This is new news...

I don't think I am that old but when I was a child, I would see crazy things in the news like "100,000 People Evacuated as XYZ Volcano Erupts" or "Syndicate Targeted Two Banks" or "Revolt Plot in Singapore". You know, things that would actually concern me or information that affects my community/world. Now? There is a ton of reporting from online citizens who create "news".


Exhibit A: https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/tiktok-clip-of-cristiano-ronaldo-looking-annoyed-next-to-former-actress-wong-li-lin-goes-viral
Exhibit B: https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/overreacting-or-not-visitor-blames-singapore-zoo-staff-after-gate-closes-his-child
Exhibit C: https://nypost.com/2022/09/27/influencer-torched-for-complaining-about-insane-work-schedule/
Exhibit D: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/mum-blasted-after-complaining-her-new-zealand-holiday-got-cancelled/QH6IFIK3PNAK5F7GNWEKSERIZE/
Exhibit E: https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/news-this-just-entitlement-plus-size-tiktoker-big-curvy-olivia-comes-fire-requesting-wider-aisles-planes


While it is informative to some extent, I wonder how some of these "events" made it for publication. The resemblance among these pieces of articles is that the fiasco started with individuals sharing their thoughts on social media, and usually because they felt slighted that something unpleasant happened to them or someone else. There is this sense of policing or standing up for what they think is right.
So, at this point, I want to make it clear: I do think people should not keep quiet if something horrible happened to them and people should stand up for themselves. But the thing that makes these articles unpalatable is that most of the times, the "victims" are venting on social media without addressing the root cause. The knee-jerk response when something bad happens is to whine about it and then post it on social media. Why? To name and shame the "perpetrator", and garner support from others.
These online creators who report and generate news are not doing it for the greater good (or try to serve the greater good at the very least). They are less interested in solving the problem so others won't suffer like them. The bottomline is to evoke strong reactions from the world (and legitimate publications) instead of putting an end to it. This whole capitalisation is self-serving.
It is an epidemic and I know it takes conscious effort to not publish things that would kickstart one's social media career (I used "publish" intentionally because I think recording yourself is not the point - recording yourself and keeping it private is separate from publishing it for the whole world to see). So maybe the essence of this whole phenomenon is that people want attention and/or some monetary gain from their "downfalls". If that is the case, I am sad to say this but it is difficult to control this epidemic because social media is too easily accessible and user-friendly AND people are profoundly opportunistic in nature... I think the only sensible thing we can do is to be more discerning when we watch or comment on videos. We can choose not give power to people who make use of their online platforms to name and shame. This way, maybe there is less to gain when they publicly complain, and more to gain when they privately settle with the parties involved that supposedly caused them pain.

Maybe it is time to bring talking to each other back...