Results: This survey is about fads - those popular behaviors or interests practiced with enthusiasm but only for a brief passage of time.
Published on 05/02/2025
Fashion trends are often motivated by factors like a celebrity sporting a certain style, or a TV character with a certain haircut that others imitate. There’s no mystery where baseball cards came from, or vintage records, and so on. But some short-lived fads seem to defy logic. Some are stupid, some are pointless and some are downright dangerous. Here are some fads you may have participated in or are glad you didn't.
QUESTIONS
GO to COMMENTS
Comments
1.
1.
The most dumb fad that comes to mind is The Pet Rock. Introduced in August 1975, the rock was an instant hit as a fuss-free pet. Here are some facts about this phenomenon that might amuse or amaze you. Which of them would have interested you back in the day?
This stone, supposedly from a Mexican beach, was sold in a box with air holes and included a manual of instructions on what to do if the rock appeared to be overly excited and other pet care tips.
14%
316 votes
At launch time, the Vietnam War was ending while Watergate was starting up. There was a lot of bad news and the Pet Rock gave people a good giggle and the media hyped it up.
16%
350 votes
During its 5 month life span, the Pet Rock was in nearly every daily newspaper, most magazines, and all network news stations, late-night talk shows, most radio talk shows, and international media, such as the BBC. The publicity led to more than a million Pet Rocks being sold by Christmas of 1975. The fad was essentially over by 1976.
18%
392 votes
Not Interested
65%
1420 votes
2.
2.
This next one was a favorite on college campuses. Phone booth or small car stuffing in the 1950s had teams of participants vying to see who could cram the most people into a small space. The VW Bug car and phone booths were the locations of choice for those who participated. Young male and female bodies being in such close contact may have contributed to the popularity of this fad. Which of these facts are of interest to you?
In Durban, South Africa, in 1959 a group of 25 people managed to squeeze into a booth. By March of that year, college students throughout the US and Canada were attempting to break the record.
19%
410 votes
St. Mary's College of California achieved a count of 22 but the lack of standard criteria led to participants achieving greater numbers by dubious means including counting people who were mostly outside the confines of the actual phone booth.
14%
308 votes
Some altered the booth to make it more accommodating or stretched the definition of "What is a phone booth" by using an indoor phone room. This caused some existential debates on the subject..
10%
227 votes
Not Interested
67%
1464 votes
3.
3.
Some fads start with a dare and often alcohol or other logic suppressors are involved. Such was the case in this next fad. In 1939, a Harvard student swallowed a 3-inch goldfish, spurred on by a $10 bet with classmates. Spectators and press coverage caused "goldfish gulping" to spread to campuses across the US. Which of these facts about this fad do you find interesting?
While the initial bet was about swallowing a whole goldfish, "goldfish gulping" morphed into how many whole goldfish someone could swallow in a single session.
12%
253 votes
The fad was competitive. Just a month later, the record had reached 25. A record of 36 stood for a day, until a new record of 42 was set. By the time one student set an unthinkable record of 89, parents and other adults were expressing concern. PETA hadn't been invented yet.
15%
335 votes
Colleges considered the trend a breach of student conduct, animal lovers naturally thought it cruel, government warned against the health risks, and a state senator drafted a bill to outlaw it. Unlike what might happen today, this expedited the fad running its course by the end of the year
16%
344 votes
Not Interested.
68%
1485 votes
4.
4.
Some fads have a high risk of personal injury. Goldfish Gulping may fall into that category. This next fad was definitely dangerous. Flagpole sitting involved sitting atop a flagpole for a marathon duration. The first instance of this was in January 1924 and it has still not fizzled out. Which of these facts about flagpole sitting do you find interesting?
Former sailor and now stunt performer Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly was hired to perch atop a pole outside a Hollywood movie theater to publicize a new film. He stayed aloft for 13 hours and 13 minutes. This attracted a crowd and media attention. Kelly was hired by other businesses and, as word spread, copycats emerged. Kelly increased his time to 8 days in 1927, but an LA woman then spent 21 days. He recaptured his record at 49 days spurred on by 20,000 onlookers only to lose it again shortly thereafter.
17%
384 votes
Flagpole sitters began fashioning shelter atop the pole where they could eat, sleep, and use the bathroom, in order to extend their stay. Standing beneath the flagpole became almost as risky as atop it.
16%
341 votes
The current record for flagpole sitting was set in 1984, for a mind-boggling 439 days, 11 hours, and 6 minutes.
17%
371 votes
Not Interested
64%
1398 votes
COMMENTS