Before and After Looking up Why Chainsaws Were Invented

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About

Before and After Looking up Why Chainsaws Were Invented, also known as Don't Google Why Chainsaws Were Invented, is a record yourself before and after trend on TikTok where users post videos recording their reactions before and after Googling "why chainsaws were invented." Googling the term results in articles about symphysiotomy, a surgical operation performed on laboring women in the 1700s that involves removing the pelvic bone. The trend became popularized on TikTok in November 2022.

Origin

On November 4th, 2022, TikToker^[1] @sarahgirl98_ posted a selfie video with a caption asking viewers to "record yourself before and after Googling why chainsaws were invented," showing her shocked reaction to the information, garnering over 1.2 million views in four days (shown below).

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7162012074606873898

The most popular Google search results for the term lead to articles about symphysiotomy, a surgical procedure practiced on laboring women in 1780 when the baby was too large or got stuck in the pelvis. The chainsaw was used to remove parts of the bone and give the baby room to come out.^[2]^[3]

Spread

TikTokers continued to upload videos filming their own and others' reactions to looking up why chainsaws were invented. On November 5th, 2022, TikToker^[4] @savannahpyke posted a video filming her boyfriend's reaction to the term, garnering over 3 million views in three days (shown below, left). On November 6th, TikToker^[5] @kay…05 posted a similar video, garnering over 3 million views in two days (shown below, right).

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7162302775899016491

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7162657886777183493

That day, TikToker^[6] @emmajcastillo posted a video reacting to the results, garnering over 1.1 million views in two days (shown below). On November 7th, Dexerto^[7] published an article on the trend.