Oddly satisfying videos are
internet videos that portray repetitive events or actions that viewers find pleasing. Common subjects include
domino shows,
parlor tricks,
slime,
pressure washing,
hydraulic presses,
, soap cutting and paint mixing.
They are viewed as forms of
escapism or
ASMR
Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. A pleasant form of paresthesia, it has been compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia a ...
.
The term "oddly satisfying video" emerged on the
internet forum Reddit after the /r/oddlysatisfying
subreddit was established in 2013.
The label is now widespread on
online video platform
An online video platform (OVP), provided by a video hosting service, enables users to upload, convert, store and play back video content on the Internet, often via a structured, large-scale system that may generate revenue. Users will generally u ...
s such as
YouTube and
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
.
called slime, a common feature of these videos, the "biggest DIY trend of 2017, even causing a national shortage of glue in the US".
In 2021, ''
The Guardian'' wrote that "the pandemic, coupled with an increasingly chaotic news cycle, has us striving towards the ultimate #smoothbrain state – meaning there’s a global audience regularly seeking out the oddly satisfying, and a huge wave of content creators actively manufacturing it".
The appeal of oddly satisfying videos is thought to lie in the human preference for symmetry, patterns and repetition, the interest of exploring the behavior of materials,
or hand movements.
It may be related to the
autonomous sensory meridian response, a pleasant tingling sensation in the neck and scalp.
Evan Malone, a professor of art and film philosophy, theorized that the appeal may lie in their portrayal of
everyday experiences as cinematic and, in
Baudrillard's words, "hyper-real".
The effect of watching such videos has been described as a "brain massage" or "lightly
hypnotizing",
and as a form of psychological
self-care to help overcome stress or anxiety.
The satisfaction derived may have to do with
mirror neurons, which fire when one performs a motion or watches someone else perform a motion.
References
{{reflist
External links
/r/oddlysatisfyingon Reddit
Video
Self-care
Popular psychology