From monster milkshakes to imploded submersibles, this article discusses a few of the memorable moments of 2023.
It’s hard to believe we’re in the last month of 2023. It feels like just yesterday that we saw Rihanna’s pregnant belly at the Superbowl Halftime Show or were heated overBarbenheimer debates. Each year brings new surprises, and 2023 was no exception. After a rollercoaster of a year, let’s take a moment to reflect upon some of the memorable moments of 2023 that sparked discourse all across the country.
Chinese Spy Balloon, February 2nd
@stream_drama This is crazy #spyballoon #ufo #ufoキャッチャー #balloon #camera #ufosky #ufo2023 ♬ original sound – Viralclips90
A mere two months into the year and tensions within international affairs were already high. A Chinese spy balloon flew over U.S. military sites and was shot down just outside of South Carolina, but not before transmitting information back to Beijing.
Initial speculations about what it was, what it was doing and how we were going to handle it propagated across the country. There was an odd mixture of fear and excitement surfacing in discussions, and it’s clear why. An ominous object floating in the sky isn’t something you see every day, but when considering the political implications behind it, it cultivates an unnerving feeling.
Sometimes it’s the fear of the unknown that builds camaraderie. Talking about these unsettling events is a way for people to find comfort in the reassurance that other people are feeling the same way as you.
Intense debates between the U.S. and China occurred, each one accusing the other of infiltrating their airspace with balloons. China repeatedly said that this was a civilian airship that was blown off course during their research, but the U.S. found sensors used to spy on military sites after the balloon was shot down.
While all of this was going on, the U.S. government had to reassure Americans about their real concern: there were no aliens in these balloon takedowns.
TikTok Ban, March 15th
A truly terrifying memorable moment of 2023 for Gen Zers everywhere. Initially beginning with the Trump administration back in July of 2020, the conversation of banning Chinese-owned TikTok resurfaced with the Biden administration this past March. After already high tensions with the spy balloon, the demand for a ban of the popular social media app came down hard and fast.
Concerns about the Chinese government stealing data or infiltrating the video-sharing app to spread propaganda were the main points of discussion. TikTok CEO Shou Chew immediately shot these claims down.
“The Chinese government has never actually asked us for U.S. user data, and we’ve said this on the record, that even if we were asked for that, we will not provide it,” said Chew.
He then went on to highlight that all access to the U.S. data is completely controlled by U.S. personnel.
Ironically enough, TikTok users were making fun of Congress’s line of questioning for Chew, specifically asking him if TikTok accesses home WiFi networks. Instead of learning about the concerns of TikTok in this trial, concerns arose over the fact that Congress has no idea how technology works.
The fear of having the beloved video app banned combined with the pointed jokes towards the U.S. government was all-consuming in younger generations. Leave it to Gen Z to ridicule the leaders deliberating over the potential ban.
Colleen Ballinger Apology Video, June 28th
Just this past June, YouTube comedian Colleen Ballinger ran into serious allegations that suggested disgustingly inappropriate behavior with minors, Ballinger, otherwise known as Miranda Sings, posted an apology video, attempting to absolve herself of fault. . What makes this moment stand out is the fact that this wasn’t any normal apology video. Instead of sitting down to detail or combat her wrongdoings, Ballinger played the ukulele and sang her regrets and denials.
Because Ballinger essentially made a mockery of the claims against her, this video exploded across social media platforms. Viewers criticized Ballinger for not taking accountability for her actions. Whether or not she accepts responsibility for the accusations, singing that “The only thing I’ve ever groomed is my two Persian cats” is a bit insensitive and leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Even though it went viral for the wrong reasons, handling a severe situation so absurdly and thoughtlessly is a surefire way to make sure people remember you.
Grimace Shake, June 12th
A trend that came out of left field was the Grimace shake. Grimace, one of the McDonald’s milkshake-loving characters that first appeared in the McDonaldland commercial in 1971, turned 52 on June 12th this year. Whether he is supposed to be a taste bud, a milkshake or some other purple blob is unknown, and left up to your own interpretation.
In honoring his birthday, McDonald’s came out with a purple, berry-flavored milkshake. TikTok users turned the fun-loving celebration of the fluffy character into a horrifying trend. The viral videos included someone taking a sip of the drink, only for it to cut to the next clip where the person is dead, dying, or passed out in disturbing ways.
@cookingwithlynjaThe Grimace Shake♬ original sound – Lynja
The absurdity of this challenge captivated young audiences and inspired thousands of people to jump in. Viewing the creative ways that people chose to contort themselves was both impressive and terrifying, surely adding this to the list of memorable moments of 2023.
Titan Submersible, June 18th
June was a busy month. Between ukulele apology videos and violent milkshakes, the Titan submersible took the cake for the most extreme moment of the month. Hoping to explore the sunken Titanic on the depths of the ocean floor, five men boarded the titanium and carbon fiber submersible.Unfortunately due to structural and mechanical failure, none of the five walked away from it.
Everyone was talking about the poor safety mechanisms, even dubbing it “an accident waiting to happen.” After all, using what appears to be a video game controller as the main controlling system doesn’t exactly scream “safety.”
There’s something about tragedy that enthralls people in morbid ways. This deeply upsetting event had people waiting on the edge of their seats to see the next update on the underwater expedition. As people counted down the hours before the submersible lost all oxygen,, the Titan submersible was the talk of the country for days.
Despite the significance of the various events that happen in our country, many of these moments are fleeting. They take up our entire world one day only for us to jump at the first sight of a breaking news alert the next. If the headline contains a tone of tragedy, then its recognition increases tenfold. It’s like the phenomenon of driving past a car wreck: you know you should look away, but you can’t.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the memorable moments of 2023. We didn’t even get to touch upon Trump’s indictment or some of the lighthearted events, like the adoration of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour.
Even though there is only less than a month in 2023, there’s still plenty of time for a new occurrence to spark popularity and ring in the new year. After seeing all the events that happened over the past 12 months, who knows what 2024 will bring?
