By Aaron Williams
The Internet, among the many other things it has accomplished, has helped to redefine human interaction. Web sites like YouTube, MySpace, Facebook and Twitter have given users new ways to express themselves. The fusion of social networking sites with smartphone technology has given users the ability to send out a status update or a tweet for the whole world to see.
The latest online craze is social mocking Web sites that allow users to share their odd, quirky or boring day-to-day activities with the world, for the humor of others. Notable examples of these Web sites include My Life Is Average, My Life Is G and, of course, Texts From Last Night. These Web sites are all relatively new. Texts From Last Night’s About section claims it was founded around February 2009, and the others follow the same general format.
“I would have to say they are funny, but I’m pretty sure the majority of it is fake,” said freshman biology major Courtney Jenny.
Participants of these sites can choose to submit a text or a story, real or fake, to the site. These submissions are then placed on the homepage where viewers can vote on the best ones, which are the ones that get the most laughs.
“People take it out of proportion,” said freshman music instrumental and vocal performance major Ryan Snapp. “You can’t get an accurate view of someone’s life out of a 50-word post.”
Each site asks for submissions in their own unique ways. For example, Texts From Last Night users are asked to provide an area code when submitting their texts. These texts tend to be unintentionally hilarious sent and received messages that result from the lack of sleep, impaired judgment or overexcitement of the sender. The idea behind submitting an area code is that viewers can then see where the texts are from. Students can search 502 and see all the telling submissions of what late night situations people are finding themselves in around Louisville. One reads, “(502): All my problems are solved. I just got McDonalds and scratch-off tickets.”
My Life Is Average, on the other hand, asks submitters to begin their stories with “Today,” and end it with the acronym MLIA. My Life Is Average is a celebration of the boring monotony of everyday life, with a slight comical twist. It is common to run into stories on the site like this: “Today, I was grocery shopping with my little brother when he asked me, ‘Can we get Hannah Montana plates?’ Before I could protest, he continued, ‘I want to be able to stab her in the eyes with a fork every time I eat.’ MLIA” My Life Is Average’s companion site is My Life Is G. The G stands for good, and the site is for those moments when you find life exceptionally good. Its stories also have a dash of humor.
Why do college students find themselves so attracted to these sites?
“I think people browse these Web sites because they can relate to them,” said sophomore finance major Trey Mulligan. “It’s funny to hear about others’ misfortunes, especially when you have been in the same situation. It makes your life seem so much better.”
Texts From Last Night, My Life Is Average and My Life Is G, along with other Web sites like these, are new ways for the average person to share their personal experiences and humor with the world, and enjoy their own brief celebrity as other people laugh along with them. These sites allow for fun, anonymous self-expression, and kill hours of time for students. Visit these sites at textsfromlastnight.com, mylifeisaverage.com and mylifeisg.com.
