【community of eroticism】

Instagram is community of eroticismsupposed to be about taking and sharing nice photos, though for most, it's really about racking up likes. For one New Yorker, it's about leaving silly comments.

Comedy writer John Purcell has been writing delightfully random comments on an assortment of random people's Instagram photos over the past few years, which he then shares on a Tumblr called Hello Stranger.

SEE ALSO: How to stop your friend from incessantly taking food Instagrams Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

"I randomly started leaving comments on strangers' photos about three years ago," John Purcell, 32, wrote in an email to Mashable.

---

You May Also Like

---

---

"It was just a fun thing to do when I was bored and sometimes I would text screenshots of my comments to my girlfriend or friends," Purcell said. "They seemed to think they were funny so I decided to make a blog and post them all there."

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Purcell used to find trending photos to comment on via Instagram's popular page, which is now defunct. So, Purcell has to search for photos a bit harder, "which makes it less fun."

Mashable Trend Report Decode what’s viral, what’s next, and what it all means. Sign up for Mashable’s weekly Trend Report newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Now, he usually scrolls around and leaves a comment on "whatever seems funny to me in the moment," he told Mashable.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Purcell, a comedy writer in New York, has simple, goodhearted intentions with his little project.

"It's just a fun, silly thing to do. I never post mean or abusive comments on anyone's photos," he told Mashable. "The point isn't to make fun of anyone. Just to post a comment that makes absolutely no sense in relation to the photo."

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Purcell usually posts his comments on photos that have hundreds of comments, so his funny remarks often go unnoticed.

"I'd say every one in fifteen will respond and it's almost always 'lol wtf,'" he said. "Once, a random person found my Instagram page (which is now private) and left a weird comment on one of my photos. That was funny."

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Lesson learned – always read the comments.

BONUS: Thanks, Netflix.

View this post on Instagram

• Tech
• Digital Culture
• Science
• Entertainment
• Social Good
• Shopping
• Life
• Deals

• The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are on sale for $100 off
• Apple is reopening its stores. Here's what you need to know.
• Chrome's newest update brings revamped safety controls, tab groups
• Tips for dealing with Donald Trump that also work with a toddler
• Google's officially retiring Assistant
• China looks to retaliate against U.S. over ‘unreasonable suppression’ of Huawei
• Twitter just trolled the entirety of Twitter with 1 mean tweet
• How to use Nextdoor, Facebook, Slack to help neighbors amid coronavirus
• Today's Hurdle hints and answers for April 29, 2025
• Pedro Pascal shouts out the stuntmen who helped create his Mandalorian

• Boston Marathon 2024 livestream: How to watch Boston Marathon for free
• New Zealand will ban plastic bags for good
• NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 13
• Tesla plans to roll out Full Self
• A mom found a great solution to preserve her valuables from fire
• TSMC cuts price of its 8
• Chinese EV maker Neta enters Indonesia with three models · TechNode
• WeChat requires all existing mini
• SF Express joins live commerce wave as it chases new revenue stream · TechNode
• Wordle today: The answer and hints for April 13

• Q&A with tendercare founder and CEO Shauna Sweeney
• 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' is about the only captain that predates Kirk
• Over 100 students walked out of a commencement speech in protest of VP Mike Pence
• Mother's post about how 'easy' a c
• Best Apple AirTag Deal: 4
• Apple’s lack of daycare isn’t an oversight, it’s a feature
• Shine line hair will turn your head into a beautiful rainbow
• EasyJet says hackers stole info from 9 million of its customers
• Why Building a Gaming PC Right Now is a Bad Idea, Part 2: Insane Graphics Card Prices
• Man gets revenge on rude people in coffee shop with a hilarious power move

• The 'recession indicator' meme, explained
• Trump's first foreign trip is already a disaster and it hasn't even started
• Samsung Terrace is an outdoorsy TV that doesn't mind a little rain
• Twitter just trolled the entirety of Twitter with 1 mean tweet
• Best gaming laptop deal: Save $400 on the HP Victus 15 with Ryzen 5 and Radeon RX 6550M
• Trump's first foreign trip is already a disaster and it hasn't even started
• Apple is reopening its stores. Here's what you need to know.
• Sasheer Zamata is leaving SNL, and these five moments are why you'll miss her so much
• Trump delays TikTok ban for another 75 days
• UPS makes a comical attempt at hiding customer's packages