upworthy

A model uses her success to underscore some important points about image and privilege.

She exposes that there's a lot more that's fake besides the Photoshopping.

It'd be difficult to find a single one of us who hasn't been influenced by advertising and images.

It's so subtle that a lot of us could probably even tell ourselves we haven't been influenced because it's like the air we breathe — it's around us constantly and we don't even think about it that much.

Case in point — I bet you can finish this slogan without even Googling it: "Choosy moms choose ______." If you don't know the brand, I'd bet you're an outlier.

We're constantly absorbing data and impressions from imagery and ads whether we know it or not, and companies pay big money in the race to be the first to push their impressions into our faces. They certainly aren't paying that kind of cash for something if it isn't effective.

Let model Cameron Russell break it down because she nails it.

She's had success as a model for about a decade, and she took to the TED stage to share some unique insight from her journey.

Here are three great aha moments she brings to the audience.

1. Image can be a powerful influence over our perceptions, and some people are more able to wield it than others.

She came out looking like this, knowing it was going to give a certain first impression.

All images from TED/YouTube.

Then she did the first ever on-stage wardrobe change at a TED talk.

And then she explained why she'd do something so awkward:

"Image is powerful. But also, image is superficial. I just totally transformed what you thought of me in six seconds."

You'd never guess that she hadn't even had a boyfriend before this photo was snapped, right?

2. In response to girls asking whether they can be models, she explains that while there's nothing wrong with being a model, it's not a career path.

Cameron likens modeling to winning some kind of genetic and societal lottery. Her message to young people: Set your sights on something else.

"Be my boss. Because I'm not in charge of anything and you could be the editor-in-chief of American Vogue. … Saying that you want to be a model when you grow up is akin to saying you want to win the Powerball when you grow up. It's out of your control, and it's awesome, and it's not a career path."

She demonstrates what she's learned from 10 years of modeling: what direction to look, how to pose, and the art of looking back at imaginary friends for the camera 500 times.


3. What we see in magazines is a complete fabrication and a construction from something else entirely.

She wants people to realize just how fake what they're looking at in advertising really is. Cameron illustrates it with images of what she really was like during certain times of her life, in contrast with how magazine images portrayed her at the same times.

This side-by-side comparison is a magazine shoot and a family photo taken in close succession. A little different, right?

How much does it floor you that these photos were taken within a few months of each other?

Her entire talk is really fascinating and invites us to look at the advertising we see in a much more educated light.

Cameron makes some incredible points about how she's benefitted from a stacked deck in our society all because she won the genetic lottery, and she juxtaposes that against the different life experiences of others — all based on how society perceives their looks.

As one of my favorite bands says about media and advertising, "There is a war going on for your mind." If you're thinking critically about it, you're winning.

From Your Site Articles
Modern Families

Mom calls out unfair 'double standard' of boomer grandparents who don't help with childcare

"I love my mom dearly, but I'm surprised at how little effort she puts in."

via Canva/Photos

A stressed mom and her happy, busy parents.

As far as generational stereotypes go, baby boomers (1946 to 1964) have often been accused of being a self-absorbed generation that has had no problem hoarding wealth, disregarding the environment, and prioritizing their own interests over their families. After all, they’re the generation that predominantly raised Gen X (1965 to 1980) and older millennials ('80s babies), also known as Gen Goonie, who were the least parented group of people in decades.

It’s unfair to paint an entire generation with the same brush. Still, the people who were once called the “Me Generation” are developing a reputation for being less involved in their grandchildren’s lives than their parents. The different grandparenting styles have been attributed to the fact that boomers worked longer and therefore want to enjoy their retirement. They also have more money than their parents to enjoy traveling and pursuing their hobbies. Those looking to take shots at boomers claim that they didn’t put a lot of effort into raising their kids, so why would they be any different with their grandkids?

boomers, grandparents, absentee grandparents, milennials, grandpa, grandmaBaby boomer grandparents.via Canva/Photos

A mother of one, who goes by TheCalmQuail on Mumsnet (a UK-based mothers' forum), made a controversial post, calling out a significant double standard when it comes to boomers. They had no problem having their parents help raise their kids, but they don’t want to extend the same courtesy to their children.

“It's come up in a few conversations with other parents recently about how little time their parents spend with their children, especially in comparison to when they were younger and at their grandparents' daily,” CalmQuail wrote. “Myself included, I avoided nursery completely when my mother went back to work because free daily childcare from a relative, and some of my happiest regular memories are spending regular one-on-one time with my Nana.”

“I realise grandparents are entitled to their own lives, but the lack of help does seem like double standards, when a large majority have seemingly had so much help themselves,” she continued.

stressed mom, young mom, stressed millennial, woman hands on her head, woman on couchA stressed mom with her head in her hands.via Canva/Photos

CalmQuail added that her mother lives up the road from her but still finds excuses not to help our child or even spend time with her kid. “It often feels like she's an extra toddler, as I have to suggest stuff to tempt her to do anything together; I manage the logistics, drive her there, etc. She will be there for emergency childcare requests when possible,” she continued. At the end of her post, she asked whether she was being unreasonable for thinking that her parents should put as much effort into raising their grandchildren as they had put into raising their parents.

The verdict: 68% thought she was NOT being unreasonable, and 32% felt that she was being unreasonable. Therefore, a majority of parents on the forum believe that Baby Boomers have the same responsibility to their grandchildren as the Silent Generation (1928 to 1945) did to theirs.

Many parents on the forum have experienced similar situations with their boomer parents and have given them a little grace by acknowledging that their grandparents didn’t have many resources or retirement expectations, so they dedicated their energy to their families.

stressed woman, tired mom, woman doing laundry, woman needs help, crying woman, folding laundryA stressed mom doing laundry.via Canva/Photos

“I know this will turn into a boomer bashing thread but my experience is my parents and their friends are early retirees with a fair bit of cash and feel they’ve earnt a nice easy long comfortable retirement (they have worked hard but only the same as us except we can’t afford a nanny, cleaner etc like they did…).so they’re busy on holidays, golfing, socialising,” a commenter wrote. “My grandparents were typical of their generation—very hard working, modest life, and incredibly family orientated, they had us every holiday.”

“I don’t think my grandparents had much in the way of expectations of retirement,” another commenter added. “They retired relatively early by today’s standards, and lived far longer than they expected. There wasn’t much of a sense of ‘enjoying your retirement’ by jetting off around the world or pursuing personal hobbies - they were always there and available.”

Ultimately, there’s nothing wrong with baby boomers enjoying their retirement, but their children have a right to feel a bit miffed by the shift in grandparenting priorities. As times change, so do expectations, but why does it feel like younger people are always getting the short end of the stick when it comes to life's necessities, such as childcare and the cost of living? Unfortunately, so many younger people feel like they have to go it alone. However, kudos to the boomer grandparents who do help out with childcare, just as their parents did. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child, and these days, our villages need to be growing instead of shrinking.

From Your Site Articles
boomers
Parenting

Parents share why it's better for children to face danger than to be raised sheltered

"There will come a day when you’re not around and curiosity or peer pressure will get the best of them."

Photo by Derek Owens on Unsplash

Parents share 'unpopular opinion' on letting kids take risks and experience danger.

Parents are theirs kids' protectors. Keeping kids safe while also teaching and exposing them to some of life's hardest lessons is a delicate balance.

Parents Andy and Aza (@raisingwellskids) have decided to raise their two kids with a more unconventional parenting idea: they believe that by allowing their kids to be exposed to more risks and danger, it will keep them safe in the long run. It's an 'unpopular opinion' they explain will benefit their kids and others, and they decided to share more about it in an insightful Instagram post.

In the video, one of their kids is lighting a fire on his own without any parental assistance. "Unpopular opinion but equipping kids with the tools, resources and confidence to handle these things is safer than sheltering kids from all possible dangers," they captioned the post.

In the video, they explain that this way of parenting allows their kids more autonomy, experience, and freedom. In turn, it encourages their kids to make wiser decisions on their own.

"Because there will come a day when you’re not around and curiosity or peer pressure will get the best of them," they add in the caption. "There will come a day when they climb too high, or wander too far. There will come a day where they’re exposed to sharp things. The day will always come. And the ones who have been shown safe boundaries and empowered with the skills will be more equipped to handle these situations *safely*."

They go on to share that their goal is to do the opposite of shelter their kids to promote safety. "Exposing kids to risk is *safer* than sheltering kids from risks," the in-video caption reads. "A child who has been taught how to handle a knife, light a fire, given tools trusted to follow directions, and trusted to handle situations *safely* is less likely to get hurt than children sheltered from those risks."

Many viewers agreed with their parenting theory in the comment section. "The lack of risk in children's play and day to day life has had a profound effect on society. Raise kids to know how to handle dangerous situations!" one wrote. Another said, "Age appropriate and supervised. Life skills are important. Raising competent and confident people is a parent’s job."

Other parents shared how they have instilled the same philosophy in their children. "My 3-year old can successfully make scrambled eggs on her own with supervision. She knows all about the importance of not touching hot pans and stove tops. It's so important to expose kids to this stuff and teach them how to handle it 🙌🏽," one wrote.

Another added, "Amen. 🙌 I also think if kids are shown how to do things safely then there is less attraction for them to do those things on their own without permission or guidance, which would be less safe. My daughter just turned 3 and has her own kitchen knives. They’re not very sharp, but she’s learning how to use them safely."

Another viewer shared, "When I allow my child to do something risky around me and I hear people saying not to allow her to do it or to be careful. I say this, my child will do this at some point around me or not, so I'd rather her experience, learn, and get familiar with me around first."

From Your Site Articles
risk
Science

The 'world's slowest experiment,' going for nearly 100 years, is still endlessly fascinating

It takes nearly a decade for one drop of this liquid to fall.

upload.wikimedia.org

John Mainstone was the custodian of the Pitch Drop Experiment for 52 years.

Because we use water all the time, most of us have an intuitive sense of how long it takes a drop of water to form and fall. More viscous liquids, like oil or shampoo or honey, drop more slowly depending on how thick they are, which can vary depending on concentration, temperature and more. If you've ever tried pouring molasses, you know why it's used as a metaphor for something moving very slowly, but we can easily see a drop of any of those liquids form and fall in a matter of seconds.

But what about the most viscous substance in the world? How long does it take to form a falling drop? A few minutes? An hour? A day?

How about somewhere between 7 and 13 years?

pitch drop experiment, tar pitch, solid or liquid, physics, world's longest experimentPitch moves so slowly it can't be seen to be moving with the naked eye until it prepares to drop. Battery for size reference.John Mainstone/University of Queensland

The Pitch Drop Experiment began in 1927 with a scientist who had a hunch. Thomas Parnell, a physicist at the University of Queensland in Australia, believed that tar pitch, which appears to be a solid and shatters like glass when hit with a hammer at room temperature, is actually a liquid. So he set up an experiment that would become the longest-running—and the world's slowest—experiment on Earth to test his hypothesis.

Parnell poured molten pitch it into a funnel shaped container, then let it settle and cool for three years. That was just to get the experiment set up so it could begin. Then he opened a hole at the bottom of the funnel to see how long it would take for the pitch to ooze through it, form a droplet, and drop from its source.

It took eight years for the first drop to fall. Nine years for the second. Those were the only two drops Parnell was alive for before he passed away in 1948.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

In total, there have been nine pitch drops in the University of Queensland experiment. The first seven drops fell between 7 and 9 years apart, but when air conditioning was added to the building after the seventh drop, the amount of time between drops increased significantly. The drops in 2000 and 2014 happened approximately 13 years after the preceding one. (The funnel is set up as a demonstration with no special environmental controls, so the seasons and conditions of the building can easily affect the flow of the pitch.)

The next drop is anticipated to fall sometime in the 2020s.

pitch drop experiment, tar pitch, solid or liquid, physics, world's longest experimentThe first seven drops fell around 8 years apart. Then the building got air conditioning and the intervals changed to around 13 years.RicHard-59

Though Parnell proved his hypothesis well before the first drop even fell, the experiment continued to help scientists study and measure the viscosity of tar pitch. The thickest liquid substance in the world, pitch is estimated to be 2 million times more viscous than honey and 20 billion times the viscosity of water. No wonder it takes so ridiculously long to drop.

One of the most interesting parts of the Pitch Drop Experiment is that in the no one has ever actually witnessed one of the drops falling at the Queensland site. The drops, ironically, happen rather quickly when they do finally happen, and every time there was some odd circumstance that kept anyone from seeing them take place.

The Queensland pitch drop funnel is no longer the only one in existence, however. In 2013, Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, managed to capture its own pitch drop on camera. You can see how it looks as if nothing is happening right up until the final seconds when it falls.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Today, however, with the internet and modern technology, it's likely that many people will be able to witness the next drop when it happens. The University of Queensland has set up a livestream of the Pitch Drop Experiment, which you can access here, though watching the pitch move more slowly than the naked eye can detect is about as exciting as watching paint dry.

But one day, within a matter of seconds, it will drop, hopefully with some amount of predictability as to the approximate day at least. How many people are going to be watching a livestream for years, waiting for it to happen?

PoorJohn Mainstone was the custodian of the experiment for 52 years, from 1961 to 2013. Sadly, he never got to witness any of the five drops that took place during his tenure. Neither did Parnell himself with the two that took place while he was alive.

John Mainstone, pitch drop experiment, university of queensland, physicsJohn Mainstone, the second custodian of the Pitch Drop Experiment, with the funnel in 1990.John Mainstone, University of Queensland

Sometimes science is looks like an explosive chemical reaction and sometimes it's a long game of waiting and observing at the speed of nature. And when it comes to pitch dripping through a funnel, the speed of nature is about as slow as it gets.


From Your Site Articles
science
Humor

Woman asks friends to bring gossip to her party instead of gifts, and wow, did they deliver

The 'tea' party brought people together from all walks of life.

Canva Photos

Everyone brought their own tea.

As you start to get older, it's inevitable that your birthday begins to lose a bit of luster. Sometimes it's because of the other things you have going on in life. Parents usually focus more on their kids' birthdays and holidays, so their own birthdays become a bit of an afterthought. Others just get tired of doing the same kind of things year after year: throwing an unimaginative party to celebrate getting a year older. Yay, I guess? There's also the small matter of our diverse relationships. Most of us have different friend groups, family, in-laws—what are we supposed to do? Mix them all together in an awkward stew of forced small talk?

And let's not even get started on presents. What does a 30- or 40-something-year-old really need when it comes to birthday presents? Maybe something meaningful or thoughtful from a spouse or a close loved one, but certainly most adults have no desire for all their friends to shower them with random gifts they don't want, need, or could buy themselves.

One woman, Liz Migliaccio, decided to reimagine the grown-up birthday party. For her 36th, she invited all her family and close friends and asked them, in lieu of gifts, to bring something far more interesting.

Migliaccio and her wife, Cayla DeRegis, recounted the invitation to Newsweek:

"For my birthday...join me for some cozy wine and please come tell me your insane co-worker gossip or how your boss is the worst," it read. "Regale me with your salacious romantic encounter or unhinged dating story. Get really detailed about someone else's business and we can full form opinions that no one asked for. I'm 36—the world's hottest age and hot people like hot gossip."

It was a clever way of throwing an entertaining party with family and friends from all walks of life, all while giving the strangers in attendance good icebreakers with one another. As seen in a now-viral TikTok from DeRegis, guests took turns spilling their juiciest bit of tea. The party go-ers are absolutely rapt as you can see in the clip:

@cayladeregis

the greatest gift there is ☕️

11 million people watched the video on TikTok, with commenters unanimously agree: The 'tea party' was absolutely genius.

In the interview with Newsweek, Migliaccio said the best story of the night came from a guest who attended a wedding that never happened.

"A friend of a friend went to a family wedding a while back," Migliaccio said. "[She] had to go buy a long-sleeve dress for the wedding. As the receipt is being printed out, she gets a text that the ceremony is being called off, and instead, the bride and groom are just going to 'celebrate their relationship. ... They got there and found out the bride and her family weren't coming anymore so it ended up just being a celebration of him. My friend said it was the most over-the-top, beautiful wedding she'd ever been to but there was no bride."

gossip, gossip girl, leighton meester, rumors, storytelling, entertainment, dramaThis explains the popularity of Gossip GirlGiphy

Other guests brought stories of dramatic breakups and relationship scandal. Others brought their best watercooler gossip from work. Every single person in attendance was entertained. So were the viewers and commenters on TikTok:

"In this economy this is the best gift to bring"

"I can feel how HEAVY the tea is through the screen"

"You know it’s crazy tea when people have empty glasses but are INVESTED in the story"

"I LOVE this concept- this would make me want to go to a party ... just be messy and then go home to my drama free life"

Dozens of users claimed they would be stealing this idea for their own parties in the near future.

Why is the gossip party such a brilliant idea? It comes down to the power of storytelling.

It's really stressful and challenging to mingle with people you don't know well or at all, whether you're dragged along to a spouse's work event or attending a party where the guest of honor has several different friend groups. It can be tough to find enough to talk about beyond just surface level small talk.

But one thing all human beings have in common is that we love stories. Not only is a great story super entertaining (even one about mundane but juicy everyday drama), studies show our brain activity syncs up with others when they tell us a story. That's something small talk and get-to-know-you chat can't achieve. So, the genius of the Tea Party is that it offers every guest a perfect icebreaker with all the others, lots of laughs, and a feeling of having made great connections with the other guests by the end of the night.

I think most people on their birthdays just want everyone to have a great time celebrating them with no drama. Well, maybe just a little bit of drama.

From Your Site Articles
humor
Modern Families

A family of four generations is living in one house and absolutely loving it

"We're forced to be together, we're forced to have family dinners, which is beautiful."

YouTube, Good Morning America, ABC

Lowe Family

Some people can't wait to fly the coop. At 18, their bags are packed and, while they may very well love their families, the idea of living with them any longer is simply not tenable.

But others are glued by a bond so tight they stay warmly in the nest. For many, it begins as a financial decision. Discover reports, "The United States Census Bureau found that in 2023, the median gross rent was $1,406 across American households." Those costs continue to rise, with home mortgages often even higher.

Six years ago, financial adviser Dave Ramsey shared the statistic that "one in three adults are still living with their parents, three times as many as in 1970." Ramsey doesn't seem to approve of this figure. But according to a study by Pew Research Center, they have a different angle: "Multigenerational living has grown sharply in the U.S. over the past five decades and shows no sign of peaking." And although those stats remain in 2025 for adults between the ages of 18 and 34, not everyone agrees with Dave Ramsey that it's something to be ashamed about.

gif, what, stats, reaction gif, reactdave ramsey what GIF by Ramsey SolutionsGiphy

One family in Grand Rapids, Michigan decided that having four generations living under one roof is beneficial for many reasons—not just financial. Exemplifying a trend that's on the rise, the Lowe family initially made the choice to "prioritize stability." But, according to a piece for Good Morning America, they later realized what a wonderful advantage it brought all around.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Jade Lowe is 29 with three kids. They all live with her mother and 84-year-old grandmother. Nicole Curtis reports that Jade wouldn't have it any other way: "Between my grandma, my mom and my sister, they kind of all just, like, help out. And the price of rent—I pay my mom a portion versus having my own mortgage."

In the Good Morning America clip, Jade points out a black and white photo of her grandmother. "This is my grandmother at the age of 22 with her husband." Over 60 years later, all three generations under her grandmother have the joy of sharing a tight-knit life together.

Pew Research also notes, "A quarter of adults in multigenerational households say caregiving actually is occurring in their homes, either in the form of personal care for another adult in the household or care for a child younger than 18 who is not the caregiver’s own child."

Jade's mother, Gema, emphasizes how important the familial bond can be. "That knowledge that goes from generation to generation can also break down barriers to absorb, and every generation is getting better. We just don't think about ourselves. We think as a group, as a collective."

family, families, multiple generations, home, together, Family photo. Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Jade agrees wholeheartedly. "It allowed me to still live my best life in my 20s. It allowed me to honestly just be happy and not have to worry about those extra expenses."

What's more is the time the living arrangement allows with her loved ones which, some could argue, is the most sacred of all currency. "We kind of bring those differences together under one roof. It is crucial to unite right now in today's climate. I think that just being under one household helps us with that. We're forced to be together, we're forced to have family dinners, which is beautiful."

A commenter on YouTube reminds people that this was once the norm: "This is not a growing trend. It’s something that is coming back. My family grew up in a multigenerational household from the 1940s-2000s. That’s how we survived in San Francisco. I am glad it’s returning. Oldie and goodie."

As far as the Lowe family goes, "Six women all under one roof isn't always easy"—but they make it work and they make it clear that its a situation they cherish.


From Your Site Articles
family
Trending Stories