The "Harlem Shake" has permeated all walks of life. Videos are posted by the young, the old, people in countries across the globe, by students and even highly qualified professionals. Recent videos have proven the expanding reach and social impact of the viral meme. Two videos sparked protest in Egypt and Tunisia, another got a dozen gold miners fired in Australia, another performed on jet plane caught the FAA's unwanted attention, and now even NASA is getting in on the "fun."
The video follows the same formula as any other "Harlem Shake" video, yet it's surprising to see the NASA scientists get down to Baauer's aggressive electro beat. The crew gives it their all and actually do a great rendition.
NASA also impressed viewers by hyping up their video. On Monday March 4, it released a teaser to its own "Harlem Shake" and built the suspense by writing, "so you think you're having a normal countdown when all of a sudden..."
The video shows a normal launch control room, when all of a sudden a woman dressed in a spacesuit enters and starts dancing as the song builds toward the drop. Then, like any other "Harlem Shake" video, mayhem breaks loose.
The video, however, raises certain questions. Like who's monitoring the rocket launch? Or who's making sure the satellites' orbit trajectories are all in order? Or who's keeping an eye out for the Texas-sized asteroid headed straight for earth?
It seems like the new trend is to chastise people for their dangerous, unethical "Harlem Shakes," so there must be an issue with the NASA one. Right? Or perhaps everyone is just fed up. Perhaps people are sick of seeing the "Harlem Shake" everywhere they go, every time they go online or sit down to watch TV. Perhaps punishing "Harlem Shakers" will deter the masses from reproducing, and reproducing, and reproducing the meme.
It was fun while it lasted, but the "Harlem Shake" could be more trouble than it's worth at this point. As more and more versions continue to be uploaded, there's no end in sight. So please, think twice before you "Shake."
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