TikTok’s ghoulish trend: exploring Paris catacombs and the fascination with the dreadful

A TikTok trend is stressing travelers’ long-held passion for relics. However, many claim that the centuries-old tradition of museums showing human remains needs to be changed.

The Paris Catacombs Sensation:

A recent sensation on TikTok has brought attention to Paris’ medieval catacombs, where adventurers sneak into the labyrinthine tunnels beneath the city. 

Viral videos depict individuals navigating through the pitch-dark corridors, surrounded by the bones of approximately six million deceased individuals. 

Despite the risks and illegal nature of these expeditions, the allure of exploring the city’s off-limits catacombs with headlamps has captivated many.

A Deeper Fascination with Death:

This morbid trend taps into a longstanding fascination that travelers have with death and the macabre. Beyond Paris, tourists flock to sites like the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo to view embalmed corpses, including those of Ramses II and Queen Nefertiti. 

Similarly, mausoleums housing the embalmed bodies of historical figures like Chairman Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, and Vladmir Lenin attract thousands of visitors annually.

Grisly Curiosities in Museums:

In addition to historical sites, museums around the world offer glimpses into the macabre. 

The Mütter Museum in Philadelphia, renowned for its collection of medical oddities, draws thousands of visitors each year. Exhibits include pieces of Albert Einstein’s brain, President Grover Cleveland’s jaw tumor, conjoined stillborn twins, and Victorian-era skulls.

Analysis by Dr. Michael Pickering:

Dr. Michael Pickering, an expert in heritage and museum studies, suggests that Western society’s fascination with death stems from a detachment from mortality in the First World. 

The display of human remains and morbid curiosities provides an adrenaline rush, offering an opportunity to confront mortality and experience shock in a controlled environment.

Conclusion:

The TikTok trend exploring the Paris catacombs serves as a modern manifestation of humanity’s enduring fascination with death and the macabre. 

Whether through illegal adventures or museum visits, individuals seek to engage with mortality and confront the unknown, driven by a desire for adrenaline and a deeper understanding of human existence.