I live in the city of Hershey, the "Sweetest Place on Earth." I’m surrounded by references
to chocolate everyday—from the smell of it in the air to Kiss-shaped
streetlamps to chocolate-brown paved roads. It’s a pretty sweet life.
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| The Hershey Co. |
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| WonderHowTo |
That is, of course, until the Internet began comparing it to the poo emoji,
popularized by Apple. Even after
seeing the comparison, I still didn’t know what the big stink was about, so to
speak.
Why did some people immediately see a big, steaming turd
when, obviously, it’s supposed to be a drop of chocolate topped with the iconic
Kiss flag? Actually, understanding the cognitive processes behind visual
recognition can explain everything from Hershey Kiss poop emojis to why we
perceive animals in clouds and Mother Mary’s face in a piece of toast.
