The Text-Your-Parents-Your-Drug-Deal Experiment 267
theodp writes "Having fooled major news outlets with a heartwarming-but-entirely-faked video of a pig rescuing a drowning goat, Nathan Fielder turned his attention to texting. CNET reports on the great Twitter 'text-your-parents-you're-a-drug-dealer' experiment, in which the Fielder called on his Twitter followers to text their moms and dads and (accidentally) reveal a drug deal. Fielder's tweet read: 'Experiment: text your parents "got 2 grams for $40" then right after "Sorry ignore that txt. Not for you." Then tweet pic of their response.' The reactions are various and, sometimes, hilarious."
Seems like a risky proposition (Score:5, Insightful)
In the United Paranoid States.
Not to mention not nice (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Not to mention not nice (Score:5, Insightful)
Ah come on, what sort of a relationship do you have with your family if you can't play a little prank on them from time to time.
Re:Not to mention not nice (Score:5, Funny)
Ah come on, what sort of a relationship do you have with your family if you can't play a little prank on them from time to time.
Perhaps the kind of relationship where one or more of the parties is under the care of a cardiologist.
Re:Not to mention not nice (Score:5, Funny)
Think of the parents!
Re:Not to mention not nice (Score:5, Insightful)
Ah come on, what sort of a relationship do you have with your family if you can't play a little prank on them from time to time.
Probably the kind where the parents can not entirely dismiss the notion that their child may be doing something quite serious that they don't know about. In other words: virtually every parent of a teenager who is honest with themselves.
Fun 'prank' that is... (Score:5, Insightful)
...makes me think of punk'd, to be honest.
Remember when there were good prank shows?
When you'd have a desk clerk do a quick change act between tending to a customer and seeing them slowly wonder "wasn't she wearing a red shirt just a moment ago? Hold on, I swear she was a brunette!". Or perhaps one of the greatest pranks, switching a regular car for its UK equivalent in mere minutes, moving the person's every possession, then watch as they come back, get into 'their' car, try to start, and suddenly realize the ignition they tried to put the key in is actually thin air and wonder just wtf happened.
Now it seems it's a 'better' prank if you take the same car and bash its windows in in front of the person, then quickly run up to them with a camera in their face telling them how they were had because the celebrity victim is about to call the cops in on the situation - and being a celebrity, they have little choice but to react 'like a good sport' because who wants to be deemed the sourpuss?
No, I don't see what's funny about this. Nor newsworthy; Jimmy Kimmel has put up prank challenges and asks viewer to YouTube them for some time now. I'm sure he wasn't the first either.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jimmy+kimmel+challenge [youtube.com]
What's next? "Text your mother 'Mama, just killed a man' and post their replies"? You know, 'cos that's hilarious - and if found otherwise just claim it's a sociological experiment to see how many pranksters' moms know Bohemian Rhapsody. 'cos the text in this story clearly doesn't refer to drugs either (I'm sure he ran that by legal).
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Not everything is MTV and there still are good prank shows. On TV here is Just for Laughs [youtube.com] who specialize in harmless pranks (although the Busted for prostitution [youtube.com] prank was a bit mean. If you like mind bending check Disappearing Blond [youtube.com]
Re:Fun 'prank' that is... (Score:5, Insightful)
Most "pranks" just seem to be forms of bullying. They only work because there's an asymmetrical power relationship, those in a position of power "pranking" those in a position of weakness.
[I saw this illustrated in Punk'd. The crew tried to prank Ashton Kutcher himself. He responded by "pretending" to throw a tantrum and fire the crew involved. Then "ha ha, only joking" revealed that he knew he'd been set up and was just turning the tables... However, what I saw (both in the reactions of the crew, and in Kutcher's braying "ha ha! I am the master! You don't Punk me, I Punk you!") was a thin-skinned bully demonstrating his power over those weaker than him. He showed them that he could, in fact, destroy their livelihoods if he chose to, and they continue purely because he decided to be a "good sport".
By contrast, while I's not a fan of Jackass, it does seem like they have a culture where they genuinely mutually prank each other; however painful/violent the pranks, it's not coming from the more powerful against the weaker. The dwarf is just as likely to do something to the star as the reverse, and the reaction of the rest of the crew (including the star) is of appreciation of the prank. 180 degrees from Kutcher's reaction.]
Re:Fun 'prank' that is... (Score:4, Insightful)
You have the power to grant yourself that wish :) I'm happy to live in a world where people hold different senses of humor - I just prefer the more creative ones over the shock/humiliate ones. If the latter is more up your alley, I believe MTV has you covered.
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Texting a drug deal to your parents may, if they're on the rigid side, land you in jail.
Without any evidence? That could only happen in a serious police state.
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Which this is becoming....
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There is evidence: your texted confession. Enough to convict? No. Enough to get you arrested and spend some time in a holding cell? Oh yeah.
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Re:Not to mention not nice (Score:5, Informative)
"Not to mention not nice to the ones who gave you life."
Seriously? I just emailed the link to my son, telling him that I wanted to watch from the sidelines when he texted his mother. Are you suggesting that I am not nice?
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I know. What if they want some and you can't come through for them?
Re: Not to mention not nice (Score:2)
Like I owe something to my parents. Weird thinking you got there, buddy.
I'm more someone who loves them.
This is a good idea. (Score:5, Insightful)
Now these people know that their children are morons.
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Re:This is a good idea. (Score:5, Insightful)
Yes.
And while the standard moron often shows initiative, these ones are "obeying morons", the duller subset.
Come on, make your parents regret having had you.
Again.
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Of course I have. But, not being an idiot, I know the difference between "a joke", "a prank" and "an incredibly stupid and cruel prank."
Re:This is a good idea. (Score:5, Insightful)
Because nothing good can come from texting that to your parents.
At best, they just ignore it. At worst, well, there's all sorts of possibilities for that.
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If your parent are nutjobs and take some insane extreme measure in response then you've got serious problems and it's better you know that your parents are morons sooner rather than later.
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No, at worst they now think you're a drug dealer.
Jesus fucking Christ, you're the moron.
Why would you think it's FUNNY to potentially sabotage the trust in a parent-child relationship that way?
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I find it funny to startle my parents when they're not looking my way, I do that to them and they do that to me. Does that sabotage our relationship? The brief moment one feels they're in imminent danger intensifies the comedic effect which soon follows.
When did our society become one of pre
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If they freak out and go apeshit over it, the parent-child relationship doesn't hold a lot of trust anyway.
Don't have kids, do you?
Re:This is a good idea. (Score:5, Insightful)
No True Parent...
Re:This is a good idea. (Score:4, Insightful)
If they freak out and go apeshit over it, the parent-child relationship doesn't hold a lot of trust anyway.
Don't have kids, do you?
I do, and if my kid texted me something like that, I'd probably either assume I was being pranked, or freak out a little (but definitely wouldn't go "ape-shit" or anything). If the latter, then when they told me it was all just a prank, I'd see the funny side of it and we'd have a good laugh together.
I've never understood the type of child-parent relationship where so little trust exists. Someone, somewhere, screwed up bad in that situation.
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No, at best they get you back in a funny way; at worst you freak them out for a bit and after a short laugh you set them straight.
If your parent are nutjobs and take some insane extreme measure in response then you've got serious problems and it's better you know that your parents are morons sooner rather than later.
You are an idiot. Would you happen to use iPhone too?
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No, at best they get you back in a funny way; at worst you freak them out for a bit and after a short laugh you set them straight.
At worst, this is a "last straw" issue and they contact the police hoping that some prison time will straighten you out. After the police find out you were following the lead of a stupid prank, you still get uber-grounded by your parents as if you really were a dealer (and just didn't get convicted). And that's just the realistic "worst". Fantastical-scientific near-worst is all of your atoms split and cause a your-mass sized nuclear fission explosion.
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Because I'm sure they've never told a joke before or goofed around. It's so abnormal and terrible!
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Because the kid's parents have never told them about Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny or...
Re: This is a good idea. (Score:2)
Nothing good? You must be a blast at parties. It's funny, which is a great purpose in and of itself.
Re:This is a good idea. (Score:4, Funny)
ROFLMAO!!
"I'd rather risk prison rape than people talking to me in soft voices about how I feel."
I've heard those soft voices twice in my life. It took about ten minutes each to make them understand that they were wasting their time.
"Do you love your mother?"
"Do you?"
"Do I what?"
"Do you love my mother?"
"Ahem - maybe we should start over. Do you like your father?"
"No, I can't say that I do - why?"
"Please just answer the questions."
"No - I'm tired of this game."
"But - this isn't a game!"
"Cool, because I'm not playing."
The shrink realizes that he is upset with me, and that I'm playing HIM, rather than the game. So he informs me that the "interview" is over.
The Commander just told me that I had to show up for the appointment. He can't tell me how to answer any questions!
Re:This is a good idea. (Score:4, Funny)
You are walking through the desert as you see a turtle lying on its back. You do not help the turtle. Why won't you help the turtle?
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At age 29 you were presumably living up to at least some of your potential and not living under their roof. It's inherently different when it's a kid that you're legally responsible for that might possess things that could lead to a drug raid.
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Because while teenagers may not realize it, parents are people too. Causing them the stress and worry of thinking that their child has become a criminal is pointlessly cruel.
Re:This is a good idea. (Score:4, Insightful)
Sure sure, just one question, why are they morons?
I will answer you, but first you must complete my next "experiment": Text your parents, "n car wrek hlp", then turn your phone off for at least 12 hours.
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That is NOT in the same league with the texts being discussed. Having been a dad for 25 years now, a LOT of inane discussions have centered around drugs. In those same 25 years, a false plea for help has been rare, and only when all parties were close to each other and in direct contact, making it obvious that help was unneeded and/or unwanted.
Some had advanced warning (Score:3)
'I think I just ruined my mom's night,' a man from New York tweeted him back while showing a profanity-laced message from his mother who asked if he 'wanted' to go back to jail.
Seems some "kids" just got no sense.
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My dad's reaction was a bit muted. I think had it not been for concern for his grandson's welfare, he wouldn't have bothered responding.
Slashdork (Score:4, Informative)
News for tards. Ass that blathers.
just an observation... (Score:5, Informative)
Geeks need t' lighten up.
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I'll lighten up, if you can explain to me what's funny about telling your parents that you're a drug addict and a criminal.
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Umm the reaction is funny?
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Different people find different things funny. Personally, I thought the replies were depressingly boring. "I'm coming to pick you up from school right now!" Yawn.
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Your reaction. Seriously...
Maybe not "funny" but... (Score:4, Informative)
If you are incapable of distinguishing between drug use and drug addiction (which itself is completely distinct from physical dependency), that speaks volumes. Especially since you do not, presumably, call people who occasionally drink or who take prescription psychoactive drugs "addicts". That you seem to imply shame in *being* a criminal, instead of emphasizing the perfectly reasonable worry a parent might feel about their child being arrested, is also telling. Presumably you do not attach the same level of inherent shame in, say, occasionally driving 45 MPH in a 35 zone? Yet that also makes you a lawbreaker (if you want to quibble over infractions vs. misdemeanors vs. felonies, I am sure I could come up with instances of the latter that are similarly widespread), in addition to endangering more lives than merely your own.
The very fact so many people are calling this not funny, dangerous, and/or cruel speaks volumes about how sociologically (and morally) damaging this 'war' has been.
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Feel free to correct or clarify.
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Also, the summary says nothing about being a dealer. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that "got 2 grams for $40" is something an end user would say, not a dealer.
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Drug user does not equal drug addict.
Criminal.. who the fuck cares? We are ALL criminals, most of us simply are never caught (or aware) of the crimes we commit. Our current President smoked pot and did blow. Our last president never said a word -- but realistically, we all know he did blow, and almost assuredly smoked pot, too (and I actually can respect him for never answering that question). The President before that smoked pot, said he didn't inhale (which I can't really respect -- if you don't wa
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FFS lighten up. My dad was an asshole. I'm an asshole. My kid is an asshole. Unless the kid finds a saint with whom to have a child, I suspect my grandson will be yet another asshole, in a long, long, long line of assholes. What's your problem with assholes, anyway? You're another bigot?
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Some assholes are more equal than others.
Cheers,
Goatse
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depends on the parent. Some might ask the kid to get some more.
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english is a living language. Verily, we'll try stay off ur lawn, 'tho
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i know u r, but what am I?
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Drugs aren't the problem, your weak willed family is. You'll find yourself a whole lot happier when you stop blamining inanimate objects for issues caused be people. Even if there were no coke, heroin, pot or alcohol, your family would still have been just as fucked up.
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Some things are illegal because thats what the criminals do.
Some people do seem to favor collective punishment...
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Geeks need t' lighten up.
You're correct. Not that way though. It was just an observation. I mean, if there's no conclusion or hypothesis that doesn't mean you can't call it an experiment, but you're a fucking moron if you do.
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Geeks need t' lighten up.
Geeks need t' light one up.
I know some parents who would text back something like:
"The police chief's son has better stuff and prices."
"Did I forget to tell you that you were adopted?"
"Well, then you must have time to come visit this weekend!"
I also know some parents who would not understand such a prank at all. I think most kids would know their parents well enough to decide to whether to go along with this prank or not.
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I also know some parents who would not understand such a prank at all. I think most kids would know their parents well enough to decide to whether to go along with this prank or not.
If you think this is a "prank", you really haven't learned anything in life.
All iPhone screenshots? (Score:5, Interesting)
Why are all the screenshots from iPhones?
Android phones account for 51.2% of smartphone sales, with iPhones trailing at 43.5% [1].
So how likely is it that out of a sample of 10 screenshots, all 10 of them would be from iPhones? Seems suspicious.
[1] http://www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/Android-Sprint-and-Samsung-Increased-Share-In-Early-2013 [kantarworldpanel.com]
Re:All iPhone screenshots? (Score:5, Funny)
Simple. iOS lusers are far more sheeplike and willing to follow stupid suggestions like this one.
Re:All iPhone screenshots? (Score:5, Interesting)
Remember that there is an implicit observational bias here. Only a moron who can't think for himself would participate in this experiment.
Re:All iPhone screenshots? (Score:5, Informative)
ifaketext.com
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Great, Android has a greater market share of the smartphone market than iPhone - but one thing you ignore is that, rightly or wrongly, Apple kit seems to have a hipster following and is probably (can't be arsed to find stats to back this up, so its opinion) more likely to be bought by the age range this sort of prank is aimed at.
Android on the other hand also comes available as the cheap I-dont-care-what-phone-it-is-so-long-as-it-makes-calls-and-its-included-free end of the market, which tends to not have s
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Graphics not screens shots... (Score:2)
The fact that could even think they are screen shots reveals you are an idiot.
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Maybe Android phone users have better things to do.
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Why are all the screenshots from iPhones?
Android phones account for 51.2% of smartphone sales, with iPhones trailing at 43.5% [1].
So how likely is it that out of a sample of 10 screenshots, all 10 of them would be from iPhones? Seems suspicious.
[1] http://www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/News/Android-Sprint-and-Samsung-Increased-Share-In-Early-2013 [kantarworldpanel.com]
Because you need to be an idiot to send such SMS to your parents.
Turns out idiots mostly use iPhone. Go figure.
Because (Score:5, Insightful)
Because encouraging kids to lie to their parents is a good thing. Causing family stress is a good thing. What a stupid idea. Kids lie enough and cause enough stress as it is.
In related news... (Score:5, Funny)
... The FBI has dismantled a large network of drug dealers apparently led by a man named Nathan Fielder. Having failed to secure the drugs, the FBI has seized their computers instead to examine possible connections with other drug dealing groups.
really? (Score:5, Insightful)
I've never actually done a comment like this, where I go "Oh come on Slashdot, what is this and why is it here?"
But come on Slashdot, why is this here?
News for Nerds, Stuff that Matters.
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Re:really? (Score:5, Funny)
"got 2 grams for $40" - the story is really about the US adopting the metric system
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See Metric System Thriving In Nation's Inner Cities [theonion.com] for a full report.
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I've never actually done a comment like this, where I go "Oh come on Slashdot, what is this and why is it here?"
But come on Slashdot, why is this here?
News for Nerds, Stuff that Matters.
Y combinator Hacker News are a good alternative site with no lame drug stories.
https://news.ycombinator.com/ [ycombinator.com]
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Funny, that's where I saw this story first.
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News for Nerds, Stuff that Matters.
Because it is news for nerds. Note the set is boolean OR not AND, although I'm going to make a case that it "matters" too.
People send texts to the wrong recipients all the time, it is inherent in the technology. Using that technological failure as a sort of comedic performance art is news - at least to me, I haven't seen something like that before.
Hell, I wouldn't be surprised to see this show up on the venerable Risks Digest because it has computer-related risk all over it. Fundamentally it is an exploi
OK, it's time... (Score:2)
It's time for readers to start making more good story submissions, or this is what you get. Don't complain - find a story.
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The editors rarely take good story submissions anymore, site is circling the drain
On the validity of screenshots (Score:5, Insightful)
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Hillarious (Score:2)
No, the reactions are not hilarious (Score:2)
Stupid "experiment"
values (Score:2)
At the worst, this is another faked-up story by the person who faked some other story, having no merits, making it completely un-funny, and effectively lowering /.'s common denominator.
At the best, it's an unfunny idea that, if it was met with participation after all, is a testament to how stupid the originator is as well as all of the people who went along with it.
I don't see how this kind of bullshit ever converges with the function of Slashdot, anywhere. Especially since its endpoints on the line of qual
Seriously (Score:2)
Those texting accidents are more serious when you mix up WhatsApp with iMessage and tell the "wrong girlfriend" that you are ready to meet her at 20:00 while your girlfriend believes you are learning for a test.
No pranking my parents at my age... (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm in my 30s and thankfully both my parents are still alive. With the small insight my age has given me I am increasingly grateful for the endless s*** my parents had to put up with (which I'm not going to list). My parents are nice enough to not rub it in my face now that I'm somewhat wiser, and in return I try to demonstrate that maybe I learned from it.
Now days if I get a call from my parents wondering if I could look at their PC and fix it, or teach them (again) how to use MS Word templates, or needs ANYTHING, no problem - I am there. I don't say "I'm kinda busy, and my kids have the flu..." (Cat's in the Cradle (no I don't have kids, I read slashdot)). I do it with a smile. My Mom says she would appreciate it if I would call more often, like once a week, I call, even if I don't really have anything interesting to tell. Because she asked.
Doing this false drug prank would be the worst kind of crass. It is taking the love and concern that a loving parent has for you, mocking it, and using it against them to cause them worry, concern, and pain. Then saying "Ha ha!! Just a joke. Got you!!!"
Kids now days... Did I just say that? Geez I'm getting old...
Congrats soulskill (Score:3, Insightful)
A troy ounce is 31.1 g (Score:3)
Why would anyone do this?
To test whether the parent assumes street drugs or precious metals. Right now, 2 grams of 18 karat scrap gold would go for about $70 according to the first calculator that I found with Google [goldcalc.com].
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Futurama requires that you feed and clothe a shitload of honest hardworking Koreans. This just requires a few asshats.
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Ohh, since we're talking about your personal tastes, how you feel about the current state of NASA funding? I'll be sure to pass along your reply to the president because your opinion is very important to all of us.