Posted on 01/18/2026 4:08:15 AM PST by where's_the_Outrage?
A TikTok video recently caused a stir on social media. Posted by user @filimonovadrian, it presents a surprising social experiment that questions our perception of others. The premise is simple: to observe whether a small change can cause a noticeable difference in the attitudes of passersby (especially men).
In this experiment, a young woman is filmed with a hidden camera while walking with cardboard boxes. She deliberately drops them to simulate a situation where she might need help. The video is in two parts:
In the first part, the woman is wearing jogging pants, a simple and comfortable outfit often considered "casual" or "unprepared" according to certain social norms. The images show that, in this version, male passersby ignore her much more often; no one seems to notice that she needs assistance.
In the second part, the same woman is dressed in a short skirt. Same situation, same gestures: this time, the men's reaction changes radically, many stop to help her spontaneously.
The contrast is striking and immediate: this simple change of clothing seems enough to influence the attention and attitude of the men around her. This highlights that many men intervene based on their own perceptions: when she's wearing jogging pants, few help her, whereas when she wears a dress or skirt, short......
Reactions are multiplying under the video. Some people express dismay: "It seems like clothing matters," "It's sad to see that appearance counts so much," while others recall the fundamental principles of solidarity and kindness: "Regardless of appearance, helping someone in need should be automatic."
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
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After I finished reading, I said I’d help either woman — and I’d also help a guy fumbling boxes to the ground. It’s just a nice thing to do. But I’m Gen X.
Why didn’t she just make two trips? Did that not occur to her? That’s a discussion for another thread! :-)
That’s a great response! Noted.
That’s understandable. The airlines try to keep the rif-raff out of 1st class. If you dress nicely and look respectable, they will assume you will behave the same.
Must have edited out the responses from women — they all probably pointed and laughed and took pictures to post online and make fun of her.
Maybe young women may want to pay attention more than attacking men which was her intent.
IMHO, the video shows why our species didn’t die off a long time ago . . .
Instead of spending money on a sexy outfit, she could drop $40 at Harbor Freight for a nice hand truck.
😁
It’s not just the clothing. I noticed 40 years ago that men would go out of their way to open a door for a woman with long hair but not so much with short hair or tied-tight hair. I called it The Damsel Effect.
Except it’s almost all really old guys in the first instance and young dudes in the second.
(I also think a skirt cues men to think the woman is more open to chivalry.)
I must be odd. If I saw someone having that much trouble I would offer assistance regardless of male or female, hottie or dumpy.
It’s called common courtesy. Those men walking by watching her difficulty are mannerless a$$holes.
Yeah, I love looking at attractive women, but that has no connection to being a decent human being. This video just irritates the heck out of me.
Pretty sad commentary on our culture when men won’t assist a woman unless she’s good looking.
Aptly put, but you seem to be avoiding another factor.
The other day I pulled into a grocery parking lot to grab some bananas and observed what turned out to be a female pulling in with her SUV to help another pair of females who apparently had a balky battery in their own (no start).
Rather than be presumptuous - some women CAN manage jumper cables, after all - I sat in my vehicle and watched.
Having debated such a situation prior, I fully concede that I was scrutinizing the trio for signs that they were libs (’awfuls’, per the article, because I AM behind enemy lines). I chuckled as I noticed one female get in to try to start the disabled vehicle and the brake lights never illuminated.
It was about that time that a veteran looking dude with his disabled father returned to their vehicle nearby and he wandered over to offer assistance. By then, I relented & walked into the store. They were gone when I returned.
I never did get a clue visually as to their alignment, but I did firmly make the decision that if I was to walk over to offer assistance, the 2nd question would be,
“So, how’d you ladies vote in 2024?”
A little over a year ago there was a posting here about a woman that decided to go back to feminine wear, it was well received on this forum:
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4261117/posts
Which is why I do not ever help a woman doing something she simply was not designed to do.
Because there is nothing more attractive than a woman who pushes her own hand truck.
My experience would seem to back this up. I’m usually the sweatshirt person. But I did have an experience once in my 20s after a job interview, when I was dressed up in my skirt and pumps, etc. I was at a gas station and a gracious gentleman appeared out of nowhere and insisted on pumping my gas. This probably happens to some ladies all the time, especially in the South, but it was a first for me, in Southern California.
I refuse to help women unless they are under 25, in high heels, and wearing a bikini.
AKA exposing cleveage. Low cut dresses do exactly the same.
IF it’s the same woman, she didn’t just change her clothes - she dropped her hair, took off her glasses, and generally looked more hapless/helpless.
You’re so right. It’s not ‘good manners’ in play here. It’s men wanting to interact with an attractive woman.
Another experiment: Have the woman dress in a really short skirt and tight sweater or low cut blouse, compared to a long skirt and baggy sweater. More guys will stop to help the gal in the short skirt, although they may stop to see if she’ll first bend over to pick up things.
Well, at the Balad dining facility the cold beer was pretty hard to come by, (unless it was the fake kind) but one could always count on Fox News coming up on the rotation on AFN. 😁
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