“We’re doomed”: Woman pretends not to understand Home Depot sinks. People didn’t get it was satire

A satirical TikTok about Home Depot's tilted sink displays is going viral, not because viewers missed the joke, but because many found it unsettlingly believable.

Creator Kelly Laing (@keekins8) pretended to be confused by the angled countertops, prompting reaction videos, millions of views, and a wider conversation about Americans' seemingly ever-diminishing intellectual capacity. 

As Kelly Laing browsed sinks at Home Depot in a Feb. 6, 2026 TikTok, she commented on sink tops installed at an angle to enable shoppers to view the products from below.

"I like these,” she deadpanned, “but I don't like the tilted countertops and sinks because I like to set stuff on top of the sinks, or not on the sinks, but on the countertops. And you can't on these. It would just roll right off."

But while some laughed along with Laing’s impersonation of a rube loose in Home Depot, others pointed out that while Laing was joking, it’s entirely possible her reaction to the sink display could have been genuine.

Laing’s joke resonated with people on social media because it played on widespread fears that Americans are getting stupider.

The sink shopper from her video lacked contextual fluency, or the ability to understand and use language, social cues, and cultural references appropriately within specific situations.

Her “inability” to interpret the sinks’ tilted tops as a display-only feature demonstrated the intellectual deficiency that is linked to literacy and critical thinking skills.

According to 2024-2025 statistics from the National Literacy Institute, 21% to 28% of U.S. adults (around 45 million people) are functionally illiterate and read below a 5th-grade level.

The organization determined that Illiteracy rates are rising among young people, with 25% of young adults aged 16–24 deemed functionally illiterate. 

"This future is doomed": Reaction video also goes viral

A reaction video from @karmadescientist, who was stunned by Laing’s misinterpretation of the Home Depot display, sparked a conversation about Americans’ mental abilities.

@karmadescientist’s reaction video from Feb. 10, 2026, racked up one million views. The TikTok creator furrowed her brow as Laing shared her concerns about the sinks with tilted tops, and warned social media users to stay in school. “This future is doomed. So doomed. I'm praying for y'all,” she said. “The idiocracy is just wild.” 

“This is how Trump got elected,” one comment suggested.

Another wrote, “As A Home Depot Worker … I’m Not Shocked 😂🤣.”

Another commenter worried, “I think your bigger concern is how high up they are. How are you expected to reach up there to wash your hands??” 

@gabemo4223 replied, “I know she’s joking but it’s 2026 so part of me is still concerned.”

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