this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2024
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askchapo

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47
Hey old people on Hexbear, remember those "Don't Worry, Be Happy" stickers, buttons, and so on? (hexbear.net)
submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by UlyssesT@hexbear.net to c/askchapo@hexbear.net
18 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

They must have been the most commercially successful bits of toxic positivity merch I've ever known. Back when they were a thing, your chances of getting in a road-rage based auto accident spiked each time one of these was on the back of a vehicle in motion:

They seemingly vanished off the face of the Earth, and good riddance.

top 18 comments
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[–] Awoo@hexbear.net 22 points 2 days ago (1 children) 
Keep Calm

   And

Carry On
[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)

glasses-on

"Caring about things is stupid and bad, keep toiling and consuming."

Many such cases.

[–] krolden@lemmy.ml 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Jeep drivers replaced these spare tire covers with rubber duckies on their dashboard

[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 7 points 2 days ago

Or truck nuts. pronounjak

[–] Mickmacduffin@hexbear.net 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

They didn't fucking work. I was still unhappy and worried

[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 4 points 1 day ago

Telling people not to worry and to performatively be happy was just an assholish flex all along.

[–] Ivysaur@hexbear.net 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I actually really quite like this little smiley face. I didn’t know it was part of a bigger, more cynical marketing scheme...though I guess I should expect that. I’m in my 30s but I saw it a lot growing up.

[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 7 points 2 days ago

Taken subjectively, yes, I can definitely see the appeal.

Growing up with (younger at the time) adult grillman road raging with smiley stickers on their cars and "don't worry, be happy" being said as a thought terminating cliche gave me a different experience back in the 80s.

[–] Homer_Simpson@hexbear.net 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Part of a CIA op to sell lifestyles. Replaced during an update when they released more styles.

[–] invalidusernamelol@hexbear.net 8 points 1 day ago

These and Life Is Good

[–] heggs_bayer@hexbear.net 5 points 1 day ago

Good vibes only.

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'm not particularly old but I swear I've seen this in person when I was in Mni Sota Makoce.

[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 5 points 2 days ago

I'm not particularly old but I swear I've seen this in person when I was in Mni Sota Makoce.

It was probably the sum of grillman assholery when boomers were in their 30s and starting to feel not quite so invincible and young anymore and made it the world's problem.

[–] GarbageShoot@hexbear.net 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Was the song in response to these?

[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 4 points 2 days ago

I think the merch/protomeme came out before the song, so kind of.

[–] miz@hexbear.net 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

HAKUNA MATATA

[–] 12022081631@hexbear.net 2 points 1 day ago

song forever ~~ruined~~ improved when my brain gave me "what a wonderful gay". i never could recall the actually lyric after that