Ah, the Black Death, that pesky plague that made the 14th-century Europe a rather unpleasant place to be, much like a medieval middle school reunion. And then there's TikTok, the catnip of Social Media platforms where teenagers and indie musicians come together to chase their fifteen seconds of fame. What a whirlpool of possibility we get when we merge the pandemonium of pandemonium with the mind-bending magic of TikTok! Let's slather on the hand-sanitiser of imagination and dive into an alternate reality where the capricious chaos of the Black Death found itself unleashed on TikTok.
Viral Would Take on a Whole New Meaning
Picture it: Europe, 1347. The plague has hopped onto the continent like a brooding teenager to a new chat group. Before one could even say "quarantine", it's wreaking havoc across the land. Enter TikTok, the time-consuming balm for idle hands, providing medieval folks something to do between fits of coughing. But how would their TikTok content look?
First up, the Bubonic Plague influencers! Move over Charli D'Amelio, Joan le Plaguetok has arrived! She'd demonstrate the latest trend: the Pestilent Shuffle. Perfect for showing off your doubly-tied plague mask, this delightful dance craze promises hours of amusement or possibly until your neighbours start throwing rats at your window. #PestilentShuffle #RatTailsForDays
Hashtags Would Achieve New Heights
Let us leaf through the population's TikTok antics, shall we? A glance at the hashtags trending in this wacky epoch would not disappoint. To begin with, #PlagueDoctorDrip could comprise videos sporting way-too-fashion-forward beaked masks. People could parade about, giving fashion tips on how to accessorise with a trusty staff adorned with herbs, for both aesthetic pleasure and subtle germ-repelling capacities.
Next, #PerfectPlagueParody would see aspiring bards, juggling musician schedules and grave-digging duties, compose parodies of well-known ballads, swapping lyrics for grimly humorous plague-ridden content. A sure-fire hit at any pandemic party!
A Chicken Soup for the Soul of Generations Past
TikTok wasn’t just about frolics and gallows humour; it would also act as a heartfelt platform for healing and connectivity. TikTok challenges would emerge for acts of kindness amidst the grief. Perhaps they'd name it the #CompassionConcoction, encouraging strangers to connect through thoughtful gestures, from sending freshly-plucked herbal bundles to virtual plague parties. If blessings couldn't sap the sickness, perhaps community could.
In a foreshadowing twist of irony, users could take inspiration from future generations and join "Stay Home, Save Lives" campaigns centuries before it was needed for a different pandemic entirely. Isn't it charming when history experiments with foresight?
Plaguethropology and Memes
Ah, the beauty of memes, a delightful blend of satire, relatability, and cats being odd. The Middle Ages on TikTok would have a heyday blending the gravitas of meandering monks with the light-hearted image of scratching cats, frogs riding noble steeds, and plague rats boogying alongside their human frenemies.
Medieval meme creators would sprinkle a unique brand of humour, melded from the ethereal dust of their bygone era. Such masterpieces would include pleasureful glimpses of alchemists attempting to turn mushrooms into breathable air. Or perhaps a dance duet between a merry jester and Death himself, twirling each other to the haunting tunes of the Revolting Tunesmen! #GrimGrin
The TikTok Effect on the Course of History
Ruminations aside, would TikTok have changed the course of history? No longer subject to languish without hope or outlet, perhaps the newly liberated artist's spirit would thrive. Paintings and tapestries might reflect a society not only ravaged but resilient. Possessing the spirit to endure, and maybe, just maybe, the plague's biggest prank yet might have been the creation of an army of TikTok historians, capturing real-time confessions and experiences. Admittedly, these clips might reveal too many turnip salads, but they would act as living chronicles of an era determined not to be forgotten.
And there we have it: Over seven centuries on, dear reader, we'd look back upon a Black Death era with the audacious hope that amidst the pestilence, TikTok managed more than just alleviating the soul. Beneath the merry chaos, it might've spread laughter, creativity, and a sense of humanity in an inhospitable world. If you don't mind a few shuffling rats or scrubby medieval doctors, I daresay it'd be worth a scroll! And who wouldn't love a #PlagueDokTok duet on their For You page?
