The Fire Challenge—as it's been called—isn't exactly new, and hasn't caught on like some of social media' other trends (i.e. whaling, coning, tebowing.)
But damn does it take the cake for being the dumbest thing this side of the Internet.
The "challenge" involves Internet users dousing their bodies in accelerant, and then igniting it with fire while friends film safely out of reach (because, you know, they weren't stupid enough to be the one in front of the camera). Most Fire Challenges take place in a shower with the water running, so that the person on fire can quickly put it out. If it weren't for the attention doing a crazy stunt like this would get, it's a safe bet that these people wouldn't light themselves on fire if there wasn't a camera around. Like most Internet trends, it's the trend that becomes popular, and not the people participating. Sure, a video might get shared hundreds of thousands of times because it's funny or shocking, but is your "15-seconds of fame" really worth third-degree burns if no one knows your name? Does that even count as 15-seconds of fame?
Welcome to the Internet. Handle with care.
