The Science of Awkwardness

awkward.........
Sources and extra links below!

Empathetic Embarrassment:

Social awkwardness and genetics:

Oxytocin:

Oxytocin and fear/anxiety:

more negative emotions than positive:

[yagorg]

- "Bye"
- "See you soon"
*Both proceed to walk the same way*

[an_annoying_cat]

The camera man is definitely feeling awkward because he’s trying to walk away from Michael but he just keeps on approaching

[Clankeh]

Michael is so charismatic even his attempt at awkwardness oozes charisma

[elongatedcarp]

I love how all vsauce videos are effectively timeless. A 7-12 year old video doesn't feel old at all. Any other video stands out so much if it's like 3+ years old

[Sarfnic]

If you're reading this, I'm a very small side character in your world.

[liambuffet]

"What is awkwardness, and who is the main character of the universe?"
that escalated quickly.

[kiwimiwi]

I hate watching "cringey" things or shows that have embarrassing elements (a really common thing in many shows for kids and teens) because I always felt so dang embarrassed for the characters, so I usually just left the room. I think that's the main reason why I stopped watching shows entirely, I just couldn't deal with that awkwardness

[SwampyTT]

"it effects all of you." is he saying that it doesnt effect him and he is the main character of the universe

[wobbmin]

"Nice weather today."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."

[notmozart]

When you send a message in a group chat but no one replies

[declan]

1:00 ..or walking down an excessively long hallway and seeing someone you know on the other side. Then pretending to look around like you didn’t see them instead of stare at them the entire time you’re walking down that hallway.

Gets me every damn time and it’s probably the most common thing that I find awkward.

[collidingforces]

To me feeling awkward is the inability to face ourselves as imperfect. We seek perfection in order to be loved by others. That is the biggest error a human can make. We are absolutely imperfect and we need to learn to laugh at ourselves and voice it out to others. It's good medicine.

[naryosh_]

"You can't wear pants made out of molten lead." *Then what's the point of living*

[badmontad]

"not illegal to sneeze on a crowded bus"

me: the good old days

[Marcomanexists]

The thing with cringey awkward moments is we tend to only remember the things we did, not what others did. There’s only a handful of embarrassing things other people have done in my past that I remember. I’d imagine for most people it’s the same.

[boingyboop]

12:27 I think I first experienced “sonder” at around the age of 8. It’s good to have words for these things because then we can actually talk about them rather than having these curious nameless thoughts trapped in your brain unable to be communicated properly.

[YoMamasLlama]

A conversation I had in passing:
“Hey, good to see you”
“Good, you?”
“You too”
“Enjoy your day”

[lissyw]

Great video. I have depression and anxiety. Sometimes „protagonist disease” gives me social anxiety, but when I’m depressed it changes to “sonder” and I’m feeling like the world with all those complex lives keeps turning around me while my life is just empty and irrelevant to others. I feel like my ideology is changing constantly from one extreme to another.

[DearHumanity]

This made me feel better on a really rough mental health day. Getting out of my head and in to someone else's, sitting on a park bench and having sonder for everyone passing by, was actually a big stress. So thank you for that.

[HessSR]

lol how is vsauce so good at acting awkward