The concept of “oddly satisfying” video has been around for over decade. These inane videos of slime, food prep and even washing rugs that can have people transfixed for seconds, minutes or even hours, can probably thank their founding fathers of domino toppling and Rube Goldberg machines.
Why are these videos “oddly satisfying?”
To be honest, it’s not something that’s been studied a whole lot. The videos “…appear to tap into a subconscious urge toward what psychologists call a “just right” feeling. It’s the sensation that arises when we’ve put things in order, and serves as a useful cut-off point for simple tasks.” (Discovery Magazine, 2017)
In other words, “oddly satisfying” videos may scratch an itch you didn’t even know you had. But these mildly hypnotizing snippets often feel mentally good (or “satisfying”) and can somehow give you a sense of calmness in the moment. From the New York Times in 2019:
It may have to do with symmetry, patterns and repetition, which our brains seem to find inherently pleasing. It may have to do with a sense of “flow” — the state of being completely absorbed in an experience. Or it may be related to the “autonomous sensory meridian response,” or A.S.M.R., the phenomenon of deriving a pleasurably tingly sensation from certain auditory stimuli, like tapping or whispering or crinkling, which is itself a bit of a mystery.
“There may be something in the physical exploration of slime, or soap, or frosting in these videos that scratches a need to learn about how those materials behave,” Emma Barratt, a British psychology researcher who wrote one of the earliest papers about the autonomous sensory meridian response, told me. “Getting that information may be what’s innately satisfying.”
And this can happen at the airport or on a plane?
And why not? 😉 Some of these videos don’t necessarily follow the pattern of symmetry, patterns and repetition 100%…but they’re still oddly satisfying to watch. Enjoy!
Waterfall at SIN
23 glorious seconds of a close up video of the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, located at Jewel, the nature-themed entertainment and retail complex surrounded by and linked to one of the passenger terminals of Singapore Changi Airport. We’ve seen this one in person and yeah, you really can watch it for a long time and never get bored.
Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore
byu/iltifaat_yousuf inoddlysatisfying
Simultaneous plane landings at SFO
The author, flying United, was landing at San Francisco International Airport when they noticed another United plane landing at the next runway at the exact same time.
McDonald’s order delivery at SYD
The McDonalds at Sydney International Airport that opened in 2018 was designed by Landini Associates and showcases a variety of then-new designs for the chain. The store’s kitchen is located a floor above the counter, so once items are ordered, they need to be delivered down to the ground level.
McDonalds in Sydney airport. The kitchen is on the top floor, this how the orders come down to customers.
byu/elromoo inoddlysatisfying
The neon tunnel at ORD
I love the neon tunnel at Chicago-O’Hare International Airport. Installed in 1987, designed by Michael Hayden and officially named “Sky’s The Limit,” the tunnel connects United’s terminals B & C. That’s why you can faintly hear Rhapsody in Blue as its background music. The Gershwin tune was used in a variety of United commercial jingles (remember these?) in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The term’s “the sky’s the limit?” United’s used that in its advertising, too.
This first video has few passengers in the tunnel, so you can hear the music rather clearly. It focuses more on the sides of the tunnel.
This video shows the everchanging, somewhat mesmerizing neon that flows over you as you travel from one of the terminals to the other:
Repainting airport runway
I have no idea where this video was taken, but it really doesn’t matter. Watching these guys follow the old runway paint is still enjoyable.
Repainting airport runway
byu/Individual_Book9133 inoddlysatisfying
Boeing 747-400 “surfing” over clouds during sunset
I’m a sucker for a good sunset. Add clouds, and I’m in heaven. So yeah, I find this video oddly satisfying.
Its narrative is: “Our pilots enjoy night epic flight while sun sets on the way to Amsterdam.”
Baggage claim at SIN
Going back to Changi, their baggage claim system is so much nicer than what we typically see here in the U.S. A sensor stops incoming baggage from joining the carousel unless there’s an empty space for the bag to go into. In other words, there’s a sense of order that goes straight for the “oddly satisfying” part of the brain.
Baggage claim at Changi Airport, Singapore
byu/captainfonz inoddlysatisfying
ASMR at the Airport
As mentioned earlier, ASMR stands for “autonomous sensory meridian response.” It’s a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. Not everyone experiences it, but those who do typically feel it when they watch videos that stimulate ASMR or when they take part in other activities (usually ones that involve personal attention). Vox had an excellent article about ASMR back in 2015.
There are bunches of ASMR videos on YouTube, TikTok and the like, many of which focus on role-playing. Getting a haircut. Going to the spa. Getting a checkup (again, all activities that offer personal attention). It can be any situation, since it’s more the sounds of the video (whispering, tapping, crinkling, etc.) that trigger the ASMR. So it’s not surprising that there are some airport and airplane role-playing ASMR videos, too.
(Don’t focus too much on the scripts – they’re ridiculous LOLOL)
ASMR TSA Airport Security Pat Down & Bag Check
ASMR | Luxury International Flight Attendant Experience | Overnight Flight
This video has the host doing a commercial for their sponsor at the beginning. Skip to 3:50 to start the actual ASMR video.
Feature Image: Cold front as seen from Southwest flight
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