Beating the FOMO may seem pretty hard in this digital age, but don’t do it at the expense of other people and the cost of your critical thinking.
Related: The “If It Wasn’t On Social Media, It Didn’t Happen” Mindset Needs To Stop
These days, it’s so easy to just pick up a phone, film ourselves, slap a trending sound on it, and hit post. It’s practically a cakewalk to gain numbers, earn a following, and get addicted to whatever you get out of posting on social media.
Unfortunately, this culture of fast-paced, oversaturated content means more FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), more desire to do what everybody looks like they’re having fun doing, and less instances of critical thinking—of thinking long and hard about the content one is about to make or post. This then can lead to making and thoughtlessly consuming content that can be tone-deaf, harmful, inaccurate, and offensive.
Whether it’s emulating a trending video or making a joke in the hopes of becoming viral and reap the sweet, sweet reward of clout, it’s high time we think a little more critically about the content we make and consume.
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND DIFFERENTLY
For the most part, not everyone who follows social media trends has the intent to be harmful, mocking, or offensive. Sometimes, we don’t even realize something is harmful until someone brings it to light—and there’s no shame in not knowing (…most of the time. Don’t be willfully ignorant!). There’s only shame in refusing to take different perspectives into account and defaulting to hostility if you get called out—or even worse, doubling down and asserting that what you did was in fact not harmful, thereby invalidating other people’s feelings and opinions.
Even if you don’t initially perceive something as harmful or tone-deaf, some people would—especially if they’re of a different culture or environment. But don’t blame your ignorance on other people. It’s up to us as content consumers and creators to have an awareness of what’s morally right, yet still be open to different perspectives and understandings. Just hear each other out!
And, if you find yourself of the opinion that something is being blown way out of proportion and something is actually not as bad as people make it out to be, don’t just succumb to the peer pressure of holding the same opinion as others. Exercise your own critical thinking and do your due diligence.
CONSIDER…RUMINATE…CONTEMPLATE…
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Of course, there are those who disregard all moral judgment and just post because they know something is trending and that they’d just get clicks out of it (or those who don’t care about morals and just post about anything and everything, even if its inaccurate, harmful content).
For instance, when Amber Heard was facing off against Johnny Depp in court, her testimony was mocked and made viral online, with celebrities, comedians, and influencers making a joke of her recounting her abuse and struggle. TikTok was rife with pulled audio from the court proceedings. It was a gross, abhorrent trend that made light of survivors and perpetuated misogynistic standards that only serve to silence victims.
Another instance would be to constantly make deepfakes of people, spreading and promoting the use of generative AI to make people seem like they’re doing or saying something that they never actually did or said. It’s highkey scary to live in a world where there could be “video evidence” of you doing something you never did. Even if it’s just a fun little edit of your fave, it’s still promotes the widespread use of something that raises ethical concerns.
There was also that trend where people acted like they were “zombies,” and it rubbed some the wrong way, because it definitely came off as a mockery of persons with disabilities.
So before you follow social media trends you see online, really think about it. Think about your own personal context, your audience, and the ethical and moral implications of your content. We may find the THINK acronym cheesy, but it can genuinely help you be a better, kinder, more considerate chronically online communicator. Not all trends have to be followed or redone—because not all trends are kind or funny. You can defeat the FOMO—we believe in you.
BE ACCOUNTABLE
If you ever find yourself realizing that something you posted was perhaps a little tone-deaf, insensitive, or worse, hold yourself accountable. It’s not the end of the world, even when it feels like every voice is yelling at you and amounting your entire being to what could possibly be a mistake. There’s space for you to be better.
And don’t just make decisions based on being afraid of being cancelled—make decisions because you did enough due diligence and research to stand for and do what’s right. The best apology is not a Notes app screenshot that says “I’m sorry you got offended,” it’s changed behavior and accepting accountability. Being aware, sensitive, and responsible is leagues more valuable than being clouty. So before we hit record, play, reshare, or like, let’s all be a little more critical about and responsible with the content we consume and create.
Continue Reading: The Problem With The ‘Clean Girl’ Tiktok Trend And ~Aesthetic~
