# "Haul" videos. Why. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 23, 2011, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haul-videos-why/590075 "2011-07-23T11:04:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haul-videos-why/590075/21 "2011-07-24T16:06:16Z")
I dunno. I’m a female Doper who likes fashion/make up/shopping but watching someone else pull out their purchases sounds even duller than watching their vacation slides. If I’m interested in looking at stuff, I’d just go to a store or the company’s website. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haul-videos-why/590075/22 "2011-07-24T16:10:09Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Hi there, jjimm. Welcome to [planking](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rObgXiQEV8g). All the cool kids know that [owling](http://www.buzzfeed.com/toddvanluling/owling-is-the-new-planking) is the new planking. WTF is wrong with our civilization? ---
**Author:** ![CoffinMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@CoffinMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoffinMan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haul-videos-why/590075/23 "2011-07-24T16:15:51Z")
I suddenly have an urge to watch George A Romero’s DAWN OF THE DEAD. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haul-videos-why/590075/24 "2011-07-24T16:17:49Z")
I’m a male and these videos leave me frightened and confused. The only rationale I’ve been able to come up with is that people don’t actually watch these videos. It’s like when people post stupid fucking song lyrics in chats. Everyone likes to think that people actually give a fuck about their interests, so they all do it, despite the fact that nobody is actually reading this shit. So I’m of a mind that the vast, vast majority of “views” that these videos have are not actually full views (or even close to full views) and the “popularity” that they have is artificial- after all, nobody is actually watching this crap. My guess might be incorrect but it’s the only way I can reconcile the existence of these videos with my understanding of the universe. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haul-videos-why/590075/25 "2011-07-24T17:15:26Z")
I’ll admit up until I read about it this week on Cracked, I had never heard about haul videos. And I have no personal interest in watching them. But I am not surprised they exist. This seems like essentially the same as people blogging about what TV shows they watched last night - the urge to share the small details of your life with other people via the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haul-videos-why/590075/26 "2011-07-24T17:16:46Z")
> [@PaperPlanes](#): > > People will watch anything on the interent! But I guess people make the video in the first place because they want to show off all the new things they’ve bought, and think that because they’re so excited about their stuff other people are sure to be too! And people watch the videos because they’re vicariously getting all this stuff, and sharing the enjoyment of the person making the videos. > [@LurkerInNJ](#): > > When women shop during lunch, they like to come back to the office and show their female coworkers their new shoes. Everyone oohs and aahs. Same thing when you come back from shopping and your friends come over. You show them the pretty tops you bought, put together new outfits, try out new lotions and perfumes and generally share in the experience. It’s fun. You can share in the experience even if you can’t afford to buy the items yourself. You get to see what and where other women whose style you like are buying, see new trends, and get new ideas. Yeah, but…oatmeal? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haul-videos-why/590075/27 "2011-07-24T17:34:20Z")
> [@LurkerInNJ](#): > > When women shop during lunch, they like to come back to the office and show their female **coworkers** their new shoes. Everyone oohs and aahs. Same thing when you come back from shopping and your **friends** come over. You show them the pretty tops you bought, put together new outfits, try out new lotions and perfumes and generally **share in the experience**. It’s fun. You can share in the experience even if you can’t afford to buy the items yourself. You get to see what and where other women whose style you like are buying, see new trends, and get new ideas. Well, I understand doing it with coworkers and friends. These things, not so much. It’s like “having dinner with someone” by putting an iPad on your table with a video of somebody you don’t know eating and talking. That’s not _sharing_ anything. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haul-videos-why/590075/28 "2011-07-24T18:15:17Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Well, I understand doing it with coworkers and friends. These things, not so much. It’s like “having dinner with someone” by putting an iPad on your table with a video of somebody you don’t know eating and talking. That’s not _sharing_ anything. Why do you post on a message board with people you don’t know instead of _sharing_ with coworkers and friends? It’s not like you are really talking with people. You are staring at a computer screen instead of looking into someones eyes. How could you possibly enjoy _that_? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haul-videos-why/590075.md?page=1)