LIKE anything else that one would expect to be on the internet, animosity is as real as a feral stray dog waiting in your path. While we sift through a daily read of topics, ranging from love and support up to anything else that can be found among the millions of online posts, shoutouts, and messages, all that one really needs to do, is to click on the comments in order to discover what lurks beneath.
It’s almost like standing for a moment on a boat admiring the blue sea before you, then excitedly plunging down only to meet up with a coral bed filled with hidden trash. (Watch out for broken beer bottles!)
One question I always have to ask myself is, why are we so excessively triggered by the lives, concerns, and stories of other people? This, to the point that our discontent even extends to spewing unwanted opinions about things that are not directly our concern? Or joining in discourses with the intent to troll them with crass talk?
I fondly remember our sys-op in the office long ago who could dampen any kind of gossiping and small talk with a curt, “what’s it to you?” In my mind also is my late philo teacher Father Frank Paris, who taught us to say “so what?” to arguments so as to avoid being bamboozled.
Now I would completely understand if one were a sports or entertainment fan (though one has to be mindful that the word fan might actually be short for fan-atic). In that special realm, the moment you find yourself not enjoying the game you follow anymore just because you disagree with commentators or a particular player’s viewpoint, you might want to ask yourself, why you are so affected and even concerned, up to the point that your day actually begins to feel ruined? I have met and befriended some avid football fans in my time and you could say they’d kill for Real or Manu. The same could be said of some local basketball fanatics who would threaten and stalk you online if you crossed Ginebra or whoever.
On the side of entertainment, there have likewise been a lot of generational jokes about feuding movie stars from each age group and all in all, this only shows how deep the bench is when it comes to fanatical adulation.
As one comment against this reads, “These players and actors are not just objects who must be silent or reduce themselves for your comfort and entertainment. Live and let live.”
The present online general topic on covid is really one that takes the cake, but you can see that for yourself. All I can hint at is, any pronouncement, news or update from anybody is sure to be met with nega comments that are sure to rile anyone’s insides.
To end, the only thing sure about all this is, it really is a big wide world out there, made more available with the internet. No walls divide us now and even your thoughts, once you share them, will be left exposed and therefore open to the elements. No wonder the elders liked to call the future as the brave new world, you need to be one to survive.
