For those who somehow haven’t yet heard, a picture of an egg, yes, just an egg, now holds the world record for the most likes on the internet.
The egg, with now over 42 million likes on Instagram, was posted with the sole intention of beating the previous world record held by Kylie Jenner. Not only did it beat the previous record of 18 million, it smashed it! According to multiple sources, besides having the most likes on Instagram, more people have liked the egg than any internet post ever. The most viewed video on YouTube, ‘Gangnam Style’, pales in comparison with only a mere 15 million likes.
What’s so satisfying about the egg is it’s simplicity. The fact that something so basic could surpass Jenner’s perfectly edited and professionally shot photo speaks to the wonderful nature of the internet.
The record is also the perfect news story, with unlimited headline potential. Here are a few I thought up:
Egg Cracks Instagram World Record; Fans Scramble for Merchandise
It Was Over a Bit Too Easy for Kylie
Shortly after the the egg officially passed the like record, the account announced World Record Egg branded merchandise would be coming. “You asked, the egg listened” it said on its Instagram story. Later that day, it posted a link to it’s online store which it hosted on the large creator merchandise website ‘EverPress’. The company’s entire site crashed within minutes.
The shirts were posted at the relatively high price of $19.50, but 10% of proceeds will go to the charity YoungMinds which supports adolescent mental health. To many, the egg has already made strides on improving mental health. “The egg just makes me happy” says a student at my school.
But what I love most about the egg is the message it sends about fame. Why are the Kardashians and Jenners famous? Not for much. They’re rich and like to play dress up and that’s about it. They’re famous only because they are famous, and the egg is no different. It’s famous because people like me bought into it. We appreciate its innocent nature, as well as the thousand of memes it quickly spawned.
The account owner has also continued to effectively engage the newly constructed community, responding to individual direct messages, emails, and reposting some of the funniest memes on the account’s story. They’ve even replied to comments, hundreds in fact, engaging with commoners like myself at a level simply not seen before from famous individuals.
At the end of the day, it’s the small joys in life that help us power through. The egg proves that no matter how simple, silly, or seemingly stupid an idea is, there is potential for an incredible outcome.
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