The Images That Make Us: What Do Boring But Viral Videos On TikTok Tell Us About Society?

In our column, The Images That Make Us, writer, founder and CEO of MTArt Agency, Marine Tanguy, responds to a visual creative and cultural moment, unwrapping its importance in how it shapes us as individuals. Next up: what do viral videos on TikTok tell us about society?

This column transports you to Texas where 29-year-old Connor Hubbard has shared his monotone professional routine daily on TikTok and Instagram for two years, and in doing so, has become one of the most viral accounts on the platform over the last year.

And yet, at the time of going viral Connor had a self-declared ‘boring 9 to 5 job’ with no real highlights. Connor would drive to work, sit at his desk all day, come home to walk his dog, and then watch the news. His videos showcase things like the Sunday rot routine, Friday morning in the office and How to avoid the Sunday scaries, highlighting ‘the beauty of everyday normal life’. Yet they might reach up to 25 million views.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Connor Hubbard (@hubs.life_)

How do we explain his popularity?

Visually, Connor’s videos resemble old advertisements from the 80s: men and their sleek white shirts in the office behind a computer. But without dynamism. The office in his videos is as you might expect an office from the early 2000s to look: cubicle-based (there’s no open-plan design here), no motivational quotes, and no green plants.

Connor zooms in on his keyboard and on the office lift doors slowly opening, almost highlighting the platitude of the scenes he is capturing. He even coined it: ‘normalize the norm’ – a hashtag he sometimes adds to his videos or wears on a T-shirt that we see on his social pages.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Connor Hubbard (@hubs.life_)

Connor travelled the world for his previous job, but decided to quit when he felt burnt out, instead taking a “boring” job that could provide him with a satisfying quality of life, a division between his professional and personal lives, and financial security. When asked about his account, the younger generation reinforces that Connor promotes a professional stability that many aspire to in today’s downmarket.

It’s a contrast from most of our social media feeds today, which are filled with influencers in luxurious hotels, wearing the latest trends and attending exciting events. Most of us promote our best selves and the visual highlights of our lives. In Connor’s videos there are no extraordinary moments, and the visuals remain consistent and not saturated by colours or dramatic backgrounds. Connor is not a hero – and is not trying to frame himself as such. It’s cynical and refreshing, all at the same time.

This is a visual ode to triviality – but one that pays. Connor is now selling a lot of his own merchandise with his favourite hashtag. He also quit his “boring” 9 to 5 job to work as a self-employed influencer full-time due to his success on social platforms.

Not so boring after all?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Connor Hubbard (@hubs.life_)