You know what I wonder? If it was the internet itself that gave the means for the more outlandish trends to occur, or if it simply provided a voice for those who hid such outlandish things.
With communication comes connection and through connection you get trends and groups. Trends and groups tend to expand.
It's a curiousity. If the internet hadn't strayed into social aspects, I wonder what things, and by extension, people would be like today.