00:00America's most loved red puppet has just been labeled a traitor, with images going viral of
00:03a mock Elmo decapitation in the streets of New York. The reason? Elmo broke the ultimate digital
00:08rule. He refused to pick a side. New York City is currently in absolute chaos after the Knicks
00:12clinched their first NBA championship in 53 years. The hype is so real that Timothee Chalamet went
00:17viral from the locker room, screaming that he'd way rather have this Knicks championship than an
00:21Oscar. But Elmo wasn't cheering for New York. Instead, his official account posted that Elmo
00:25hopes both teams have fun, and now New Yorkers instantly took the fence sitting as personal
00:29betrayal. But this isn't the first time that he's been targeted. During the Super Bowl last year,
00:33users literally tweeted, I hope you get hit by a car, for saying the exact same thing.
00:37So why is the internet always trying to destroy Elmo? Well, it comes down to a social identity
00:41theory. Psychologists note that sports fans derive their actual self-esteem from exclusive group
00:46alignment. So to a diehard fan, neutrality doesn't mean peace. It eludes the group's boundaries,
00:51making you the enemy. On top of that, internet culture loves targeting Elmo because he's a
00:55hyper-visible symbol of pure childhood innocence. And for some reason, edgy mean culture thrives
00:59on breaking down wholesome brands to ban adult frustration. But what do you think? Does Elmo
01:03deserve all the heat? Share your thoughts below and follow what's trending for more updates.
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