The Clout Pandemic: Idiots, Attention Junkies, and the Death of Common Sense

We live in a time where people will do anything for attention. And I mean anything.
Forget talent, skill, or meaningful contributions—why put in the work when you can just film yourself doing something reckless and let the internet do the rest?

Internet clout has become a disease, and the symptoms are everywhere. Let’s talk about the desecration of intelligence and decency in pursuit of views.

Clout Chasers: The Idiocy Files

• The Woman Who Kidnapped a Baby Wombat
  Recently, an American woman and her Aussie companion (pure dumb asses) thought it would be "cute" to rip a newborn wombat from its mother’s pouch and parade it on social media. Did she consider the fact that wombats are incredibly dependent on their mothers? That this baby likely wouldn’t survive without expert intervention? Of course not—because in her mind, the likes were worth more than the life she was endangering.

• Destroying History for Clicks
  Whether it’s people scratching their names into the Colosseum or defacing sacred Indigenous lands, clout chasers have zero respect. In 2023, a tourist carved his and his fiancée’s names into the Colosseum’s walls, an act punishable by a $15,000 fine and up to five years in prison. Did the video go viral? Yes. Was it worth a criminal record? Probably not.

• Taunting Wild Animals Like They’re Disney Characters
  We’ve seen them—morons who walk up to wild buffalo in Yellowstone, thinking it’ll make for a funny video. Newsflash: Buffalo can run up to 35 mph and have been known to launch cars into the air. These animals don’t care about your follower count, and nature doesn’t play along for content. If you approach a wild animal thinking it’s going to pose for your Reel, I hope your obituary gets better engagement than your last post.

The worst part? These people aren’t alone in their stupidity. The internet enables them. We reward bad behavior with views, and every like, comment, and share tells the next fool, "Hey, maybe I should one-up that!"

THINK BEFORE YOU DO: The Clout Prevention Checklist

Before you embarrass yourself, risk your life, or harm someone (or something) for attention, ask yourself:

1. Would I do this if nobody was watching?
   If the answer is no, congratulations, you’re already on the path to wisdom.

2. Does this hurt a person, animal, or the environment?
   If yes, you should be publicly shamed.

3. Is this illegal or damaging?
   Defacing landmarks, harming wildlife, and breaking laws aren’t "harmless pranks." They’re actual crimes with real consequences.

4. Am I embarrassing myself or my family?
   If your mom would cry watching your video, put the damn phone down.

5. Is this worth ruining my future?
   Viral stupidity stays online forever. That internship, job, or brand deal you wanted? Gone.

6. Would I want my grandkids to see this?
   If the answer is no, it’s not worth recording.

7. What’s the real reward?
   A few likes today, then obscurity tomorrow. Your 15 minutes of fame isn’t worth being remembered as “that idiot who got gored by a bison.”

Let’s Make Clout Chasing Embarrassing Again

If we, as a collective, stop giving idiots attention, they’ll stop doing it. Social media has given everyone a stage, but not everyone deserves an audience. Stop engaging. Stop sharing. Let stupidity rot in obscurity.

The message is simple:
You are not the main character. The world is not your prop. And if you act like an idiot for views, you deserve every ounce of the humiliation that follows.

Let’s bring back common sense before we’re left with nothing but clout zombies and a planet full of destruction in their wake.