this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2024
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askchapo

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49
Hey old people on Hexbear, remember those "Don't Worry, Be Happy" stickers, buttons, and so on? (hexbear.net)
submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months 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.

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[–] Awoo@hexbear.net 23 points 3 months ago (1 children) 
Keep Calm

   And

Carry On
[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 22 points 3 months ago (1 children)

glasses-on

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

Many such cases.

[–] Rom@hexbear.net 16 points 3 months ago

i-love-not-thinking

[–] krolden@lemmy.ml 15 points 3 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 7 points 3 months ago

Or truck nuts. pronounjak

[–] Ivysaur@hexbear.net 10 points 3 months 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 3 months 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 3 months 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 3 months ago

These and Life Is Good

[–] Mickmacduffin@hexbear.net 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago

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

[–] Erika3sis@hexbear.net 6 points 3 months 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 3 months 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 3 months ago (1 children)

Was the song in response to these?

[–] UlyssesT@hexbear.net 4 points 3 months ago

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

[–] heggs_bayer@hexbear.net 5 points 3 months ago

Good vibes only.

[–] miz@hexbear.net 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

HAKUNA MATATA

[–] 12022081631@hexbear.net 2 points 3 months ago

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