The ‘Hol Up!’ subreddit is fairly new. It was founded only in the Autumn of 2018. While some of the content its members post is fairly innocent and will get a chuckle out of you, other pics and videos might really get a genuine WTF reaction from you. Just remember not to take any of it seriously. It’s a place of humor, not getting angry at how ‘insensitive’ some of the stuff there might be. And after a year like 2020 (the after-effects of which we’re still all feeling), can you really blame people for wanting to have a good ol’ laugh?
Moderator Gaywallet told Bored Panda that they remove any content that's "edgy just go be edgy," bigoted, or offensive. Meanwhile, redditor Megatwins100 explained that, in their opinion, it's the moderation that sets the subreddit apart from others. According to them, the heart and soul of the "amazing community full of amazing people" is founder Siouxsie_siouxv2, as well as all the other active users.
"I believe that this subreddit would never be the same without her [the founder]. She knows how to grow a subreddit, and how to make one great. A few things that set this sub apart in the moderation category are the experimental things that happen here. A good example is that users can type '!spin' in the comments section to have a random event happen, anywhere from being banned to getting a position as moderator. On other subs, this wouldn't fly in the slightest. But on /r/HolUp, the mods are willing to take this risk to make it happen."
One of the main points is to embrace the memes without judging them too harshly while also balancing this with proper moderation to ensure that everyone feels welcome, no matter their background. Moderator IndigoSoln explained that they try to avoid "mod-dictatorship" while keeping to Reddit's terms of services and following in the "proud tradition set forth by traditional meme subs like r/funny, r/Memes, and r/AdviceAnimals back in the day of not judging the content posted here too harshly."
User BlatantConservative pitched in, pointing out that there will always be someone offended by the jokes posted on the subreddit, just like anywhere else. "Being offended isn't a choice, it's a way of life. Those users can't help it."
'Reader's Digest' writes that a new study in the 'Cognitive Processing journal suggests that those who appreciate dark humor may have higher IQs, show lower aggression, and resist negative feelings much more effectively. At least, compared to those who scoff at dark humor and think it's a waste of their time and dignity.
According to the study, those who both understood and enjoyed dark jokes showed higher intelligence. Meanwhile, those who least liked dark humor were also the most aggressive and had the worst moods. This might be linked to the fact that laughter provides multiple health benefits. If you're able to laugh at negativity and during difficult times, you're more likely to feel better.
The subreddit’s moderators explain that their community is about shocking their viewers and bringing them out of their comfort box. “Holup! A feeling of shock and confusion. A reaction to an unexpected and often negative turn of events that starkly contrasts the situation's expected outcome. A storytelling element often employed in humor similar to ‘bait-and-switch,’” they explain, adding that it’s all for fun and that you shouldn’t take things too seriously.
When you join r/HolUp, you get a message from Susan, the creator of the sub, sent via Reddit’s WelcomeBot. “Welcome to holup. One day you may look back at this time as the period when holup was ‘good’ and demand a change to make it good again. Sorry to inform you, the sub has never been that good, you're just new here.”
The founder continued: “That said, maybe the best thing about holup isn't necessarily the content, but the community. This sub is a sandbox for mods to try new ideas and we have weird things happening all the time. Plus my friend rjshwerin made a discord server that is actually good, unlike this sub. I'm kidding, there is good content here sometimes.” Susan explained that she’s open to any direct messages and will answer any questions or comments that you might have. They’re all a friendly crowd, so go and say ‘hi.’ The subreddit’s also open to suggestions on how to improve it. So don’t be shy if you’re brimming with ideas about improving the place and giving it a new coat of paint.
Which pics made you laugh out loud as though you were a teenager again, dear Readers? Did you enjoy the dark humor or did you think it went too far? Do you agree with the study’s findings that dark humor enthusiasts tend to be smarter and less aggressive? In your opinion, do you believe that we should be able to laugh at everything or do you think there should be some topics that are off-limits? Share your thoughts with everyone below.
