IKEA asked students to bully a plant for 30 days to see whether it would wither

We’ve long known that plants respond well to positivity and kind words while they wilt and die when exposed to negativity and ridicule, and a recent Ikea experiment designed to teach kids the harmful effects of bullying has once again proved it to be true – and gone viral in the process.

First of all, I simply love the idea of a group of kids standing around and hurling insults at a plant.

I can picture them circling it like sharks before they have a crack at a surfer’s dangly bits.

It’d start with something like, “You’re so sh** that if you were the only plant in a desert and I was busting for a piss, I wouldn’t waste it on you!”

This one on the left sounds like my house. Credit: Ikea

“The only love you’ll ever get is from a hippy with Daddy issues. That’s why your emotions are as stunted as your stem.”

From there they might drop in, “All your leaves are good for is emergency dunny roll. That’s why you smell like sh**, plant!”

Tell it the best part of it dribbled out of its mum’s stigma and onto the carpet. Credit: Ikea

The other plant would no doubt be told some lovely things. The fact that it could brighten up any room. The fact that we’re grateful for the oxygen it provides. The fact that its verdant leaves are a sure sign that all is right with the world. It would prosper.

Its victimised partner would not.

The kids involved – judging from the video – had a blast. Both plants were treated in the exact same way apart from the bullying and it’s clear that the plant exposed to ridicule and bullying was feeling it.

The whole point behind the campaign was to show kids that even though people don’t have leaves and things that show the effects of bullying in the same way a plant does, their feelings and emotions could become just as tired and depressed.

No prizes for guessing which one’s a f**ken loser. Credit: Ikea

Final Thought: It’s great this kinda stuff. The power of having a visual for the little whippersnappers to see exactly how negativity can affect a plant before connecting that to their friends and peers is incredible. They learn something valuable – and probably some good new insults to use in their banter. Good sh**, Ikea!

H/T: Woke Sloth.