OP-ED: Harlem Shake? More like Harlem Scare

After Gangnam Style made a splash in 2012, the Harlem Shake is the biggest new thing. The viral video has taken the nation captive, as hundreds of imitating videos spread to YouTube and Facebook.

Now what, you may ask, is the point of the video? I can tell you there is none. They all start off with one or two people dancing while some other people idly sit by until the bass drops then everyone begins to dance, or rather wiggle around.

I have never really been one to jump up in excitement at the idea of viral YouTube videos, but last year I made an exception for PSY’s Gangnam Style. It swept the web with a laughable, fun video. I don’t think I’m going to make an exception in this case, because the Harlem Shake isn’t laughable or fun.

The quantity of videos up on the web that imitate the Harlem Shake doesn’t leave much room to be impressed, as they all have varying levels of dance skills. The original, I have to admit, was pretty entertaining the first time because I didn’t know what to expect, but the rest of them? Not worth the time or effort.

I didn’t really fully grasp the significance of the Harlem Shake until I learned that one of the classes at Davis High was staging their very own Harlem Shake. I saw kids with bags of jester hats, and fairy wings, ready for the bass drop.

Apparently, a teacher wanted to make a video for another teacher. The fact that the teachers were behind this just proves my point on how viral this video has gone. I hope this is as far as the video will reach, and I hope that it doesn’t continue to affect our intelligence as it seeps into our brains.

If Gangnam Style can be the most watched video on YouTube, hitting 1 billion views, and then sink away slowly, I hope the Harlem Shake will die out fast.