Are Pranks Real? (Youtube, Tiktok, etc.)


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With the rise of endless prank channels on Youtube, TikTok, and other platforms, thousands of funny pranks have flooded the Internet.

The validity of various prank channels has been questioned since the emergence of Youtube and Tiktok. Many have been exposed for faking pranks for views and have experienced a dip in their revenue streams and overall views for their channels.

The simple answer is yes… and no. Pranks are real in most cases because it is hard to fake authentic reactions by unsuspecting victims. Still, in some cases, it has become apparent that pranksters have hired actors and actresses to script the interaction completely, making them fake and rehearsed.

Let us explore some ways to determine whether pranks are real or fake and if certain channels are worth your time.

What is The Meaning Of Pranks and Pranksters

Pranks are essentially harmless tricks or antics played on unsuspecting individuals to elicit feelings of laughter and amusement.

Pranksters are individuals who carry out these antics, usually for views, likes, and subscriptions on online platforms like Youtube and Tiktok.

The primary purpose of pranks is to make people laugh and elicit strong reactions that make for entertaining videos.

Since they are enjoyable for everyone, there is a large audience, which motivates pranksters to keep coming up with new ideas to make their content original and stand out.

April fool’s day is an excellent example of pranks carried out for the whole month on unsuspecting victims to make each other laugh at the silliness and enjoy moments of laughter.

The Joker is a fictional character created by Bob Kane in his famous comic book series called The Batman.

The Joker is revealed to be a tragic character whose backstory tells us that he suffered from deep psychological trauma, which causes him to laugh uncontrollably in situations that do not reflect his genuine emotions.

As a result, he develops a twisted sense of humor and carries out pranks and tricks on unsuspecting victims, which further warps his mind of reality.

Carl Jung, a famous renowned psychologist, put forward the notion of archetypes, which are universal patterns that manifest in humans as certain behaviors and personality traits.

His archetype of the jester is essentially someone who manipulates those around them with wit and deceitful tactics in an attempt to go against the status quo and rebel against authority while hiding their true intentions.

When we watch such characters play out these deep archetypical modes of being, in a cartoon, TV show, or real life, there is an inner recognition of and response to these elements because they form part of the human psyche common to us all.

The Difference Between Fake and Real Pranks

When poised with questions like are pranks real or are pranks fake, it is essential to break down elements of pranks to arrive at the answer.

Some pranks are real, and some are fake.

Vitaly, a prankster from Youtube who has over 10 million subscribers, was exposed in some videos for hiring actors and actresses to fake interactions for views.

This led to some controversy because people don’t like being deceived, which is ironic because they are, after all, watching pranks being played out on others.

If an online prankster is exposed, it questions the validity of their other prank videos, which people now view with a different lens of expecting all interactions to be faked.

Real pranks are usually ones whose reactions are authentic and how you’d expect random strangers to behave when being pranked.

These pranks are the most appreciated because everything online is presented in a particular way that people crave authenticity.

We are quick to shun others who have an air of fakeness or ingenuity about them while admiring those who are genuine and authentic.

It is a fine line because some actors are good at making fake videos seem real, and if you’ve bought into a certain prankster’s content and personality, you tend to believe they wouldn’t trick you.

Because you’re special, right?

Just kidding.

Youtuber and Tik tokers can fall into this trap of doing whatever it takes to generate views, and they hire people to do 30-second fake interactions because it’s easier.

Some pranks are a bit extreme and could have consequences, which is why pranksters can get cold feet and opt for the easier option.

It may be helpful not to take it too seriously since pranks are virtually harmless. Still, once trust has been broken, viewers are unlikely to continue watching that particular channel and steer clear of pranks in general.

Why Do Pranksters Fake Pranks

There are a couple of main reasons why someone might make fake pranks, and they are because it is easier and has zero consequences.

It takes a lot of serious planning to carry out some of the problematic pranks that people like.

Top Notch Idiots go into the hood in Los Angele and try to get people to react to statements that seem threatening and confrontational but mean something silly and stupid.

This has put them in various situations where they’ve been injured by attacks and even had guns and knives pulled on them.

That is one reason to fake pranks, but it’s not clear that they do.

They only carry out real pranks because Youtube demonetizes most of their videos, so they generate income from elsewhere.

However, it can be argued that even if Youtube is not their primary source of revenue, they are still getting followers, fans, and subscriptions, which ultimately they find a way to monetize.

That is a solid argument, but you can decide for yourself.

Bask TV has been known to hire actresses in videos where the guy dresses up as a character and takes a girl on a date, purposely alienating her from him.

But it soon becomes clear that the woman is acting and not reacting as a random stranger would.

This doesn’t always deter people from viewing these channels in the future but is still something the prankster does not make transparent from the start.

Final Thoughts

Questions like are pranks real or are pranks fake are only answered if you look at the interactions closely but can easily go unnoticed by many.

It does require a degree of social awareness to see through fake behaviors, but most often than not, pranksters are very good at covering their tracks.

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