Neknominate: South African man pledges to use his 'Neknomination' to reduce poverty

Monday 03 February 2014 11:41

South African man Brent Lindeque takes 'Neknominate' to a new level with his admirable gesture

(Youtube)

As the 'Neknominate' craze continues to take the world by storm, one South African man has found an alternative use for his nomination.

Neknominate is the social media phenomenon in which people film themselves “skolling” or downing drinks before setting a challenge for another person to complete, with those 'neknominated' usually having to complete their task within 24 hours.

One Facebook page dedicated to the craze reads: "Neck your drink. Nominate another. Don't break the chain, don't be a d**k. The social drinking game for social media! #neknominate. Drink Responsibly."

But when it was Brent Lindeque's turn to compete after being put forward by his friends, he wanted to tackle a more serious issue currently affecting South African residents.

"Downing a can of Castle Light is easy… imagine if we all harnessed the power of social media to make a real difference in peoples lives. #OnlyGoodThings.’

Mr Lindeque is first filmed thanking his friends for his nomination while driving in his car, before saying: "[The craze] originated from Australia and I’m going to show you how South Africans do it better."

Alcohol is almost always involved in Neknominations, and some viewers may have been concerned to have seen Mr Lindeque driving while being filmed for his Neknomination, but what he did next could have a significant effect on many people's lives.

The most controversial internet crazes

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1/7The most controversial internet crazes

Where it actually came from remains a mystery, but the 'Selfie' remains a popular feature on the internet - it was even named word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries in 2013. However, a number of gangs in America have taken it a step further, posting 'gun selfies' of themselves. Last year, two men were charged for 142 counts of possession of a firearm and were bailed by police after posting numerous photos. The craze has led to several calls for photos to be taken down, with parents fearing that children could try and create their own poses.

Instagram

Originating in Australia in 2008, the trend of 'planking' swept Britain a year later. The craze, in which people form a straight figure with hands down by their sides, had thousands of participants uploading their efforts on to Facebook. While most were harmless enough, the more daring have been known to plank across railway tracks and between buildings, causing major health concerns. In 2011, a 20-year-old man died after 'planking' on a seven-story building in Australia.

Twitter

Twerking, a mixture of twisting and jerking, has been around since the late 1990s, but its popularity dramatically increased after Miley Cyrus 'twerked' at the 2013 MTV VMA awards with Robin Thicke, prompting fans to upload their own versions on Youtube - we've even had twerking stormtroopers. It's since been accused of corrupting the minds of young people and, last year, 33 students were suspended after making a video of themselves 'twerking' using school equipment.

Machinima

It's been almost a decade since the Happy Slap craze broke out in the UK, but what started out in as a small joke between friends in Lewisham in 2004 eventually became a nationwide phenomenon. Happy Slapping involved a victim being filmed on a camera phone getting slapped. As the craze spread, incidents became more and more vicious and it was linked to a rise in bullying in school playgrounds. In 2008, a teenage girl was sentenced to two years' detention after filming the fatal beating of a man.

nydailynews.com

'Tombstoning' emerged in 2012 as a much more dangerous fad. It involved finding the highest rock to leap from, giving jumpers sufficient time to change their body position to resemble a tomb falling into the sea. It was invented initially as a way to keep cool during sizzling temperatures, but as the challenges became more daunting, some experienced horrific injuries as a result of jumping into shallow or rocky waters.

Twitter

While not as dangerous as other internet fascinations, McDonald's staff are now finding themselves on the receiving end of another internet craze. 'McDiving' started last year and normally comes at the end of an alcohol-fuelled night out, where it is then customary for a 'McDiver' to go to the nearest McDonald's and launch themselves over the counter. McDonald's franchises have even started hiring bouncers at peak times of the day to deal with any mischief makers.

YouTube

Given that glossy floors are prominent in supermarkets, it would be deemed acceptable to see the occasional person slip over. But this is no accident. Gallon smashing started to appear on Youtube last year and has becoming increasingly popular in the US. It sees agile teenagers throw gallons of milk in the air as well as hurtling themselves on to the ground. However, with the mess, cost and inconvenience that is caused, the 'gallon smashing' craze has seen security stepped up in supermarkets.

YouTube

It becomes apparent what Mr Lindeque is looking towards helping when facts relating to the current poverty crisis in South Africa appear on the video, and at this point, he stops on the side of the road.

Gesturing out of the car window, a stranger then approaches the car, and this prompts Mr Lindeque to fumble around the backseat before revealing a sandwich, a packet of crisps and a bottle of Coca Cola.

Those hoping for a Neknominate challenge may have been disappointed at the lack of drinking in the video, but not by Mr Lindeque's goodwill, as he then hands the food over to the apparently homeless man, who is unable to hide his delight.

At the end, Mr Lindeque challenges his friends and others to follow his lead and help reduce poverty, and with over 100,000 hits on his YouTube video, it seems like the message may be getting through.

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