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Grave cleaning videos are going viral on TikTok. Are they honouring the dead, or exploiting them?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/edith-jennifer-hill-1018412">Edith Jennifer Hill</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marina-deller-947925">Marina Deller</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a></em></p> <p>Cleaning the graves of strangers is the latest content trend taking over TikTok. But as millions tune in to watch the videos, it’s becoming clear not all of them are created equal. Two grave-cleaning creators in particular seem to reside at opposite ends of the trend.</p> <p>One of the first accounts to gain popularity for grave cleaning was <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ladytaphos">@ladytaphos</a>. This account is run by Alicia Williams, a Virginia resident who treats the graves with great dignity. Williams will often share the story of the person residing within, and acts with grace and kindness as she restores beauty to the <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ladytaphos/video/7197894295641148714">graves</a>.</p> <p>On the other end of the spectrum is Kaeli Mae McEwen, or <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@_the_clean_girl">@the_clean_girl</a>, who leans into more clickbait-y tactics. McEwen is known for throwing a pink spiky ball through a graveyard and cleaning the grave it lands on. She also uses her videos to promote her own pink foamy cleaner (which at one point could be purchased via a link in her bio).</p> <h2>Cleaning and death</h2> <p>While Williams’ and McEwen’s videos may seem novel to some, death and cleaning have a long and varied relationship that spans time and cultures.</p> <p>Washing a loved one’s body before burial or cremation isn’t just practical – it’s a significant <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/washing-and-dressing-our-dead-the-movement-challenging-how-we-grieve-20230510-p5d794.html">ritual</a> that provides meaning during a period of grief. In certain cultures and religions it’s also a process of purification, or preparation for the afterlife.</p> <p>Much has been written about cleaning and clearing out the homes of deceased people. Family members often won’t agree on how to approach such a task. In his <a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-grief-and-things-of-stone-wood-and-wool-136721">essay on death and objects</a>, author Tony Birch writes about his mother clearing out his grandmother’s house.</p> <p>“My mother decided that our first task after her death was to empty out her Housing Commission flat and scrub it clean,” Birch writes.</p> <p>He first laments the move, but later recognises the value of cleaning together before sorting – and treasuring – the items his grandmother left behind.</p> <p>Margaretta Magnuson’s 2017 book, <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Gentle_Art_of_Swedish_Death_Cleaning/uW00DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT7&printsec=frontcover">The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning</a>, is a humorous and thoughtful introduction to the Swedish movement of <em>döstädning</em>. The book (and subsequent <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/the-gentle-art-of-swedish-death-cleaning">reality TV series</a>) has sparked various conversations on death and cleaning, and especially on cleaning before you yourself pass away so you don’t leave a mess for your loved ones.</p> <p>Grave cleaning can be seen as another continuation of caring for the deceased. People who decide to clean the graves of strangers may do so out of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/sep/04/how-gravetok-videos-of-cleaning-headstones-went-viral">respect</a>, or in an attempt to <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexalisitza/tiktok-woman-cleans-old-gravestones">give them “their name back”</a> (as names on graves become visible following the removal of debris).</p> <h2>Two very different approaches</h2> <p>Williams and McEwen are received quite differently by viewers. Anecdotally, viewers respond more positively to the calmer and more respectful cleaning videos by Williams, who takes time to explain the process while ensuring the correct products are used.</p> <p>Meanwhile, many find McEwen’s videos problematic and criticise her for not adhering to proper graveyard decorum. McEwen makes a spectacle of sites of mourning, such as by pretending to vacuum graves, replacing flowers placed by others and making jokes. Viewers also speculate the products she uses may cause damage to the graves.</p> <p>Perceived intent plays a role in how each creator’s content is received. While Williams focuses on respectfully restoring graves to their former glory, McEwen positions herself as the focus and merely uses the graves for content.</p> <h2>A complex emotional object</h2> <p>Similar to other funerary objects such as coffins and urns, graves are associated with both the person who died and the fact of their death. As such, they are emotionally complex objects that bring both strength and sadness to those left behind.</p> <p>But graves are unique also in that they are private objects of grief exposed in a public context. Anyone visiting the graveyard can view and interact with them. Does that make them “fair game” for content creators?</p> <p>Graves don’t just represent deceased loved ones. They can also act as stand-ins in their absence, becoming stone bodies of sorts. As sociologist Margaret Gibson describes in her book <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/objects-of-the-dead-paperback-softback">Objects of the Dead: Mourning and Memory in Everyday Life</a>, “death reconstructs our experience of objects”.</p> <p>“There is the strangeness of realising that things have outlived persons, and, in this regard, the materiality of things is shown to be more permanent than the materiality of the body,” she says.</p> <p>Caring for and cleaning graves can therefore be interpreted as caring for the deceased, by extending their existence through the materiality of their resting place.</p> <p>Psychological researcher <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1600910X.2018.1521339">Svend Brinkmann asserts</a> artefacts such as graves are “culturally sanctioned”, gaining “significance from a collective system of meaning”.</p> <p>In other words, we as a community create and uphold reverence for such items. This is partly why the desecration of graves is viewed as abhorrent. It is societally understood to be a desecration of the person themselves. It’s also why content creators must tread lightly.</p> <h2>A reason for haunting?</h2> <p>There are ways to interact with gravestones (and even create content) which acknowledge their complexity and connection to their owners.</p> <p>TikTok creator Rosie Grant (<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ghostlyarchive?lang=en">@ghostlyarchive</a>) bakes recipes found on headstones and records the process. She has even met with the families of the deceased <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/defining-dishes-ghostly-archive-tiktok-b2414122.html">to make the recipes together</a> and learn more about the people behind the engraving-worthy food.</p> <p>However, randomly cleaning the graves of strangers is fraught territory – and rife with potential privacy issues. It isn’t clear whether McEwen seeks permission from loved ones before cleaning graves, but contextually this seems unlikely.</p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKkOS2GjCxk">Recent discussions</a> have also uncovered questionable editing in her videos. Some graves in her before-and-after videos have been edited to appear cleaner and to have their structure altered. McEwen’s pink foaming cleaner also appears to be a blue cleaner edited to appear pink, raising even more questions about intent and responsibility.</p> <p>While McEwen claims to be “honouring” lives by cleaning “final resting places”, the consensus from viewers is her actions are dishonourable. As one host <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKkOS2GjCxk">commented on a in podcast</a> discussing McEwen cleaning a baby’s grave while speaking in a kiddish voice: “F**k you, you’re going to get haunted.”<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/240553/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/edith-jennifer-hill-1018412">Edith Jennifer Hill</a>, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marina-deller-947925">Marina Deller</a>, Casual Academic, Creative Writing and English Literature, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/grave-cleaning-videos-are-going-viral-on-tiktok-are-they-honouring-the-dead-or-exploiting-them-240553">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

Urgent warning for parents after child exploitation doubles in just two years

<p dir="ltr">Authorities have issued an urgent warning to parents and carers after the number of incidents where children have been exploited has quadrupled over the last year.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), an increasing number of children, particularly young boys, have been the target of online predators who groom, trick and coerce children into sending sexually explicit photos and videos.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9d394b9d-7fff-d41d-e70d-acb5dc8e8848"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Predators then threaten to share the photos and videos unless the victim sends them money.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-669da0b9-7fff-6956-0bb5-f2f0a1dc9720">In New Zealand, the number of victims of child exploitation has doubled since 2019, with <em><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/128851693/online-child-exploitation-doubles-in-new-zealand-since-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stuff</a></em> reporting that 9971 reports were filed in 2021 versus 4739 two years prior.</span></p> <p dir="ltr">The increase has led the ACCCE to take the “unusual step” of releasing police intelligence to warn parents and carers, as reported by <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/child-extortion-incidents-on-the-rise-in-australia/news-story/01c618adc32f82be66d7ab9448032182" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hilda Sirec, the ACCCE Commander, said that although blackmailing minors for these kinds of images wasn’t new, it has been “very rare” for police to receive reports of offenders demanding money.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Tactics vary, but child sex offenders commonly pose as girls and befriend boys via social media platforms, image-sharing apps or online games,” Ms Sirec said.<br />“These predators reveal they had footage of the child in compromising positions and demand money in return for not sharing the vision with family and friends or posting it online.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Sirec said predators often negotiated with the victim and requested multiple payments.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have seen predators initially demanding an impossibly large sum of money, then, negotiating with the victim on a lower amount they could actually pay,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Once that money was paid - either by bank transfer, online game, gift cards or even cryptocurrency - the predator would demand even more money.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They are not deterred by the age of the victim, they care only about the profit they can make.</p> <p dir="ltr">“These offenders are very manipulative and they will threaten and frighten children to get what they want, including telling victims they will be in trouble with law enforcement if they speak up.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Sirec said these crimes have “devastating effects” on children and their families and stressed how important it was for parents to educate their kids about being safe online.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We are appealing to parents and carers to talk to their children about online safety, how to recognise suspicious behaviour online and speak out if they have been targeted,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If your child is or has been a victim, reassure them that it’s not their fault and that there is help available.</p> <p dir="ltr">“By reporting what has happened, they may help us catch an offender and prevent other children from being harmed.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Warning signs to look for</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Australian families have been told to be on the lookout for several warning signs that their children could be at risk. These can include inconsistencies in a person’s online profile or language, being asked to continue the conversation on another platform after meeting, or a person claiming they cannot have a phone or video conversation because their camera or microphone doesn’t work.</p> <p dir="ltr">Victims are urged to make a report to the police immediately, collect screenshots and other evidence, speak to someone they trust for advice and support, and bolster their online security by changing passwords and reviewing privacy settings.</p> <p dir="ltr">If you believe your child is in immediate danger, call 000, Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or your local police station.</p> <p dir="ltr">Members of the public are also urged to call Crime Stoppers if they have any information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f5bb6829-7fff-f0a7-eafe-3fc6daf6bbf2"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

Are your grandkids safe? It’s far too easy for abusers to exploit smart toys and trackers

<p>The wearable technology market is booming, with <a href="https://news.strategyanalytics.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2021/Strategy-Analytics-Half-Billion-Wearables-Sold-Worldwide-in-2020/default.aspx">half a billion wearables</a> sold globally in 2020. Apps on these devices, or the devices themselves, often claim to monitor our health to spot illnesses, track our workouts to help us reach our fitness goals, or keep an eye on our children’s whereabouts to enhance their safety.</p> <p>But they’re also divisive. Supporters of wearable technology claim that health trackers should be <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-nhs-should-prescribe-wearable-fitness-trackers-60817">prescribed by the NHS</a> and could even deliver an <a href="https://theconversation.com/wearable-fitness-devices-deliver-early-warning-of-possible-covid-19-infection-143388">early warning</a> of a possible COVID-19 infection. GPS tracking devices designed to be worn by children, meanwhile, are seen as a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-04/digitally-tracking-kids-more-parents-use-devices/10957906">safety asset</a> for parents.</p> <p>Yet studies have found fitness trackers to be too <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-fitness-trackers-may-not-give-you-all-the-credit-you-hoped-for-128585">inaccurate</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-fitness-trackers-make-you-fitter-52404">misleading</a> to be used by <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/tech/2019/08/14/how-doctors-really-feel-data-your-apple-watch-fitbit/1900968001/">medical professionals</a>, and that, because they’ve been rushed to market, wearables of all kinds are an insecure “<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-health-apps-are-like-the-wild-west-with-apple-just-riding-into-town-103512">Wild West</a>” region of technology that requires urgent regulation.</p> <p>In <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/978692/The_UK_code_of_practice_for_consumer_IoT_security_-_PETRAS_UCL_research_report.pdf">a recent report</a>, we looked at the security risks associated with wearable devices, as well as “smart toys” that can record children in their homes. We found a concerning lack of security – especially for devices aimed at children – which lack even the most basic cybersecurity precautions, leaving them open to abuse.</p> <p><strong>Fitness trackers and personal data</strong></p> <p>One key issue with wearables is the data they generate and share. For instance, many fitness trackers rely on data on a person’s location to map their workouts. That’s great if you’re keen to track the distance of your jogs, but it’s not especially sensible if you’re embarking on those jogs <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-42853072">from a military base</a> in hostile territory.</p> <p>Beyond that specific example, which caused some embarrassment for the US military in 2018, it’s clear that sharing your location publicly, even in a safe civilian setting, comes with significant risks.</p> <p>And it’s not just the real-time tracking of your running route that could expose your whereabouts. Because these trackers upload your workouts to an app and share them publicly, it’s possible for predators to use historic running, biking or hiking routes to predict where you might be at a given time. This safety issue isn’t only restricted to workouts. Even something as innocuous as <a href="https://www.wareable.com/wearable-tech/terms-and-conditions-privacy-policy-765">sharing a photo through your Apple watch</a> can give away your geolocation.</p> <p><strong>Are trackers safe for children?</strong></p> <p>Even more concerning are devices designed to be worn by children, sales of which are expected to reach <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/in/news-releases/global-kids-smartwatch-market-valued-at-364-3-million-us-in-2018-and-will-reach-873-5-million-us-by-the-end-of-2025-at-a-cagr-of-13-19-between-2019-2025-valuates-reports-814713277.html">$875 million (£620 million)</a> by 2025. These watches are marketed as wearable tech to keep kids safe, tracking their location and alerting parents when the watch’s onboard “SOS” button is pressed – or if the child travels beyond a geofenced area.</p> <p>Smart watches as safety devices on children’s wrists may sound like a <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wearable-gps-tracking-for-children-to-ease-parents-minds/">boon for anxious parents</a>, but a <a href="https://fil.forbrukerradet.no/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/watchout-rapport-october-2017.pdf">2017 survey</a> of children’s smart watches found that the all-important “SOS” button either got stuck or didn’t work at all in most cases.</p> <p>Additionally, flaws in some smart watches’ accompanying apps have raised <a href="https://www.which.co.uk/news/2019/11/which-tests-for-security-flaws-in-kids-smartwatches/">serious safety concerns</a>. <a href="https://consumerfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/smart-watch-security-assessment.pdf">Security researchers</a> have found they could not only easily access children’s historical route data – like their path to and from school – and monitor their geolocation in real time, but they could also speak directly to the child, through the watch, without the call being reported in the parent’s app.</p> <p><strong>Connected toys</strong></p> <p>Fears that internet of things devices can give people unauthorised access to children also extend to <a href="https://theconversation.com/4-ways-internet-of-things-toys-endanger-children-94092">the “smart toy” market</a>. Some of these toys contain hidden cameras and microphones which, if hacked, could be used to record the interior of your home, including children’s rooms.</p> <p>In 2017, German regulators recognised this danger by <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39002142">banning the sale</a> of the Cayla “smart doll”, labelling it as the kind of “de facto espionage device” that Germany’s <a href="https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/EN/2017/17022017_cayla.html">Telecommunications Act</a> legislates against. In an unusual and unsettling move, the regulator went further by asking parents who’d bought one to <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/german-regulator-tells-parents-to-destroy-spy-doll-cayla/a-37601577">destroy the doll</a> to prevent illicit surveillance.</p> <p>Even if the manufacturers of smart toys and children’s smart watches can guarantee far better security than that which led to the Cayla ban, there remain other surveillance concerns. In 2019, a <a href="https://www.unicef.org/innovation/reports/memoAIchildrights">UNICEF-led report</a> highlighted how children’s rights – to creativity, freedom of choice and self-determination – are challenged by smart devices. Present in schools, at home, and on the wrist, this kind of round-the-clock surveillance, the report argues, restricts carefree childhood and hurts kids’ development.</p> <p><strong>Making trackers safer</strong></p> <p>Trackers and toys can be made safer. Before we allow these devices to flood the market, it’s essential <a href="https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10117734/">we standardise</a> the minimum security requirements that manufacturers must comply with – no matter where in the world these devices are made.</p> <p>Key among these standards should be the removal of <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/971440/Code_of_Practice_for_Consumer_IoT_Security_October_2018_V2.pdf">factory-default passwords</a> on devices – which, like “admin” or “1234”, are easily guessed or discovered by even the most novice hacker. Manufacturers should also publish a <a href="https://www.iotsecurityfoundation.org/expanding-the-view-of-consumer-vulnerability-disclosure-practice/">vulnerability disclosure</a> to help users understand risks, and make regular software updates in response to vulnerabilities unearthed by security researchers.</p> <p>Clearly, monitoring people’s health via wearable trackers has the potential to radically improve access to medical care. Likewise, every parent wants their child to be safe, and smart devices, like mobile phones before them, could be a reliable tool for checking in with them. But without safety standards, these devices have the potential to cause more harm than they offset. Regulators must act fast to stop this growing market from leading to significant harms.</p> <p><em>Written by <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/saheli-datta-burton-1061974">Saheli Datta Burton</a>, UCL and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/madeline-carr-1148007">Madeline Carr</a>, UCL. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-far-too-easy-for-abusers-to-exploit-smart-toys-and-trackers-161946">The Conservation.</a> </em></p> <p><em> </em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

The science of the plot twist: How writers exploit our brains

<p>Recently I did something that many people would consider unthinkable, or at least perverse. Before going to see <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154756/">Avengers: Infinity War</a></em>, I deliberately read a review that revealed all of the major plot points, from start to finish.</p> <p>Don’t worry; I’m not going to share any of those spoilers here. Though I do think the aversion to spoilers – what The New York Times’ A.O. Scott <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/24/movies/avengers-infinity-war-review.html">recently lamented</a> as “a phobic, hypersensitive taboo against public discussion of anything that happens onscreen” – is a bit overblown.</p> <p>As <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SeGl108AAAAJ&hl=en">a cognitive scientist who studies the relationship between cognition and narratives</a>, I know that movies – like all stories – exploit our natural tendency to anticipate what’s coming next.</p> <p>These cognitive tendencies help explain why plot twists can be so satisfying. But somewhat counterintuitively, they also explain why knowing about a plot twist ahead of time – the dreaded “spoiler” – doesn’t really spoil the experience at all.</p> <p><strong>The curse of knowledge</strong></p> <p>When you pick up a book for the first time, you usually want to have some sense of what you’re signing up for – <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cozy_mystery">cozy mysteries</a>, for instance, aren’t supposed to feature graphic violence and sex. But you’re probably also hoping that what you read won’t be entirely predictable.</p> <p>To some extent, the fear of spoilers is well-grounded. You only have one opportunity to learn something for the first time. Once you’ve learned it, that knowledge affects what you notice, what you anticipate – and even the limits of your imagination.</p> <p>What we know trips us up in lots of ways, a general tendency known as the “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17576275">curse of knowledge</a>.”</p> <p>For example, when we know the answer to a puzzle, that knowledge makes it harder for us to estimate how difficult that puzzle will be for someone else to solve: We’ll assume it’s <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749596X96900091">easier</a> than it really is.</p> <p>When we know the resolution of an event – whether it’s a basketball game or an election – we tend to <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/record/1976-00159-001">overestimate</a> how likely that outcome was.</p> <p>Information we encounter early on influences our estimation of what is possible later. It doesn’t matter whether we’re reading a story or negotiating a salary: Any initial starting point for our reasoning – however arbitrary or apparently irrelevant – “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17835457">anchors</a>” our analysis. In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16382081">one study</a>, legal experts given a hypothetical criminal case argued for longer sentences when presented with larger numbers on randomly rolled dice.</p> <p><strong>Plot twists pull everything together</strong></p> <p>Either consciously or intuitively, good writers know all of this.</p> <p>An effective narrative works its magic, in part, by taking advantage of these, and other, predictable habits of thought. <a href="http://www.literarydevices.com/red-herring/">Red herrings</a>, for example, are a type of anchor that set false expectations – and can make twists seem more surprising.</p> <p>A major part of the pleasure of plot twists, too, comes not from the shock of surprise, but from looking back at the early bits of the narrative in light of the twist. The most satisfying surprises get their power from giving us a fresh, better way of making sense of the material that came before. This is another opportunity for stories to turn the curse of knowledge to their advantage.</p> <p>Remember that once we know the answer to a puzzle, its clues can seem more transparent than they really were. When we revisit early parts of the story in light of that knowledge, well-constructed clues take on new, satisfying significance.</p> <p>Consider <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167404/">The Sixth Sense</a></em>. After unleashing its big plot twist – that Bruce Willis’ character has, all along, been one of the “dead people” that only the child protagonist can see – it presents a flash reprisal of scenes that make new sense in light of the surprise. We now see, for instance, that his wife (in fact, his widow) did not snatch up the check at a restaurant before he could take it out of pique. Instead it was because, as far as she knew, she was dining alone.</p> <p>Even years after the film’s release, viewers take pleasure in this twist, <a href="https://www.bustle.com/articles/33625-the-sixth-sense-surprise-ending-is-obvious-if-you-pay-attention-to-these-6-clues">savoring the degree</a> to which it should be “obvious if you pay attention” to earlier parts the film.</p> <p><strong>The pluses and minuses of the spoiler</strong></p> <p>At the same time, studies show that even when people are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0749596X89900016">certain of an outcome</a>, they reliably experience suspense, surprise and emotion. Action sequences are still heart-pounding; jokes are still funny; and poignant moments can still make us cry.</p> <p>As UC San Diego researchers Jonathan Levitt and Nicholas Christenfeld have recently <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21841150">demonstrated</a>, spoilers don’t spoil. In many cases, <a href="https://theconversation.com/enough-with-the-spoiler-alerts-plot-spoilers-often-increase-enjoyment-62154">spoilers actively enhance enjoyment</a>.</p> <p>In fact, when a major turn in a narrative is truly unanticipated, it can have a catastrophic effect on enjoyment – as <a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/04/avengers-infinity-war-ending-reactions-twitter">many outraged</a> <em>Infinity War</em> viewers can testify.</p> <p>If you know the twist beforehand, the curse of knowledge has more time to work its magic. Early elements of the story will seem to presage the ending more clearly when you know what that ending is. This can make the work as a whole feel more coherent, unified and satisfying.</p> <p>Of course, anticipation is a delicious pleasure in its own right. Learning plot twists ahead of time can reduce that excitement, even if the foreknowledge doesn’t ruin your enjoyment of the story itself.</p> <p>Marketing experts know that what spoilers <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057740815000467">do spoil</a> is the urgency of consumers’ desire to watch or read a story. People can even find themselves so sapped of interest and anticipation that they stay home, robbing themselves of the pleasure they would have had if they’d simply never learned of the outcome.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/95748/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vera-tobin-469645">Vera Tobin</a>, Assistant Professor of Cognitive Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/case-western-reserve-university-1506">Case Western Reserve University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-of-the-plot-twist-how-writers-exploit-our-brains-95748">original article</a>.</em></p>

Books

"Exploiting Diana's death": Piers Morgan unleashes on Harry and Meghan

<p>British TV host Piers Morgan has gone on an extraordinary rant against Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, and claimed the pair are “exploiting Diana’s death to make millions form investment banks.”</p> <p>The controversial critic took a swipe at the couple after hearing Prince Harry discuss mental health at the JPMorgan Chase’s Alternative Investment Summit.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8eJ8z8Htmx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8eJ8z8Htmx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (@meghanmarklesource)</a> on Feb 12, 2020 at 7:04am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>During the speech, the Duke spoke openly to the high-profile guests about being in therapy for seven years in an attempt to emotionally deal with the intense trauma of losing his wife.</p> <p>A source told<span> </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.the-sun.com/news/394676/piers-morgan-in-explosive-rant-at-harry-and-meghan-for-exploiting-dianas-death-to-make-millions/" target="_blank"><em>The Sun</em></a>: “He talked about how the events of his childhood affected him and he has been talking to a mental health professional.</p> <p>“Harry also touched on Megxit, saying while it has been very difficult he does not regret their decision.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8e3MBTqFSC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8e3MBTqFSC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Diana My Princess 2 ❤️ (@diana_my_princess2)</a> on Feb 12, 2020 at 1:39pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The pair were seen for the first time together since fleeing the UK in attendance at the lavish event in Miami.</p> <p>Writing in an explosive column for the Mail Online, he said: “There’s a big difference between talking about it to raise public awareness of grief-related mental health issues – and doing it privately for a big fat fee to a bunch of super-rich bankers, business tycoons, politicians and celebrities.</p> <p>“By commercially exploiting his mother’s death to make vast pots of money like this, Harry is surely behaving in exactly the same way he professes to despise from the media?”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8eXs-sHQQU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8eXs-sHQQU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Royal Sussexes (@royalsussexler)</a> on Feb 12, 2020 at 9:04am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>It is unknown if or how much the Duke was paid for the event at 1 Hotel South Beach.</p> <p>However, the royal pair are understood to have been flown in a private jet, owned by JPMorgan Chase, from Vancouver for Palm Beach, Florida.</p> <p>Morgan also took the time to point out the couple had previously been criticised for their high-flying ways – taking four private jet flights in just 11 days despite speaking on the importance of preserving our earth.</p>

Travel Trouble

Shoppers find disturbing messages in clothes tags

<p>Shoppers at a Zara store in Istanbul were deeply distressed after finding heartbreaking messages from exploited Turkish workers claiming they had not been paid for their labour.</p> <p>Workers from Bravo, an outsource manufacturer for Zara (and a number of other retailers), had been entering Zara shops and attaching tags to clothing, reading, “I made this item you are going to buy, but I didn’t get paid for it."</p> <p>The message also urges Zara shoppers to pressure the fashion giant into paying them.</p> <p>Bravo closed down overnight after the messages were discovered. Campaigners allege the company owes them three months’ worth of pay and severance allowance.</p> <p>Tell us in the comments below, have you ever found a strange message in an item of clothing?</p>

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