Man Makes Ultimate Sacrifice for Charity, Listens to Nickelback on Repeat for One Week
I can admit it: most of what we write about here on MetalSucks is pretty silly and not of particular importance. Sure, the music we all love has helped untold scores of fans through tough times, but, ultimately, the world has far bigger problems than who Megadeth will find to be their new lead guitarist and whether or not Necrophagist will ever make another record.
But today, we have a very special story for you. A story that does matter. A story of one brave man — a real American hero! — who is making the ultimate sacrifice. A man who is helping the world by looking deep, deep into the abyss, and screaming out at the nothingness, “YOU DON’T SCARE ME!!!”
That man is Jesse Carey, podcaster.
Carey’s almost-unthinkable achievement? According to Time…
On Monday, Carey, from Relevant magazine’s podcast, began a self-imposed “ultimate test of endurance” when he started listening to the entire Nickelback catalog, on repeat, for the entire week — amounting to a total of 168 hours.
With the help of an organization called Charity: Water, Carey wanted to raise $10,000 to build a well in one of the developing nations supported by the group. The campaign has already topped $17,000.
That Carey’s incredibly selfless act has exceeded fundraising expectations is really no surprise when one considers the monumental nature of his sacrifice, as chronicled in his tweets — heartbreaking 140 character comminqués that really make you FEEL his unbearable pain:
The Nickelback onslaught is wearing me down … I now know why no other human has attempted such a feat
— Jesse Carey (@jessecarey) February 17, 2015
Only two days in & I’m already feeling the effects of such huge quantities of Nickelback. We’re in unexplored psychological territory here — Jesse Carey (@jessecarey) February 18, 2015
Carey is also acutely aware that his feat of heroism can do more than help those in need (as noble as helping those in need is); like Thích Quảng Đức, the Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk who set himself on fire in 1963 to protest the South Vietnamese government’s persecution of his religion, Carey knows his actions could help people to consider their lives in a completely different light. As he said on the podcast:
“I want someone who’s going through a hard time next week to be like, ‘Huh, I’m really down and out, life’s really got me down, but right now there’s a guy who’s been listening to Nickelback for days straight.’”
Our thoughts are with Mr. Carey and his loved ones at this time. Be strong, brother! Make it through this, and you will not only help those less fortunate than yourself — you will go down in the history books as a truly great man.
Thanks: Tommy Stinsonbaum
