The Conversation (0)
Becca Monaghan
Nov 11, 2021
It’s “a great way to show who the strongest man in the group is”, Dr Reid Ferring suggests
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Why are men so compelled to throw rocks in the water? A question you’ve probably never actually considered – because why would you.
According to archaeologist and geologist Dr Reid Ferring, men have been hurling random objects around for thousands of years. Early Neanderthal periods saw rock-throwing as a communal undertaking and form of survival.
“One guy carrying a rock doesn’t have much of a chance. It’s like only having one bullet in your gun – they’re gonna get you afterwards,” Dr Ferring told VICE.
“We threw rocks constantly as young boys. If you could break a window with a rock and then run away, it was even more fun,” Dr Ferring said. “We always wanted to see who could throw a rock the farthest. [Throwing rocks] is just a great way to show who the strongest man in the group is.”
And now, rock throwing’s ancient history has unsurprisingly evolved into a new social media trend. TikTok feeds are inundated with men pebble-skimming waters across the world.
@country_e_boy therapeutic
Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter
@kevin_damrell High bridge, Bryantsvillie KY. #zyxcba #foryoupage #recommendations #fyp #kentucky 
There’s even a Reddit thread dedicated to finding the answer to the mystery.
“Cause it’s just peaceful. You just need yourself and no one else,” one said. “You got nothing to do, but you look around and you see some rocks and just figure out how to enjoy yourself with the most mundane sh*t. But sometimes, that mundane shit is what makes it all worth it.”
Another suggested that “There’s something about a physical act that elicits a visual and auditory response. Skipping stones effectively is very satisfying and so is the really loud kERplUnk a large rock makes when tossed in.”
One humoured, “Everyone loves the kERplUnk”, while another also expressed their obsession with the sound, “Because it honestly feels satisfying to hear the splash once you throw the rock into the water,” they said.