The internet is a magical place. Whatever you’re looking for, it’s got you covered. Adorable kittens? An endless supply. Answers to the most obscure questions you can think of? That’s what Reddit was made for. Feeling bored? Well, we’ve got a site for that too. Wink, wink.
And then there’s the weird. The stuff you can’t quite unsee, which, let’s be honest, is half the fun. This batch of eyebrow-raising gems from the Instagram page Daily Cursed Images falls firmly into that category. They’re strange, unsettling, and impossible to look away from… so scroll at your own risk.
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“Cursed“ is a pretty broad term. Normally, it’s used to describe something that annoys you in an angry way. Or, if you dabble in spirituality, it might mean experiencing bad luck caused by a magic curse.
But cursed images are their own beast entirely.
They can be funny. They can be creepy. Sometimes they’re a little gross. Almost always, they’re unsettling. Whether it’s the strange content, the poor quality, or a mix of both, these images share one trait: you can’t look away. No matter how weird or disgusting they get, they pull you in.
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So why are we so obsessed with them?
When it comes to the disgusting and off-putting side of cursed content, there’s actually a logical explanation. But before we get to that, it helps to understand where the feeling of disgust comes from in the first place.
At its core, disgust is an emotion of avoidance. It tells us something might be harmful and pushes us to steer clear of it.
Dr Val Curtis, director of the Environmental Health Group (or “disgustologist,” as she likes to call herself) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, explains that this response evolved as a survival mechanism. And yes—it’s that big of a deal.
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Had our ancient ancestors not felt disgust, they would have eaten or touched things they shouldn’t have.
“It’s genetic in the sense that we all have these natural motives to avoid disgusting things, to avoid fearful things, and go towards good things such as food,” Dr Curtis told the BBC.
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This instinct kept our ancestors safe from harmful bacteria in rotting food, toxic water, waste, and dead animals. Those with a strong sense of disgust not only lived longer but were considered better mates, passing those “disgust genes” on to future generations.
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“Those who had a ‘healthy squeamishness’ would have gone on to have more children and practised good hygiene, and that would have protected their children,” said Dr Curtis. “Those who didn’t have that squeamishness would have simply died out.”
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Over time, disgust grew beyond physical concepts.
As Scientific American reports, it also began regulating symbolic harms: violations of morals, cultural rules, and values.
That’s why people might say they’re “disgusted” by acts like racism. Because of this role, disgust is often called the “gatekeeper emotion,” the “exclusionary emotion,” or even the “body and soul emotion.”
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But if disgust is supposed to make us avoid gross things, why do we still seek them out, from pimple-popping videos to cursed memes? The answer lies in curiosity.
Humans are naturally drawn to learn, even from things that repel us. When we explore something scary or gross in a safe setting, our brain files it away as useful information. It sharpens instincts, prepares us for danger, and lets us test emotions without real-world consequences.
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“We’re attracted to roller coasters, for example, because it’s really nasty and scary, but you learn what it is to be frightened. We all have a drive to play, and try out things safely,” said Dr Curtis.
It’s the same reason you might pop a zit even though you know it’ll be messy, sniff a trash bin even though you know it stinks, or keep scrolling through cursed images. Your brain wants to know what happens, in a place where you’re never actually in danger.
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Of course, like everything in life, disgust works best in moderation. Too much of it can lead to problems like obsessive cleaning, avoidance of intimacy, or even agoraphobia. Too little, and people may get used to unhygienic conditions, putting their health (and social life) at risk.
So as you scroll through these cursed images, take them for what they are: unsettling, fascinating little snapshots that tickle the curious part of your brain. Not too much, not too little, just the right amount of disturbing fun.
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