You have every right not to like someone, but when does it become too much?
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If you’ve been on any social media platform recently, you’ve probably seen the viral “I’m an Englishera” clip. The video comes from the YouTube dating show Pusuan or Lauran with Marion Aunor, in which contestants are given balloons to pop when they don’t like the bachelor/bachelorette being presented to them at any time. In one episode, contestant Aly popped her balloon during the last round, citing that the main issue is that there would be a language barrier, eventually saying the infamous quote.
Once the algorithms picked up the clip, it was over for her. Given how social media works, many netizens came at her for many reasons, from saying her issue was nonsense to saying that she isn’t a “real” englishera based on how she talked.
The thing is, she isn’t the only contestant from this online show who’s been getting flack online, which, arguably, can set up its contestants for eventual lashings and scrutiny on social media given its format. Other people who featured on the show have also been made fun of, such as the girl who misunderstood the term “family-oriented”. And remember the golden retriever guy from the show?
Admittedly, the discourse around these main characters of the moment have brought up important points about today’s society and culture, and while some people have shared their take on these moments, there are some who’ve definitely taken it too far. From insulting their intellect or just straight up calling them ugly, social media has definitely made people… bolder, to say the least. But, even if we don’t like these people, why are we so comfortable with bullying them? Is it because we’re behind a screen? Or since they did something less than favorable, it gives us the pass to be unabashedly crude? Either way, it’s not an acceptable move to make.
WHEN IS IT TOO MUCH?
When it comes to these big viral moments (that usually end up becoming memes), the people featured in them will deal with all kinds of attention. Some people might find it funny or simply quote it, but it can also attract a ton of negative feedback. Yes, they signed on to do the show and appear on a program that people will watch. But that doesn’t mean they are fair game for a public execution.
In the case of Aly, her comment about language barriers ticked people off. There have been tons of people online who’ve shared their opinion about the situation, but it has been overwhelmingly negative as the main character of an exhausting online discourse.
Some people have made some fair points about the whole thing, turning the issue into a learning experience for all. Yet, many people have jumped on the bandwagon on just being cruel against her. This issue goes beyond the Pusuan or Laruan, as it’s something we see time and time again. Why is it okay to be mean when it’s cool or trendy on social media, especially to random people we don’t know? Spoiler: it isn’t. More often than not, the hate some of these people get is disproportionate to what these people have actually done.
LET PEOPLE GROW, PLEASE
If you’ve ever messed up or made a mistake, you might be familiar with that sinking feeling in your chest. While it sucks, it motivates you to change for the better. For many of these people who make mistakes online, it doesn’t really feel like they can.
These aren’t government officials committing crimes or public figures espousing discriminatory or hateful speech that should be called out given their platforms, but regular people you probably would have never met IRL who misspoke or said something you don’t like. Eagle-eyed netizens are ready to harp on every move you make, just to see if you’ll mess up again. This can be a vicious cycle, and it doesn’t end until there’s another huge thing that people flock to.
Ultimately, this can be totally detrimental to one’s mental health, and the last thing we want to do is contribute to that. There’s a time and place to call out problematic behavior online, but this is not the time. There are better ways to educate people about their mistakes than turning them into the social media punching bag of the week.
We will never know what goes through someone’s mind when they end up in these positions. But what we do know is that it can be a learning experience for that person. Truth is, if we want these people to do better or improve, we need to foster an environment where they can. The episode was probably filmed months ago, and the Aly then may not think like the Aly know. The point is, the only thing constant is change, so why should we not let these people evolve? We aren’t defined by our flop moments, so why should they? At the end of the day, we’re not obligated to like every person we come across, but we should know better than to go all out on someone at any given moment.
Continue Reading: 5 Questions We Have For People Who Can Just Openly Insult Others On Public Platforms
