4 Questions That I Still Don’t Understand About the Internet
A question that you might know the answer because I absolutely have no idea.
I’ve been quite active on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) for the past 2 years since COVID-19 started. Social media never sleep — there will always be something going on either in the form of trending topics, viral media, and hot issues shared between the user on its platform 24/7. Every time I try to explore the trending, there is a supposedly ‘discussion’ under that trending/topic which I expect should have ended up in a mutual agreement/mutual standing. But I guess, that would be asking too much because it always ended up in a bloodbath of harsh words and curses in the end. So these are 4questions that I would like to ask you, or if anyone has any opinion regarding these concerning patterns.
The Judgement of Cancel Culture
Cancel culture is a weapon that is formed by the opinion of hundreds, thousands, or even much more, to diminish someone’s career and try to erase their existence from the platform of social media itself. It is absolutely powerful, it can ruin someone’s career —where he/she has build-up for years just to be broken down in a day, more or less. I don’t mind if someone got canceled if they are proven to be a mass murderer, inhumane, a rapist, an act where they should have just sent straight to the deepest hell — but most of the time, the case isn’t that dangerous.
A case such as allegedly cultural appropriation, racial slur, or any non-lethal wrongdoing that someone has done in the past, is what mostly trending. I do believe they need to be educated either in the form of a backlash or an expose to their mistake — but we should realize that these behaviors can still be fixed. Their mistake doesn't mean that one lifeline should be completely annihilated especially if knowing they came from a different culture, race, social background. So I still don’t understand, why does a lot of people are so obsessed with cancel culturing? Do they know the effect of their ‘rash’ judgment on someone’s life?
Unnecessary Hate Towards a Community
There are a lot of communities on the internet, LGBTQ+, Kpop, Anime, Gaming, anything you can think of. At least from my lovely country Indonesia, there will always be unnecessary hate on any of these communities. LGBTQ and Kpop are just straight called being heresy and a disgrace to their parents, the anime/gaming fans are just grouped out as nerds and anti-social people. It’s as if people want to dictate you on how you should live, how their standard of life is way bigger and better than yours.
I will never understand why can’t you let people enjoy what they want to enjoy and love what they want to love without the feeling of being judged or side-eyed. If they found happiness without sacrificing anyone’s well being then what’s the problem then?
Huge Interest In Celebrities Drama
Idols or celebrities are indeed — an inspiration for their fans. Either as the main drive for them to achieve their dream, forming a lifestyle, or just a hobby where they can put away their stress. I have 0 problems with stanning or how people want to idolize/look up to their celebrities — but what I don’t understand is when the so-called fans, or just netizens in general, start to pry way too deep into the celebrities life itself. Let’s say Celeb A is fighting Celeb B and everyone starts going crazy with this drama — a drama where it’s probably just scripted to increase the number of their views. There is a lot of ‘argument’ that you find on tv/shows that is completely scripted yet people just can’t see through it.
Celebrities or anyone working in this industry, tend to use the drama to capitalize and increase their fame along with wealth due to their sudden exposure since in this industry “any fame is a good fame” after all. This is thanks to how predictable society is in perceiving drama. The more scandalous it sounds — the more attention, exposure, and fame someone will get. So my main question is — why does someone so invested in a drama even on an emotional level? Why are they wasting their time and energy just to be updated with such a trivial and petty argument that their celebrities did?
It Supposed To Make Us Smarter — Not an Easily Swayed Silly Bufoon
The internet is a vast knowledge, tied in one platform where you can literally search for anything and you will get your answer. Such an efficient place to gather information or a place to learn. But one thing that everyone should be aware of on the internet is the fact that everyone can provide the information — and not all of them are the truth. For me, the number 1 rule on the internet, always cross-checking the information. This is such an easy way to eradicate misinformation or hoax that spread through the internet if anyone is willing to spend a minute (more or less) in searching for the answer from legitimate sources whether the information that is on display is true or false.
I have seen a lot of people, especially on Twitter to just jump to conclusions way too easily and rashly based on such questionable sources. This action might result in our first topic, cancel culture. The way I see these people is as if they just want to hear what they want to hear without a factual check on the matter. They love to educate, but why they don’t want to educate themselves? They always want the truth but why they didn't put any effort into gaining them in the first place?
Conclusion
These are the questions that I want to discuss with you because every time I thought society can’t go any lower — they just exceed my expectation and become even worse day by day. I hope any of you won’t do any of these questionable acts on the internet cause I think you all are way too smart and wise enough to not dwell in this stuff.
Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.
— George Bernard Shaw
