When internet anthropologists and historians look back on this askReddit thread, they will remember that it was posted by a user named “ButtFappingFury” and know that it all went predictably downhill from there. The question posed by “ButtFappingFury” was this: “What is the most f*cked up thing you ever saw as a kid?” What followed is an avalanche of cringe. Here are a few that stood out to me.
Here’s a subtle reminder of how grateful those of us who didn’t grow up in a war zone should be for not having done so…
I was 5 when the civil war in Afghanistan started, and I saw some pretty gruesome stuff. One time, a man was beheaded in the market and hot oil was poured down his body. The oil would somehow stimulate the nerves and the body would start writhing, simulating a dance. This was called “dance of the dead” and it was used to scare political opponents. Another time, I saw a man being run over by a tank repeatedly until his body was absolutely shredded. The last gruesome occurrence I saw during the war happened on my street. I was looking at the window when a man on the street was shot by an anti-aircraft gun perched on top of a mountain. Needless to say his body was buried in pieces. Apparently, the fighters on top of the hills overlooking Kabul would make bets with each other over hitting random civilian targets with different weapons.
Here’s a subtle reminder of how terrible kids can be…
When I was 3 or 4, I found a nest in my front yard where I habitually nurtured and made sure the 5 eggs were safe and sound. After about 2 weeks of doing so, the egg(s) finally hatched, only having one survive. As the mother never returned to the nest, I was sitting on my driveway with what was in my short existence on earth, the most beautiful little thing ever. I proudly called over my same aged neighbor across the street, Tommy, to show him this little birdy I had played a part in being born. The sadistic, son of a bitch took the bird from out of my hands, proceeded to put it on the ground, and American History X’d the poor little guy into a puddle of goo. I can honestly say I experienced depression at a very young age.
Here’s a subtle reminder of how terrible people can be…
I watched my biological father strangling my mother when I was 5. I still remember how my throat felt after yelling at him to stop it.
Here’s a subtle reminder to not leave screwdrivers laying around for small children to play with…
Warning: My story involves a kitten and does not have happy ending.
When I was 8 years old I visited my best friend’s house to see her new kitten. We spent the morning playing with the tiny grey kitten she called Willow. When Willow fell asleep we went outside to play on the swings. About ten minutes later we heard my friend’s mum screaming. We run inside to see her mum in hysterics. She tells us to go in the other room but we refuse to go. From here it is a bit of a blur, but from what I remember she reaches down behind the couch and lifts out the limp lifeless kitten and puts her on the coffee table. Willow had blood coming from her mouth and was obviously gone. Her mum then bends down behind the couch and picks up my friends 3 year old brother who has a screw driver in his hand. My friends mum keeps asking him why, he eventually says ‘dentist’.
Just thinking about this makes me feel sick. It happened over 13 years ago and till this day still effects me deeply.
And that’s about all I can handle. If you dare, you can read through the entire thread here.
(Via Brian Ries)