Sorry if someone else said it, but I’d point out that when the camera frame is that 1x1 instgram frame, he is doing all that shallow “basic” stuff that this song is making fun of. But when she starts talking about real stuff, missing her mom, the frame expands- indicating that there is more to her as a human. Then the frame reduces again when she returns to the stereotypical character. This is much more a commentary on social media than white women. Big cudos to you for your sense of humor about the stereotype 😄
It's also visually represented in the bridge. When the aspect ratio goes out it reveals the mess around the room. There is a subtle brilliance to all of his songs and skits in Inside.
Honestly, I feel like this song WOULD be fully mocking white women if it weren't for the verse about the mom. That's Bo taking the one dimensional stereotype he's mocking in the song and giving her a deeper, more human side. It's a subversion.
I love how open to interpretation it is. Mine is that the deeper part about her mom changes the context of the entire song into kind of mocking the people who mock “basic white women”. It’s so humanizing and and sends the message these types of “basic” posts could just be someone’s way to try to spread some positivity to help them cope with emotional trauma that many of us carry around so maybe let’s try not to judge people as much. But then simultaneously on the other hand he nails it so hard he’s def poking fun at the posts themselves. All in all it’s an awesome song
The way I saw it, the part of the mother, is that something as serious as that is put in a "pretty instagrammy background", because people expose themselves too much on Instagram for atention. Even the whole special is about isolation and how the Internet seems like the answer but it isn't (welcome to the Internet or sexting, both songs talk about this). Sometimes a parody is actually a parody...
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@@yasamanmansoori2789 Irony is one of the core facets of humor, but it can be difficult to notice when you are already focused on extracting a particular message. You need to be able to exercise flexibility in your thinking, unfortunately, for this reason, i suspect you will never realize the comedic genius of your own comment 😞
I’d like to think that if she didn’t talk over it and paid attention, maybe she’d get it. If not, then that’s kind of sad. It was the main point and the reason Bo is awesome.
The fact that you added photos from your own insta to call yourself out is killing me 😆 Also I think honestly if Bo watched this he would be pleased that you liked the song.
He isnt attacking white women for this. He is attacking how social media has forced their hand moreso, into portraying this stuff and all the happy go lucky times in comparison to the actual stuff that happens in the real world.
THIS! I also feel like the part about the mother, where the video becomes wider for a little bit, is a reflection of this, where the social media aspect of it blends in with real stuff like missing your mother who died.
I don't see any harm he himself is white like it's not bad to just point out the obvious 😅😂 Instagram is not about uniqueness it's about following trends and that's why there's too many "basic" people.
@@creepy-kitty men making fun of women for having interests always feels eh. Though I understand and free that he didn't really mean to make fun of them, because if the ratio shift especially, I get people who don't really see it that way either. The white part is just the part he's specifically targetting here and his own race doesn't really play into it. Its Also weird how Black men will make fun of and mock black women. Them being the same race doesn't make it okay or change how the women feel about it.
The song is about how things aren't just surface level, like how when the aspect ratio changes she's talking about real issues and how her mother died. It's about not judging based of what people (white women) post on Instagram. That's just my opinion tho
like how we clown on people for silly reasons without thinking of the person behind the account as a complex human being with their own pain and problems?
@@thusharanup4906 I think people are saying that people only post the happy stuff on their Instagram, despite going through problems as well, which wouldn’t be posted.
The song made me breakdown, I always made fun of basic white women on instagram, but when he talks about the mom he humanizes the character that made me for once realize that these are normal people doing their best.
I'm so glad someone else notices this part. Many people forget that satire is both serious and silly at the same time. But the seriousness is often to subtle and sublime for people to see, especially when made into a song. In short, I'm so glad you saw that side.
You kinda missed the middle part of the song. He humanised the “white woman” by talking about her post about her mom who passed away. He put a mirror up to the audience who thought they were having a cheap laugh at the expense of the subject of the song. He’s actually making fun of us. Although a lot of social media is very curated and surface level we are all actually people with our own story’s and lives and trauma.
Interesting. Although it's presented as light-hearted entertainment so it's not really surprising that most people miss it if that was the intention. But I do think you might be correct about him portraying both the seemingly superficial and the person behind "trendy" posts.
@@KarlOlofsson I think the fact the screen widens from the Instagram portrait to full widescreen in that part sorta confirms thats the deliberate intention; for a brief moment you're looking at this girl showing real emotion and her real life represented by the entire screen, but then quickly goes back to the Instagram frame afterwards.
" people with our own story’s and lives and trauma", which we use social media to try to suppress, or cover up with idealized performative versions of ourselves
I think the point of this song is (besides making a bit of fun to the whole white woman's instagram trend) is to show that behind all those clichéd posts there are real people, real girls, that have gone through the stuff, bad and good, that real people go through. In this example, the girl lost her parents, and she has struggled to make it in life. She now has a job, an apartment and a boyfriend, which are all things that seem to make her proud. Through these seemingly shallow posts, maybe she finds empowerment, maybe they are just a hobby, or something she does to take her mind off of the things that worry her, who knows? The thing is that judging someone based solely on their IG life is unfair. There's real people behind even the shallowest and the most meaningless of posts, and maybe they are not shallow and meaningless to that person.
Maybe I'm interpreting wrong, but I believe the joke is that she did not lose her parents. It makes us believe by the words used in the post that that is in fact what happened, but in the end when when she says "Momma I love you and give a hug and a kiss to dad." makes me believe they are still alive. I think the commentary is on these grandiose posts that are made in social media but in real life people don't make any effort to be with, talk with, or appreciate the people the posts are being made about. It's all phony and for show.
When Bo is singing the bridge, the frame expands. Instagram has a default 1x1 aspect ratio for posts, so the frame expanding could be interpreted as a metaphor for the woman's life beyond the borders of social media. I think the "give a hug and kiss to dad" part is meant to shock the listener, as not only does it turn out that the woman has lost her mom, but her dad too; hoping that her mom hears her from the other side, she asks her to give a hug and kiss to her dad, something she cannot do herself anymore
But then the frame goes back to the Instagram aspect ratio as he sings about more of himself and what he has achieved, pointing out the insecurities we try to solve through the attention culture of social media. I think intended as a criticism or not, the "empathetic" segment still stands and should stand as empathetic as it shows all the nuance behind the social media character. Even if you think the person's intention is ill-natured, it shows humanity we could all, including bo himself, relate to. And I think passing the message off as just "white woman instagram did nothing wrong" is just as destructive as it denies the harm we can all do to ourselves and our culture as humans.
I know this sounds stupid but this song actually made me feel a bit more sympathy for one of my acquaintances who is quite "performative" in her social media accounts. She does all those things that perplex me about social media use: overtly filtered (and unnecessarily sexual) selfies; enormous amount of heart emojis in almost every comment she writes; group photos where she is calling everyone "the best people ever" (despite ranting about those people in private group chats); couple photos where the boyfriend looks like a scared captive; long, carefully practiced vlogs of everyday matters that seem quite minor to me... I have to admit that I have been quite critical towards her (in my mind) but Bo's song made me reflect whether it's fair to judge someone just based on the fact that they are performative in social media. And that perhaps I should ask her privately "how are you" instead of just criticizing her posts in my head. And sure enough, I found out that the acquaintance's family member has been struggling with serious cancer for some time now and the family has hard time finding money for the treatments. In addition to that, she seems to be struggling with marital and work life issues. So I can not help but feel that her extensive social media use is actually just an escape from the harsh, unfair reality she has had to face in the past three years. I'm still not sure if it is the best coping mechanism but considering all the bad coping mechanisms in the world, it's definitely not the worst one either.
@@basedjack6101 the "give a hug and kiss to Dad" are because they're both dead. And I agree. Maybe she's posting all of it to bring positivity to at least SOMEONE'S life because she knows what it's like to need it.
Hahaha, don't feel hurt. That's not what Bo is trying to do. He's making the point that people can be very performative towards others, which is not necessarily inherently a bad thing but something that can be disingenuous. The real irony here is once again that he feels this way all the time, performing his ''comedy'' (this is also a song from Inside ;)). That's why I also interpret this song as a self-criticism or even humanity-criticism.
The fact that she missed the best part of the song, the part that slaps you in the face and reminds you that there's real people underneath the egotistical and shallow posts, because she was talking about herself is so funny to me. It just means Bo is even more of a genius than we realized
The point of the song is to poke fun at Instagrammers who take their life, and turn it into a consumable commodity for an audience. The song is part of his Netflix show, where he films himself turning his life during the pandemic into a comedy special for an audience. Him doing corny Instagram photos isn't just a bunch of funny image. He is also deeply aware of the fact that what he is doing isn't all that different. It's a self-depricating act of empathy.
@@TaRa0350 I also am a white woman, and I actually really enjoyed the song. Although I don’t really fit the stereotype, and as such enjoy the poking fun from almost an outside perspective, the bridge where the aspect ratio changes is really the most important part. I saw it kind of like this: the 1x1 bits were what these women show to the world on their social medias, fitting a mold and following trends and showcasing the best of themselves and their lives, but outside of that is a life that isn’t so picture-perfect, pun intended. People make very quick judgements of girls who post things like this and assume that they are all shallow and ditzy, while in reality, most face their own personal issues that wouldn’t fit the happy narrative of their profile. By no means is this a revolutionary concept, but it is a genuine statement in the midst of a semi-comedy special. Not all white women are only what is seen online, but some are, and that’s where the joke lies.
Just based off of context from many of his other specials, and interviews I've seen, he's not making fun of regular white girls who do this, but rather the influencers that promote these ridiculous set of standards that other women feel they need to copy, in order to feel a sense of online validation. There are good things about the internet, like true human connection and empathy, but Bo does enjoy challenging people's minds. He wants others to really think about how, and why, they present themselves the way they do online :P
This is accurate in my opinion not how the white girl with Instagram is suffering but all have suffering but social media tries to say they are better than you. Why are you so pathetic compared to themm
The bridge of the song (the bit that's not him saying white women's Instagram but has a different melody) is what makes it not mocking. He's revealing there's more to her than the photos she posts. Even the scene expands, to literally show the "more of her" angle.
If you listen to his other songs there is a lot of social commentary. So yes, this isn’t just about a white woman’s instagram even if that’s the literal title. In context its social commentary about millennials and life in the 21st Century.
I think the best thing about the song is it isn’t even a malicious attack on white women on Instagram, it’s just stating that it can all be a bit samey. Which is probably fair
I actually love how you can laugh about being a "basic white girl." You like what you like but you acknowledge that youre kind of a meme. Shows emotional maturity in my opinion.
You're such a good sport, I wondered how people who actually did some of this would act, and although I can get the frustration, the fact you found the humour in it was amazing (even with pics from your own insta) Keep up the good content
i love that youre unapologetically a "basic white woman" !! i love when people decide that they wont let other people restrict them from being what they want
I have seen a LOT of react videos in the last couple years and this is by far one of the funniest I've seen. Your ability to take it all in stride is great and the addition of your own insta photos was priceless. Truly had me LMAO 🎃
I mean He's giving us a chance to laugh at "silly basic white girls", but also provides some depth with the part of the mom's photo. Making us realize these basic white girls are still human and they've gone through hardship too
I feel the song turns very sympathetic to the "white woman's Instagram" in the middle. He takes this break, showing something truly sad, moving and emotional about this character he is making fun of. Making us feel for her. And then goes back to making fun of her. That middle part about her mum was truly moving.
I kinda feel like this was a little love letter to white women’s instgram. Yes, it kinda points out some similarities with all of em, but I didn’t see him explain it in a negative connotation. He even kept saying, “is this heaven, or is it a white woman’s instagram?” He seems like a fan haha.
I think he’s commentating on the overproduced consummerism and fake personas people put on on social media, but at the same time underlines how under each of those is a very real very emotional person with their myriad of issues. So also commentary on mental health and depression etc.
The "dreamcatcher bought from urban outfitters" is more abt how they get the dreamcatcher just for the aesthetic and didn't get it from a native american distributer. Cause its even less respectful.
@@avantikamathur4387 That's exactly the problem. They're a part of native american culture that has been taken so far from its culture for comercial purposes. It's not just a thing to decorate with. It serves a legitimate purpose in traditional beliefs. Native Americans werent allowed to speak their languages or practice their faith well into the 70s. Still to this day, they're treated horribly while white people repeatedly exploit them, their land, and their culture for money.
This might be the funniest video i've watched in a long time. The fact that you put in photos of your own instagram account to show the similarities has me WHEEZING!
I know this was 1 year ago, but I've been on a Bo Burnham reaction binge. I just wanted to say that I love you posted your own Instagram photos. 10/10. Great video
Oh my God, I love you!! You have me crying with laughter with your own Instagram comparisons and your facial expressions. Amaaaazing. And the dreamcatcher!!! *dead*. This is the best reaction I've seen to this video.
Props to you for doing this and for posting it, and for your honest reactions. Looks like Bo got some of his best ideas for this video from looking through your IG channel. It’s really kind of a compliment! :)
I'm guilty of the pumpkins, latte foam art, the rainbow on the face, & especially the light & shadow coming through the blinds/curtains (that's one of my favorites lol!)
Ah, watching this I was so sad that she missed the most important part of this song - the widening of the frame as Burnham describes the post where the generic 'white woman' posts about missing her late mum, and about how much she wishes she could share with her all of her accomplishments since her mum died - being in a relationship with a guy she's crazy about, having a great job and her own apartment... and then she reveals her dad has died too. I am sure Ellierose has re-watched and caught this but I would have loved to have seen her reaction the first time.
Love how the aspect ratio of the video changes as you getting a wider perspective, it's narrow while it's all "typical white girls IG" until you go beneath just the surface of what you see and understand why.
Keep in mind of the wordplay in the chorus.... "Is this heaven, or is it just a White Woman's Instagram". The idea being that what white women put on Instagram is like cherubs pointing out to the mythical Greeks what heaven could be, Sure it's also a dig on white women overextending what they want in this regard, but it's also a hopeful wish for what could be,
The first time I ever heard the bridge I literally started to uncontrollably bawl because I just wasn’t expecting that emotion in the song. The fact that she didn’t even go “aww” during that part makes me wonder if she’s a sociopath lol
I'm sure some may have already pointed this out, but this song/ video is not about attacking you - or white women; but about all of our unhealthy fixation and damaging investment in social-media. The entire film (which people really should see) centers on a warped sense of priorities & identity around social-media. A lot of it will make you laugh. A lot of it will make you cringe (in recognition of yourself and others). Some might make you cry. But, it's all worthwhile.
This is hilarious. That being said, we are all on a rock hurtling through space towards an uncertain end whilst society slowly collapses around us. If posting artful pictures of tiny pumpkins gives you some joy in this small existence, embrace your basicness and bloody well enjoy it!
BO BURNHAM is a comedian, musician, actor, film director, screenwriter, and poet. Over all a talented individual. It was tragic when he had to leave the world of comedy due to his panic and anxiety attacks. This song is taken from his new Netflix's special "Inside", it is an in-depth look into his mind, life, and tragic disorder.
Bro are you giving a fucking SUMMARY of the whole special inside the comment section of a reaction video to one of the songs in the special? Are you an aspiring comedic journalist or something? Put this on your blog lmao
I love Bo Burnham, and the song is meant to be a comedy. But it is a bit odd that if you did this same song about another ethnicity, people would be up in arms. The reality is, no one should feel ashamed for their skin color and their culture - period.
This song still makes me laugh and then absolutely cry my eyes out. I lost my mom a couple years before Bo put this out. I absolutely crumbled the first time I heard it, still gets me
the way the camera aspect pulls out of the instagram 4:3 frame into widescreen as the content of the lyrics transfers from social media bs to a post about real life and her passed mother is breathtaking and tearjerking, plus as she begins to brag about herself and her boyfriend the camera ratio shrinks back down to match the context. Bo's editing is genius
others have pointed out in the comments already that its not really an attack on the white women on instagram but the fact that so many hidw behind their performances. its all surface level performance till she talks about her mom. and as she opens up about her real feelings so does the aspect ratio. and as soon as she starts bragging about her perfect life the aspect ratio goes back to the Instagram look. (btw, love your video!)
First time hearing the song. Why cry in the bathroom, throw on your Snuggie, some Taylor Swift and pour a glass of Pinot... it'll be ok. Seriously though, your feigned insult was endearing and the sarcasm... palpable, well done! Subbed, but mostly because you love TPR.
she’s like “damn these are all good ideas”
Hell yeah, gonna be seeing everything on my Instagram now
@@EllieroseReacts 😆😆 nice
@@EllieroseReacts 😂
😂😂
Lmao yeah 😆
The fact that she has the exact posts is so funny and the dream catcher lmao
Right? I was crying lmao
You’re actually asking for attention for making fun of yourself….. this world is doomed.
The 3 cacti got me pretty hard
@@DDDDdJagr and I'm watching it FML
I was physically laughing hysterically. She is a good sport tho. Kudos to her.
"I'm frustrated, I'm annoyed, I'm hurt, I feel attacked, kinda want to listen to it again."
how the hell do you have 2.2K likes but one reply
@@labyrinthine444 Had no idea I'd gotten that many likes:D
as james acaster once said, "never before have i been so offended by something i 100% agree with"
Sorry if someone else said it, but I’d point out that when the camera frame is that 1x1 instgram frame, he is doing all that shallow “basic” stuff that this song is making fun of. But when she starts talking about real stuff, missing her mom, the frame expands- indicating that there is more to her as a human. Then the frame reduces again when she returns to the stereotypical character. This is much more a commentary on social media than white women.
Big cudos to you for your sense of humor about the stereotype 😄
Oh god that made me tear up
It's also visually represented in the bridge. When the aspect ratio goes out it reveals the mess around the room. There is a subtle brilliance to all of his songs and skits in Inside.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one that noticed the clever use of aspect ratio.
Ah that's perfect. I can't believe I missed that. I wonder what other things I missed.
.u.n.n,
Honestly, I feel like this song WOULD be fully mocking white women if it weren't for the verse about the mom. That's Bo taking the one dimensional stereotype he's mocking in the song and giving her a deeper, more human side. It's a subversion.
I love how open to interpretation it is. Mine is that the deeper part about her mom changes the context of the entire song into kind of mocking the people who mock “basic white women”. It’s so humanizing and and sends the message these types of “basic” posts could just be someone’s way to try to spread some positivity to help them cope with emotional trauma that many of us carry around so maybe let’s try not to judge people as much.
But then simultaneously on the other hand he nails it so hard he’s def poking fun at the posts themselves. All in all it’s an awesome song
The way I saw it, the part of the mother, is that something as serious as that is put in a "pretty instagrammy background", because people expose themselves too much on Instagram for atention. Even the whole special is about isolation and how the Internet seems like the answer but it isn't (welcome to the Internet or sexting, both songs talk about this). Sometimes a parody is actually a parody...
@@foliveira1632 No, it's a parody with a subversion.
@@DroseraNara oh really did Bo told you? That's your take, not mine
@@foliveira1632 Yeah we got dinner after your lunch with him :/ you don't know shit either
You literally had exact ones, I’m cryingggg 😭😂💀
So attacked 😂😂😂
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The fact she totally missed emotional turn/best part of the song, might be the most white woman's youtube thing I've ever see.
Lol
True. The song carries so much more within than just "making fun" of white women and Bo doesn't even do that in a super mean way.
I was literally waiting for her reaction to that part!
@@yasamanmansoori2789 I dont think that was the message, but good try.
@@yasamanmansoori2789 Irony is one of the core facets of humor, but it can be difficult to notice when you are already focused on extracting a particular message. You need to be able to exercise flexibility in your thinking, unfortunately, for this reason, i suspect you will never realize the comedic genius of your own comment 😞
the fact that she missed one of the strongest points in the vid is kinda perfect in the context
What?
@@barbaramoraes2756 I maybe wrong but I think it this 2:35
@@ricksanchez3571
no she missed the bridge, the verse about her mom and missing her, she was talking over the hardest hitting lines.
makes me think she done that intentionally
I’d like to think that if she didn’t talk over it and paid attention, maybe she’d get it. If not, then that’s kind of sad. It was the main point and the reason Bo is awesome.
Bo is technically correct, the best kind of correct.
I see a Futurama reference, I upvote
There are others like me??
And this is a futurama reference the best kind of reference
Bo Bureaucrat, rank 6.9
"Alright, cool, I'm gonna go cry in the bathroom" Is basically the entire "Inside" special. xD
As soon as I saw the plastic leaves in the background I said "oh no luv...he's talking about you 😰" 🤣 I mean this respectfully!!!
Same dude same
The fact that you added photos from your own insta to call yourself out is killing me 😆 Also I think honestly if Bo watched this he would be pleased that you liked the song.
I agree, I think he never wants to hurt anyone's feelings and would be relieved she took the observations as funny, not mean spirited.
Pretty sure Bo skimmed over her instagram for his research on the song.
He isnt attacking white women for this. He is attacking how social media has forced their hand moreso, into portraying this stuff and all the happy go lucky times in comparison to the actual stuff that happens in the real world.
THIS! I also feel like the part about the mother, where the video becomes wider for a little bit, is a reflection of this, where the social media aspect of it blends in with real stuff like missing your mother who died.
He’s definitely mocking attention whores
Nah he was defs attacking white women
I don't see any harm he himself is white like it's not bad to just point out the obvious 😅😂 Instagram is not about uniqueness it's about following trends and that's why there's too many "basic" people.
@@creepy-kitty men making fun of women for having interests always feels eh. Though I understand and free that he didn't really mean to make fun of them, because if the ratio shift especially, I get people who don't really see it that way either.
The white part is just the part he's specifically targetting here and his own race doesn't really play into it. Its Also weird how Black men will make fun of and mock black women. Them being the same race doesn't make it okay or change how the women feel about it.
The song is about how things aren't just surface level, like how when the aspect ratio changes she's talking about real issues and how her mother died. It's about not judging based of what people (white women) post on Instagram. That's just my opinion tho
Yeah, you're right, there's another level a lot of viewers aren't getting. Which is okay, it's just... incomplete.
like how we clown on people for silly reasons without thinking of the person behind the account as a complex human being with their own pain and problems?
@@thusharanup4906 I think people are saying that people only post the happy stuff on their Instagram, despite going through problems as well, which wouldn’t be posted.
@@thusharanup4906 I'm surprise people arnt doing that here which is a nice surprise.
I thought it was amazing you put in your own matching Instagram posts and helped call yourself out 😂😂
definitely the best part. if you can laugh at yourself, no joke is truly at your "expense."
What are you doing korean lol listen k-pop bro
Dang, you have the whitest name ever
@@quizzlerprofessor It's the internet. Anyone can listen to and watch anything. I'm Korean and I don't listen to K-Pop.
@@quizzlerprofessor this is a really weird comment
"I'm frustrated, I'm annoyed, I'm hurt, I feel attacked... Kinda wanna listen to it again."
Best response ever. xD
I think that's the trademark of good art
The song made me breakdown, I always made fun of basic white women on instagram, but when he talks about the mom he humanizes the character that made me for once realize that these are normal people doing their best.
I'm so glad someone else notices this part. Many people forget that satire is both serious and silly at the same time. But the seriousness is often to subtle and sublime for people to see, especially when made into a song. In short,
I'm so glad you saw that side.
🤣 I haven't laughed that hard in a while. Pause the video.... I didn't get that from Urban Outfitters!! 😂
You kinda missed the middle part of the song.
He humanised the “white woman” by talking about her post about her mom who passed away.
He put a mirror up to the audience who thought they were having a cheap laugh at the expense of the subject of the song. He’s actually making fun of us.
Although a lot of social media is very curated and surface level we are all actually people with our own story’s and lives and trauma.
Interesting. Although it's presented as light-hearted entertainment so it's not really surprising that most people miss it if that was the intention. But I do think you might be correct about him portraying both the seemingly superficial and the person behind "trendy" posts.
Bo did what you said here PREFECTLY..he is a fucking genius
@@KarlOlofsson I think the fact the screen widens from the Instagram portrait to full widescreen in that part sorta confirms thats the deliberate intention; for a brief moment you're looking at this girl showing real emotion and her real life represented by the entire screen, but then quickly goes back to the Instagram frame afterwards.
@@MrSquare yeah exactly.
" people with our own story’s and lives and trauma", which we use social media to try to suppress, or cover up with idealized performative versions of ourselves
That very specific “fffff-“ after he comes out from the hanging plants is just the funniest thing to me.
I think the point of this song is (besides making a bit of fun to the whole white woman's instagram trend) is to show that behind all those clichéd posts there are real people, real girls, that have gone through the stuff, bad and good, that real people go through. In this example, the girl lost her parents, and she has struggled to make it in life. She now has a job, an apartment and a boyfriend, which are all things that seem to make her proud. Through these seemingly shallow posts, maybe she finds empowerment, maybe they are just a hobby, or something she does to take her mind off of the things that worry her, who knows? The thing is that judging someone based solely on their IG life is unfair. There's real people behind even the shallowest and the most meaningless of posts, and maybe they are not shallow and meaningless to that person.
Maybe I'm interpreting wrong, but I believe the joke is that she did not lose her parents. It makes us believe by the words used in the post that that is in fact what happened, but in the end when when she says "Momma I love you and give a hug and a kiss to dad." makes me believe they are still alive. I think the commentary is on these grandiose posts that are made in social media but in real life people don't make any effort to be with, talk with, or appreciate the people the posts are being made about. It's all phony and for show.
When Bo is singing the bridge, the frame expands. Instagram has a default 1x1 aspect ratio for posts, so the frame expanding could be interpreted as a metaphor for the woman's life beyond the borders of social media. I think the "give a hug and kiss to dad" part is meant to shock the listener, as not only does it turn out that the woman has lost her mom, but her dad too; hoping that her mom hears her from the other side, she asks her to give a hug and kiss to her dad, something she cannot do herself anymore
But then the frame goes back to the Instagram aspect ratio as he sings about more of himself and what he has achieved, pointing out the insecurities we try to solve through the attention culture of social media. I think intended as a criticism or not, the "empathetic" segment still stands and should stand as empathetic as it shows all the nuance behind the social media character. Even if you think the person's intention is ill-natured, it shows humanity we could all, including bo himself, relate to. And I think passing the message off as just "white woman instagram did nothing wrong" is just as destructive as it denies the harm we can all do to ourselves and our culture as humans.
I know this sounds stupid but this song actually made me feel a bit more sympathy for one of my acquaintances who is quite "performative" in her social media accounts. She does all those things that perplex me about social media use: overtly filtered (and unnecessarily sexual) selfies; enormous amount of heart emojis in almost every comment she writes; group photos where she is calling everyone "the best people ever" (despite ranting about those people in private group chats); couple photos where the boyfriend looks like a scared captive; long, carefully practiced vlogs of everyday matters that seem quite minor to me...
I have to admit that I have been quite critical towards her (in my mind) but Bo's song made me reflect whether it's fair to judge someone just based on the fact that they are performative in social media. And that perhaps I should ask her privately "how are you" instead of just criticizing her posts in my head.
And sure enough, I found out that the acquaintance's family member has been struggling with serious cancer for some time now and the family has hard time finding money for the treatments. In addition to that, she seems to be struggling with marital and work life issues.
So I can not help but feel that her extensive social media use is actually just an escape from the harsh, unfair reality she has had to face in the past three years. I'm still not sure if it is the best coping mechanism but considering all the bad coping mechanisms in the world, it's definitely not the worst one either.
@@basedjack6101 the "give a hug and kiss to Dad" are because they're both dead.
And I agree. Maybe she's posting all of it to bring positivity to at least SOMEONE'S life because she knows what it's like to need it.
I love how you added examples from your own ig. lol
I absolutely love you having humor about it with posting your own pics within the video. Got a good chuckle out of me.
Ok, those actual instagram screens just broke me. :D :D
Hahaha, don't feel hurt. That's not what Bo is trying to do. He's making the point that people can be very performative towards others, which is not necessarily inherently a bad thing but something that can be disingenuous. The real irony here is once again that he feels this way all the time, performing his ''comedy'' (this is also a song from Inside ;)). That's why I also interpret this song as a self-criticism or even humanity-criticism.
Made so much better by you playing "bingo" with it! ;)
The fact that she missed the best part of the song, the part that slaps you in the face and reminds you that there's real people underneath the egotistical and shallow posts, because she was talking about herself is so funny to me. It just means Bo is even more of a genius than we realized
The point of the song is to poke fun at Instagrammers who take their life, and turn it into a consumable commodity for an audience.
The song is part of his Netflix show, where he films himself turning his life during the pandemic into a comedy special for an audience.
Him doing corny Instagram photos isn't just a bunch of funny image. He is also deeply aware of the fact that what he is doing isn't all that different. It's a self-depricating act of empathy.
@@TaRa0350 I also am a white woman, and I actually really enjoyed the song. Although I don’t really fit the stereotype, and as such enjoy the poking fun from almost an outside perspective, the bridge where the aspect ratio changes is really the most important part. I saw it kind of like this: the 1x1 bits were what these women show to the world on their social medias, fitting a mold and following trends and showcasing the best of themselves and their lives, but outside of that is a life that isn’t so picture-perfect, pun intended. People make very quick judgements of girls who post things like this and assume that they are all shallow and ditzy, while in reality, most face their own personal issues that wouldn’t fit the happy narrative of their profile. By no means is this a revolutionary concept, but it is a genuine statement in the midst of a semi-comedy special. Not all white women are only what is seen online, but some are, and that’s where the joke lies.
what’s the netflix show called
@@thatlizzu8315 inside
You have a great sense of humor!! I love that you included matching pics from your insta
Just based off of context from many of his other specials, and interviews I've seen, he's not making fun of regular white girls who do this, but rather the influencers that promote these ridiculous set of standards that other women feel they need to copy, in order to feel a sense of online validation.
There are good things about the internet, like true human connection and empathy, but Bo does enjoy challenging people's minds. He wants others to really think about how, and why, they present themselves the way they do online :P
Nah he's definitely making fun of white women
This is accurate in my opinion not how the white girl with Instagram is suffering but all have suffering but social media tries to say they are better than you. Why are you so pathetic compared to themm
The bridge of the song (the bit that's not him saying white women's Instagram but has a different melody) is what makes it not mocking. He's revealing there's more to her than the photos she posts. Even the scene expands, to literally show the "more of her" angle.
If you listen to his other songs there is a lot of social commentary. So yes, this isn’t just about a white woman’s instagram even if that’s the literal title. In context its social commentary about millennials and life in the 21st Century.
If the vines in your background weren't planned...this is gold!
He had me at coffee table made out of drift wood 😂😂❤️where he get you ladies be honest? 😂❤️ Because he can sing it works 🤣🤣
I think the best thing about the song is it isn’t even a malicious attack on white women on Instagram, it’s just stating that it can all be a bit samey. Which is probably fair
Social media pumping out clones
And the same to hide the pain
That glance you gave when Bo emerged from the leaves…I am so here for that.
It’s great when people can have a laugh and make fun of themselves. Liked and Subscribed.
Nobody:
Absolutely no one:
Bill: Gym xx
Xx?
i was gonna post this exact comment
When he peaks through the leaves and her whole background is leaves... the look on her face.. I died. Lmfao
I fucking love that you showed photos that were similar to what he was singing about. fantastic stuff
I actually love how you can laugh about being a "basic white girl." You like what you like but you acknowledge that youre kind of a meme. Shows emotional maturity in my opinion.
You're such a good sport, I wondered how people who actually did some of this would act, and although I can get the frustration, the fact you found the humour in it was amazing (even with pics from your own insta) Keep up the good content
i love that youre unapologetically a "basic white woman" !! i love when people decide that they wont let other people restrict them from being what they want
I have seen a LOT of react videos in the last couple years and this is by far one of the funniest I've seen. Your ability to take it all in stride is great and the addition of your own insta photos was priceless. Truly had me LMAO 🎃
I love how you added photos to the video gave me a good laugh.
You adding the corresponding insta pic to the song was great. I laughed at it more because of that.
I mean
He's giving us a chance to laugh at "silly basic white girls", but also provides some depth with the part of the mom's photo. Making us realize these basic white girls are still human and they've gone through hardship too
Lol, this was delightful. The addition of the personal examples really elevated this a ton for me. Thanks for sharing!
I feel the song turns very sympathetic to the "white woman's Instagram" in the middle. He takes this break, showing something truly sad, moving and emotional about this character he is making fun of. Making us feel for her. And then goes back to making fun of her. That middle part about her mum was truly moving.
I'm so happy that this is so positive i thought this was going to be a rant video or something, it made me smile throughout the whole video
I kinda feel like this was a little love letter to white women’s instgram. Yes, it kinda points out some similarities with all of em, but I didn’t see him explain it in a negative connotation. He even kept saying, “is this heaven, or is it a white woman’s instagram?” He seems like a fan haha.
well do you know what sarcasm is
I think he’s commentating on the overproduced consummerism and fake personas people put on on social media, but at the same time underlines how under each of those is a very real very emotional person with their myriad of issues. So also commentary on mental health and depression etc.
I thought that he was comparing it to heaven because the instagram only portrays an unrealistically good version of life
No.
He’s kinda mocking it
The "dreamcatcher bought from urban outfitters" is more abt how they get the dreamcatcher just for the aesthetic and didn't get it from a native american distributer. Cause its even less respectful.
wait disrespectful to what? how could getting something to just look pretty be disrespectful
Dream catchers are sold everywhere tho. Strange I didn’t even know it was Native American. Literally street vendors sell them in the hills in India
@@friedegg3732 it's cultural appropriation
@@avantikamathur4387 That's exactly the problem. They're a part of native american culture that has been taken so far from its culture for comercial purposes. It's not just a thing to decorate with. It serves a legitimate purpose in traditional beliefs. Native Americans werent allowed to speak their languages or practice their faith well into the 70s. Still to this day, they're treated horribly while white people repeatedly exploit them, their land, and their culture for money.
@@friedegg3732 Because is not decour
Let's all be honest, Bo looked amazing in those photos.
This might be the funniest video i've watched in a long time. The fact that you put in photos of your own instagram account to show the similarities has me WHEEZING!
Your response was great. You were humble, mature and you owned it.
I know this was 1 year ago, but I've been on a Bo Burnham reaction binge. I just wanted to say that I love you posted your own Instagram photos. 10/10. Great video
I love how the part about the passed dad and message to the mother went right over her head.
Yep. Completely
Oh my God, I love you!! You have me crying with laughter with your own Instagram comparisons and your facial expressions. Amaaaazing. And the dreamcatcher!!! *dead*. This is the best reaction I've seen to this video.
Thank you for the reaction. Your ability to laugh with this joke has gained you at least 1 sub.
This was perfect! LOL Thank you for this. Amazing how on point he was abut also your reactions to being called out.
Props to you for doing this and for posting it, and for your honest reactions.
Looks like Bo got some of his best ideas for this video from looking through your IG channel. It’s really kind of a compliment! :)
I'm guilty of the pumpkins, latte foam art, the rainbow on the face, & especially the light & shadow coming through the blinds/curtains (that's one of my favorites lol!)
Ah, watching this I was so sad that she missed the most important part of this song - the widening of the frame as Burnham describes the post where the generic 'white woman' posts about missing her late mum, and about how much she wishes she could share with her all of her accomplishments since her mum died - being in a relationship with a guy she's crazy about, having a great job and her own apartment... and then she reveals her dad has died too. I am sure Ellierose has re-watched and caught this but I would have loved to have seen her reaction the first time.
3:58 the message from Bill: "Gym xx", while Bo is reading, I thought wait, I missed that in the movie!
Bo Burnham: "Starts singing about mothers death."
Ellie: choses now to start dancing
Bruh, no matter how many times I watch or listen to this song, I get all teared up during the 'bigger picture' lyrics
showing pics from your own ig was really funny :))
How nice to see that you're taking this in a mature way and smiling about it 👍🤞
The real problem is when it gets stuck in your head uncalled for.
I love how you lose it when you see him in front of the mirror! You're great! Loved your reaction!
That elongated bridge around the middle of the song is proof he isn't just being mean, he is trying to make a point
Love how the aspect ratio of the video changes as you getting a wider perspective, it's narrow while it's all "typical white girls IG" until you go beneath just the surface of what you see and understand why.
Keep in mind of the wordplay in the chorus.... "Is this heaven, or is it just a White Woman's Instagram". The idea being that what white women put on Instagram is like cherubs pointing out to the mythical Greeks what heaven could be, Sure it's also a dig on white women overextending what they want in this regard, but it's also a hopeful wish for what could be,
Bo pushes through a bunch of ivy, and everyone watching immediately shifts their gaze to the background. rofl
big respect for admitting and being cool about it and not hating on someone who is so good at what he does very mature
Nah...too self absorbed to get the gold
I love this song, and seeing "basic white girl" social media posts is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine! 😂
This song is amazing 😂 I’m obsessed hahah
Love the bo videos
"I didnt get it from Urban Outfitters" LMAOOOO Seeing all of your comparisons is killing me
"I don't like avocados" tell me you're white without telling me you're white
The first time I ever heard the bridge I literally started to uncontrollably bawl because I just wasn’t expecting that emotion in the song. The fact that she didn’t even go “aww” during that part makes me wonder if she’s a sociopath lol
I don't think she heard it, she was talking over it...
Missed the meaning of the interlude about her being an orphan and that she is more than the false instagram persona.
I'm sure some may have already pointed this out, but this song/ video is not about attacking you - or white women; but about all of our unhealthy fixation and damaging investment in social-media. The entire film (which people really should see) centers on a warped sense of priorities & identity around social-media.
A lot of it will make you laugh. A lot of it will make you cringe (in recognition of yourself and others). Some might make you cry. But, it's all worthwhile.
This is hilarious.
That being said, we are all on a rock hurtling through space towards an uncertain end whilst society slowly collapses around us. If posting artful pictures of tiny pumpkins gives you some joy in this small existence, embrace your basicness and bloody well enjoy it!
“Self awareness doesn’t absolve you of anything”
BO BURNHAM is a comedian, musician, actor, film director, screenwriter, and poet. Over all a talented individual. It was tragic when he had to leave the world of comedy due to his panic and anxiety attacks. This song is taken from his new Netflix's special "Inside", it is an in-depth look into his mind, life, and tragic disorder.
Bro are you giving a fucking SUMMARY of the whole special inside the comment section of a reaction video to one of the songs in the special? Are you an aspiring comedic journalist or something? Put this on your blog lmao
The fact that you felt attacked but still found it funny and enjoyable. Good on you!
I love Bo Burnham, and the song is meant to be a comedy. But it is a bit odd that if you did this same song about another ethnicity, people would be up in arms. The reality is, no one should feel ashamed for their skin color and their culture - period.
You should make a post about it on Instagram…
"I don't like avocados"
Not gonna lie I almost clicked away
This song still makes me laugh and then absolutely cry my eyes out. I lost my mom a couple years before Bo put this out. I absolutely crumbled the first time I heard it, still gets me
the way the camera aspect pulls out of the instagram 4:3 frame into widescreen as the content of the lyrics transfers from social media bs to a post about real life and her passed mother is breathtaking and tearjerking, plus as she begins to brag about herself and her boyfriend the camera ratio shrinks back down to match the context. Bo's editing is genius
You saw that as bragging?
I thought that was the saddest part 'you'd be so proud of me, but you'll never see it now...'
@@nicolab2075 that’s also a valid interpretation
Love the inclusion of your similar posts. Really brings out the humor.
I love how Ellie is so chill about this
I also felt attacked, but like you, I loved the humour and the song
others have pointed out in the comments already that its not really an attack on the white women on instagram but the fact that so many hidw behind their performances. its all surface level performance till she talks about her mom. and as she opens up about her real feelings so does the aspect ratio. and as soon as she starts bragging about her perfect life the aspect ratio goes back to the Instagram look. (btw, love your video!)
Then back slowly to the full screen border as he talks about real life, then snap back to the IG square. Epic.
Bo Burnham and Brooklyn 99 references.. subbed!
The fact that you showed your own instagram posts made this so much better 😂
First time hearing the song. Why cry in the bathroom, throw on your Snuggie, some Taylor Swift and pour a glass of Pinot... it'll be ok. Seriously though, your feigned insult was endearing and the sarcasm... palpable, well done! Subbed, but mostly because you love TPR.
OMG, I almost forgot the BATH BOMBS... the "white woman" cure all for any occasion!
LOL great reaction…. Your honesty was great. And that is the first step to recovery lol
4:20 when people find out their existence is a meme
i like how you put posts from your instagram, it makes the video a lot more fun to watch
I LOVE that you put up your own posts in the corner, good for you, lol!!!