SOCIAL MEDIA: A Circus of Human Lives

"The internet is forever."

         - Criminal Minds

It was the most striking quote I will always remember from one of my favorite crime series. Since it has proven in one of its episode how things put on the web will remain a part of our life. Cliché? Well, on the other hand, maybe it is not just another cliché.

First year college ako ng una akong gumamit ng internet. It was also then when I came to know MIRC, Yahoo! Chat at ang magresearch ng COPY_PASTE. It was the 2002. Maraming information available sa internet. Then after that, 2008… I came to the world of FACEBOOK… walang privacy… lahat public… lahat welcome… at nawindang ako sa dami ng friends ko sa FB. I admit, kilala ko sila by name. As FB would say, Acquiantance… parang ang daming unwanted comments. Then, online games na kelangan ng maraming friends para maglevel up. At duon ako nagkaroon ng mas maraming friends. After that, nag-upgrade ang FB. Unti-unti nagkaroon ng ayos, nagkaroon ng mas maraming privacy options at mas organized ang friends.  And now - the new FB.

OPINIONS JUDGING CIRCUS PERFORMERS

I have been online since 2002 and am a very active online person and has proven that the internet, especially the social media is all but a circus of human lives. A circus filled with gay clown, colorful banners and flyers, shows here and there, bragging all what a performer can do. Since the social media show is but a spectacle, spectators and performers have different stories to tell. Okay let's make my point clear:

We see something happen to our place - something happened to our life. We post it and sometimes, most of the time, post it on a social group where people from your community virtually gather. That is the show and you or they are the performers.

Then, if it is a hot topic, it will be a trending one. Flooding your notifications with likes, comments and photo/sticker comments. Commentators are the spectators - having a wide array of opinion, from a simple one to a very nerdy opinion. Name it… you have all of these.  We will be reading many IF's, BUT's, and WHATEVER's.

What the audience would share is simply what they "believed they saw" and their opinion about it. So kung tayo ay tagapakinig na lang ng kwento syempre paniniwalaan natin ang kwento ng nakakita dahil wala tayo don. And our opinion would be based on the later.  And again, we post our commentaries.

At the end of the day, a performer is judged based on opinions not FACTS.  Madalas, matagal nang tapos ang show, pinag-uusapan pa…

With all due respect my dear readers, we have our varied opinions on issues that affects us one way or the other. We are all entitled to this and even our constitution has given us the privilege to express the same. But as a saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility. What we opined against (or in favor of) another ONLINE will leave a mark on their lives affecting them and their loved ones.

NOT A CHANNEL OF REKLAMO

Facebook and other social networking sites have become the internet's version of ISUMBONG MO KAY TULFO. We post all our complaints from all angles of our lives. Another show. And what is worst (as far as I have experienced so far) are gripes against person/s who doesn't even have a facebook account to start with. Yes, it happens!

Likas na ata sa atin ang may reklamo. Pag natalo ang beto sa isang laro, reklamo, POST IT! hanap ng kasiraan ng iba. Pag di maganda ang ipinakitang ugali, POST IT! Dumaranas ng sakit sa buhay, reklamo, POSTED! Kung ang facebook ay isang malaking board, puno na yan ng POST IT notes. Ang hilig nating magpost ng ating reklamo. Pero ano nga ba ang nangyayari?

Konti lang nangyayari pag ganun:

1. Nakakita ng kakampi ung nagpost - dahil kung magpost ka publicly ng reklamo, maraming magkokoment in your favor… kasi nakita nila ung side ng story mo. So dadami ang kakampi mo at dadami ang di pabor sa inireklamo mo.
2. Nakakita ng kaaway ung nagpost - Dahil nga malayang magkakapalitan ng opinion at sagot ka naman ng sagot sa comments nila, pag di kayo magkasundo, galit-galit na muna.
3. Walang nahita / walang nangyari - totoo naman. Walang mangyayari. Nagreklamo ka lang. Hanggang nailabas mo lang ung saloobin mo.
4. Minsan, swerte mo kung masosolusyunan ang reklamo mo.

Ganito:

May isang FB user ang nagpost ng REKLAMO nya sa FB tungkol sa isang taong, sumira sa kanilang pagluluksa sa pagyao ng kanilang mahal sa buhay. SOBRANG haba ng post. It garnered a hundred plus comments. Sobrang tindi ng reklamo nya. AS IN PARANG IBINAON NA NYA SA PUTIKAN UNG TAONG INIREKLAMO NYA. Ang problema, hindi actual na nakita ng TAONG Concerned. At hayun nahusgahan na nga. Nagreklamo sya sa isang virtual world na punong puno ng komentarista. Pero hindi nya nagawang humarap sa TAMANG TAO AT KINAUUKULAN para ihain ang mga hinaing. Nakarating din sa kinauukulan pero dahil sa nangyaring kwentuhan. PERO ang sabi nung TAONG inireklamo:

"Wala naman akong FB, anong pakialam ko?"

Parang nakakainsulto di ba? Kung ikaw ung nagreklamo. Pero magandang outlook yon nung inireklamo.

Another case:

Public servant was judged based on issues raised on SNS and was already tried by publicity. Commentators have laid all their views - in favor of or against the concerned servant. Thanks also to the same SNS, the issue has ALREADY BEEN SETTLED!

But despite the settlement, there are still few commentaries that are already inappropriate for a settled argument. PINAPALAKI LANG LALO ANG ISYU.

Everybody, let's take a vow and please say, next show please.

ON THE OTHER HAND

On the other hand, it helps us by providing us essential information and even shortens the distance between family, friends and all our loved ones. Hindi na nga nakakamiss dahil madalas, isang click lang… kaya pag nagkita, wala nang paghuntahan. Dahil lahat nakapost na online. Pero still maganda pa rin ang naiidulot nito.

Madalas, we also posts good things that happen to us. Good memories we would like to share - good buys… everything that is good. Thus sometimes, it also creates that image that you are fine, doing well and have no problem at all. And you can never fail. It creates a false image of US.

In the end, it will always be the user to define how will the circus of his or her social media life would end. I just hope that sooner or later (sana sooner) we will be really responsible.   If this is a circus, then LET US ALL MAKE A RATED "G" SHOW for everybody else to see.