.
But it sure is nice to know it's out there if we look.