# Buttcrack montage: social commentary or cyberbullying? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 25, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989 "2014-04-25T20:54:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/21 "2014-04-26T05:29:14Z")
You guys go to the store and see people in various stages of undress that make you want to gouge your eyes out, and then leave five minutes later. I go to people’s houses, see them in various stages of even more undressed, and I have to do that all day long. And it’s never a pretty girl. It’s always an unwashed guy who is sporting a massive bush and his drawers and pants (pulled all the way up to his knees) nowhere near where they should be. I have lost count of the number of people who come to the door with the top of their pants literally below the bottom of their shorts, and their shorts are not waist-high either. On a good day, you have the elderly woman whose teats are down to her belly button, no bra, and wearing a night gown that is far too see through for me to think it’s by mistake. If you guys ever take a pill for erectile dysfunction and get a stiffie that lasts more than a few hours, come with me, and I will show you how to make that sucker droop softly once more. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/22 "2014-04-26T05:34:32Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > If you guys ever take a pill for erectile dysfunction I think everyone will _need_ them after your post. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/23 "2014-04-26T06:46:33Z")
Cat pee that you can smell down by the mailbox at the curb, a good 50 feet from the house. That’s all I have to say about some of your houses. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/24 "2014-04-26T07:17:28Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > Pointing out someone’s short comings seldom has the desired affect of encouraging anyone to actually change their behavior. Especially when “pointing out” means “making fun.” If the guy didn’t expect to be banned, then he’s even more socially clueless than the rest. As an echo to **Incubus** ’s response: the guy making the videos can’t have it both ways either. He publicly made fun of a bunch of people, so he can’t insist that those people don’t react, or that others don’t take their side. No organizer wants to have his tournaments or cons be the place where people are worried about being photographed in unflattering situations. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/25 "2014-04-26T13:27:32Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > For them to complain about it re: cyberbullying suggests they are self aware (at least now anyway 😛 ) to know their butts are exposed. If they knew that, why wouldn’t they pull their damn pants up? > > You can’t have it both ways. If you want to be an unkempt neckbeard, don’t get butthurt people might make fun of you. If it would bother you to get teased for looking like a slob you’d think you’d put some effort to avoid looking too stereotypical. I don’t think that’s how it works. No one likes to be made the butt of a joke. Doesn’t really matter how self-confident you are. Let’s say you buy a pair of _interesting_ shoes that you really like. A guy takes your photo and plasters it on the internet, so that everyone can laugh at the dude with the “retarded” shoes. I’m not thinking you’d appreciate this. You might even be a little butthurt. But I’m also not thinking you’d throw the shoes away. In this guy’s (weird) minds, maybe their sloppiness is _their_ _interesting_ style. The montage is kind of creepy to me. Funny, but creepy. I’m guessing that somewhere else in the universe, a woman is doing the same montage at a predominately female convention, except with visible panty line. That too would also be creepy. But I’d find it funny too (even though I have fallen victim to the dreaded VPL before and it doesn’t bother me…though I do try to avoid it when I can). ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/26 "2014-04-26T15:22:08Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > When guys get together and don’t think they’ll see many girls, are buttcracks common? Based on my extensive research at The Stud Bar, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/27 "2014-04-26T16:19:44Z")
My takeaway from this is that we would now be expected to regard that kid who pointed out that the Emperor was wearing no clothes as a bully. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/28 "2014-04-26T16:33:29Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I don’t think that’s how it works. No one likes to be made the butt of a joke. Doesn’t really matter how self-confident you are. Let’s say you buy a pair of _interesting_ shoes that you really like. A guy takes your photo and plasters it on the internet, so that everyone can laugh at the dude with the “retarded” shoes. I’m not thinking you’d appreciate this. You might even be a little butthurt. But I’m also not thinking you’d throw the shoes away. In this guy’s (weird) minds, maybe their sloppiness is _their_ _interesting_ style. However, having exposed butt crack is a faux pas. This isn’t having goofy looking shoes- and its not like it was just one guy that forgot to pull up his pants- there are a LOT of people that seem to be clueless about this. Most, if not all the people are photographed from the back and you can’t see their face, so unless you recognize people by their asscrack, you’re not going to see one of these neckbeards on the street and suddenly say, “Hey, you were in photo #3 of that buttcrack montage!”. To be wearing interesting shoes indicates you are doing it on purpose, and are unlikely to be butthurt over other people’s unfavorable responses- what do you care about the opinions of strangers if you like your shoes? But these guys aren’t flaunting their asscracks as a fashion statement- they are doing it because they are too slovenly to pull up their pants. When I am in a public space, I have the self awareness to know that if I walk out of the bathroom with a piece of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of my shoe, forget to zip up my pants zipper, or slouch in a way that makes my stomach pooch out somebody might take notice and poke fun of me. So I try to make it a point to remember to zip my fly, check my shoes, and stand up straight. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/29 "2014-04-26T16:53:27Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > Cat pee that you can smell down by the mailbox at the curb, a good 50 feet from the house. > > That’s all I have to say about some of your houses. FTR my parents have this tree in their front flower bed that smells like cat pee. It’s awful! For a while we thought it was a cat peeing in the mulch but no, it’s the tree. Parents don’t have cats at all. Just sayin. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/30 "2014-04-26T17:08:01Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > FTR my parents have this tree in their front flower bed that smells like cat pee. It’s awful! For a while we thought it was a cat peeing in the mulch but no, it’s the tree. Parents don’t have cats at all. > > Just sayin. You have a point, but I also want to add that most people that smell bad seem pretty unaware of it. My wife and I are the type of people that are self-conscious that we _might_ smell bad, so our showering/grooming habits are very rigorous. But other people don’t seem to get the association. At my job I deal with homeless people all the time. Often they smell terrible, but in their defense its a product of being _unable to find a place to take a shower regularly_ and often being physically disabled (wheelchair bound). They reek, but they often can’t do much about it unfortunately ☹ Some neckbeard that lives in his parent’s basement and can afford to put together a competitive MtG deck _is_ capable of showering regularly, however, so simply being oblivious to their own stench is no excuse. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/31 "2014-04-26T17:08:20Z")
> [@Incubus](#): > > When I am in a public space, I have the self awareness to know that if I walk out of the bathroom with a piece of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of my shoe, forget to zip up my pants zipper, or slouch in a way that makes my stomach pooch out somebody might take notice and poke fun of me. So I try to make it a point to remember to zip my fly, check my shoes, and stand up straight. There are ladies in my workplace that make fun of my ugly shoes and cheap Target accessories. I’m sure they think I lack self-awareness, to dare to walk around dressed like a **monstro**. Sometimes I take it all good-naturedly. I laugh and come up with a snappy comeback. Sometimes it irritates me, and I roll my eyes at the bitches and mentally give them the finger. And then sometimes it hurts and I walk away speechless. But when they hurt my feelings, do I rush out and buy nicer shoes and buy nicer jewelry? No. Because I like my style. IMHO, there’s nothing wrong with the way I look. These chubby geek guys obviously like their style. Maybe if they were posting here, they’d say that 5 days of the week, they conform to societal norms and concern themselves over trivialities like asscrack. But on the weekend, when they are just having a good time amongst friends, it ranks low on their priority list. They shouldn’t have to worry about keeping up appearances at a geeky event. Only “mundanes” do stuff like this. Not saying I would go around flashing my crack or that I think this position is inherently admirable. But there’s nothing hypocritical or contradictory about not wanting to be laughed at while also wanting to maintain your own sense of style. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/32 "2014-04-26T17:12:01Z")
I saw the reddit post back when he made it. I thought it was funny, but I do get the embarrassment some guys would feel at what he did. I imagine many are kind of geeky nerdy guys and a magic tournament is one place they really don’t have to fear being teased or mocked…at least not for being overweight, which is the kind of folks that have their butts hanging out in the pictures he took. He is overweight as well, though, and I don’t think he meant it as a huge embarrassing thing for those guys. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/33 "2014-04-26T17:31:46Z")
He didn’t post anyone’s face. I’d call it a bit cruel, but not bullying. And it is funny. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/34 "2014-04-26T17:40:55Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > These chubby geek guys obviously like their style. Maybe if they were posting here, they’d say that 5 days of the week, they conform to societal norms and concern themselves over trivialities like asscrack. But on the weekend, when they are just having a good time amongst friends, it ranks low on their priority list. They shouldn’t have to worry about keeping up appearances at a geeky event. Only “mundanes” do stuff like this. And that is bullshit. I’ve had it up to here with the assertion in geek circles that “mundanes” shouldn’t be catered to. Should you have to apologize for liking My Little Pony because the “mundanes” will make of you? Fuck no! But you should have to shower because you fucking stink and this is coming from Big Jim Nerd, Fancy Man of His Nerd Brigade. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/35 "2014-04-26T18:03:49Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > These chubby geek guys obviously like their style. Maybe if they were posting here, they’d say that 5 days of the week, they conform to societal norms and concern themselves over trivialities like asscrack. But on the weekend, when they are just having a good time amongst friends, it ranks low on their priority list. They shouldn’t have to worry about keeping up appearances at a geeky event. Only “mundanes” do stuff like this. Why do you think it’s obvious that they like their style? I can get behind the idea that they just don’t care while at a nerd convention, but the idea that it’s a deliberate style is a bit much. Besides, I’m not sure those two ideas are even compatible. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/36 "2014-04-26T18:06:12Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > These chubby geek guys obviously like their style. Maybe if they were posting here, they’d say that 5 days of the week, they conform to societal norms and concern themselves over trivialities like asscrack. But on the weekend, when they are just having a good time amongst friends, it ranks low on their priority list. They shouldn’t have to worry about keeping up appearances at a geeky event. Only “mundanes” do stuff like this. > > Not saying I would go around flashing my crack or that I think this position is inherently admirable. But there’s nothing hypocritical or contradictory about not wanting to be laughed at while also wanting to maintain your own sense of style. Your post made me laugh so hard I’m having a hard time typing this. Mundanes? 😛 Because of course this great Cabal of Neckbeards has collaborated to adopt an exposed asscrack style once free from the judgemental eyes of the ‘normies’. :rolleyes: This isn’t their ‘style’ its being lazy slobs, and getting called out for it over the internet. Even people that dress in an ‘urban’ style, with jeans that sag down to their knees, still cover their ass cracks with undwear (often 3 pairs of overlapping boxers). They are upset because it puts the focus on their own lack of self awareness, and rather than own it they double down and act like crybabies about it which just makes the whole situation more hilarious. Did the organizers have a right to ban the photographer/Traitor Neckbeard? Sure, its their event, they can decide that people doing this will cause too much of a disruption to the event or whatever. But it doesn’t change the fact that they should take this situation as a reason to be more self aware in the future rather than just play the victim. The sad fact is that nowadays at many Conventions/CCG tournaments/etc they will have notices advising guests to maintain proper hygene. The fact that they have to _remind_ people this should be embarassing for everybody. This isn’t work meanies teasing you for your unique shoes or Target clothes. Someone pointing out my fly is down is not the same as someone teasing me for my Dr. Who Messenger Bag (I do not own a Dr. Who Manpurse ftr) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/37 "2014-04-26T18:08:16Z")
If you’re exposing yourself in public – literally! – I don’t think you have cause to complain when someone comments on it. Seriously, pull up your goddamned pants. That’s the whole POINT of pants – so we don’t have to look at your ass crack. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/38 "2014-04-26T18:14:27Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > These chubby geek guys obviously like their style. Maybe if they were posting here, they’d say that 5 days of the week, they conform to societal norms and concern themselves over trivialities like asscrack. But on the weekend, when they are just having a good time amongst friends, it ranks low on their priority list. They shouldn’t have to worry about keeping up appearances at a geeky event. Only “mundanes” do stuff like this. This is, incidentally, exactly the same logic used to defend the egregious sexism in a lot of geek/convention culture. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/39 "2014-04-26T18:20:22Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > If you’re exposing yourself in public – literally! – I don’t think you have cause to complain when someone comments on it. Seriously, pull up your goddamned pants. That’s the whole POINT of pants – so we don’t have to look at your ass crack. THANK YOU. This isn’t a ‘style’. If someone took a picture of my butt at a tournament, I’d be embarassed. I wouldn’t take it out on the photographer, he’s just pointing out the obvious. I’d make it a point to keep my pants up when sitting down and have a little more self awareness in the future. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989/40 "2014-04-26T18:23:32Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > Why do you think it’s obvious that they like their style? I can get behind the idea that they just don’t care while at a nerd convention, but the idea that it’s a deliberate style is a bit much. Besides, I’m not sure those two ideas are even compatible. I think some people really do cultivate a “slob” aesthetic. It is possible that people actually intend to look like they don’t care. Don’t know if geeks are like this, but the whole grunge scene was based on this mentality. > [@](#): > > The sad fact is that nowadays at many Conventions/CCG tournaments/etc they will have notices advising guests to maintain proper hygene. The fact that they have to remind people this should be embarassing for everybody. This isn’t work meanies teasing you for your unique shoes or Target clothes. Someone pointing out my fly is down is not the same as someone teasing me for my Dr. Who Messenger Bag (I do not own a Dr. Who Manpurse ftr) OK, but the guy didn’t gently pull these geeks to the side and let them know their cracks were showing, in a gesture of friendship and sincere caring. His montage was essentially putting these geeks on blast in a public way. Those are two different approaches. Last week, there was this guy in my yoga class. All the women tend to wear form-fitting yoga pants, but the men tend to wear sweat pants and the like. There were a couple of times when the poor guy’s crack was showing whenever he bent over (which happens all the time in yoga). I was embarrassed for him, especially since he was the only guy in the class. It would have been funny if I had taken a picture of him downward-facing-dogging it with his exposed crack in the air. But it also would have been kind of mean, and it wouldn’t be shocking if the guy–despite his embarrassment–told me I was being a bully for doing so. Sure, not knowing your asscrack is showing is a sign of poor self-awareness. But taking pictures of people’s asses, plastering them the internet, and not expecting some pushback is ALSO a sign of poor self-awareness. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttcrack-montage-social-commentary-or-cyberbullying/686989.md?page=3)