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My niece is getting ready to start high school, and I had a conversation with her because her travel team gets access to a local college's fitness center for training. I explained to her how beneficial this is, especially entering the jungle known as high school in 2025, as exercise and working out are fantastic ways to manage stress and improve mental health.

A less-than-fantastic way? Being a grown ass adult who needs to suck on a pacifier because adulting is too hard for them. That's apparently a new trend among Generation Z, and possibly among older generations.

Now, do I think that there are, in fact, more than a few adults who suck on pacifiers because they suck at life? Yes, of course. But before we move on, I want to submit this Andrew Schulz rant about TikTok and China:

In China, the way that the algorithm works, it doesn't reward people doing stupid dances and playing with their dog. The algorithm is rewarding that they want to see their youth do. So, people doing cool engineering sh*t. People doing cool science sh*t. But if you're China and you wanted to disrupt another country, wouldn't you reward the dumbest possible sh*t on that app. Twerkin. People doing stupid dances. You want the next level of youth to go "I can be famous doing something that is worthless to society.

Ponder that quote and let it percolate in your brain for a minute before moving on.

Because, allegedly, the trend is "starting" in China, according to the South China Morning Post. Adults can buy basic pacifiers for under two bucks, or if they want a more (sigh) "designer pacifier" that can cost up to $70.

The reason why the internets are talking about this now? Americans are taking to...wait for it...the Communist China-owned TikTok to brag about this new life hack of theirs.

TikTok is sucking it up — literally — with videos of American adults pacifying themselves in traffic, at work, or in the throes of burnout.

In the comments section of a TikTok by @thebentist, one user swore, “I just use an adult pacifier it hasn’t moved my teeth been using them for 4 years.”

Another doubled down: “Just get an adult pacifier I use one! And the ADHD tip it works!!(for me).”

Others admitted, “we gotta do what we gotta do to keep focused. over bite or not getting stuff we need to get done. Lol,” while one confessed, “im so ashamed, I’ve been addicted for 23 years, my entire life.”

Not to be conspiratorial...

...because this is hardly the first time a handful of ridiculous TikTok videos were considered a trend and turned into a news article. These clicks don't bait themselves.

However, this is the first instance I recall where a new trend was identified, sourced from a state-run Chinese newspaper, and then showcased to all Americans involved in the trend... on a notorious Communist Chinese-run social media platform.

I guess we'll have to wait and see if a celebrity or a Kardashian picks up on it.

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Brodigan is Grand Poobah of this here website and when he isn't writing words about things enjoys day drinking, pro-wrestling, and country music. You can find him on the Twitter too.

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