AS wondrous and brilliant as Social Media might be, I would really like to be around when that giant is toppled and is dead…I think I might only shed one single tear and that’s it!
It is frustrating to see something that was created to bring people together whether it be through reconnecting long lost relationships or building new ones, being misused in such an evil matter.
Some, if not most, may say that it’s human nature but I dread to swallow that bitter pill that tells me that this is what humanity has become where love and unity have become solely hate, savagery, and all that is negative.
It is also sad and scary that teeny St. Lucia has followed suit to become a mean spirited pit of negativity as opposed to the beautiful and loving nation that we oh so love to portray ourselves to be…I know that part of us still exists but like a burning candle, that goodness is seemingly nearing the end of the wick.
A young lady who happens to be a mother, a sister, a daughter, a relative, a friend, a St. Lucian, a human being has just lost her life in a horrific way yet instead of mourning this loss, some individuals have decided to treat her demise like it was an animal on display at a city zoo.
It bemuses me as to why some individual would not only feel the need to record the scene of the incident for personal reasons but then I’m further bewildered by the fact that this…individual felt the need to post the video onto Facebook and implore people to “like”, “comment” and “share” the video.
And just when I thought this country had run out of surprises to spring, it went ahead and showed that there is a lot more hidden under its sleeve after hundreds of people, including very well known and influential ones went ahead and shared the damned thing…I don’t know who’s worse, the one who put the video out there or the idiotic sheep who went on to spread it by sharing it for the world to see.
What possible good can come out of this? Please someone tell me…Don’t worry, I’ll wait for a good answer…wait, do I hear crickets?
It’s as if the longing and need for likes and attention has driven people to the point where the words humanity, empathy, conscience, dignity, and consideration are no longer in their vocabulary and they no longer know the meanings either.
So what if social media is there for all to use? So what if we have the freedom to post whatever we like? So what if others are doing it too? The fact that you are able to type and post nonsense online shows that you are not jellyfish…you have at least something, however tiny it may be, floating around in that thick skull sitting on your necks…use it and stop being part of the problem.
Some people have gone out on a limb to try justifying their actions by calling people hypocrites claiming that most people view and share such videos anyway so why complain when others do…what a load of hot steaming malarkey.
Speaking for myself, I choose not to ever go out of my way to view such images…even though they pop up on my news feeds etc. but that’s just me. If I were to speak for others, I’d put it all down to curiosity which is natural. Yes, people do view the videos…but the buck stops when you take the time to share it for others to see and this is where the problem lies. If you can stomach such sights and it is there to be seen then by all means, but why can’t it stop with you? Where is the teachable moment that makes you feel the need to repost these things? What are you hoping to achieve?
God forbid such tragedy strikes these individuals but you can bet your right arm that should it happen, again God forbid, I’ll be watching because I’ll be damned if these same individuals would want videos of their loved ones being shared across the internet in that way for slack-jawed fools to jeer at and pass judgement upon because yeah, I forgot to mention this…even with such a tragedy, people were still flinging nasty comments about the deceased like monkeys flinging their excrements around.
As for that matter, I won’t even go there because I’ve spoken about it enough and I know that no number of words and criticism will cure such idiocy. Ignorance surely is bliss for many and they love wallowing in it like a pig in muck so I speak only to those who rise above these lowlifes and know the difference between wrong and right, tasteful and tactless, news and careless gossip.
I’ve sent out this call a number of times and I’ll do it again: it is long overdue for laws to be implemented to punish people who not only post but have such videos in their possessions. It is high time that these individuals are made examples of and that the law book is thrown hard at them.
Heartlessness and idiocy have become the new Chikungunya, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and cancer all rolled into one, and be afraid my fellow St. Lucians, because it is highly contagious.
Well written, we’ll said, much respect.
The sociopaths whose high priest is Hannibal of “The Silence of the Lambs”need enforceable stiff fines , forfeiture of property in lieu of jail to curtail their satanic practices.
Mi lady, we need to galvanize a support group of all surviving family members over the past two or so decades, whose loved ones were ‘crucified’ on social media.
With pro bono support from legal, clergy and social services agencies, this group can be trained to become a resilient advocacy and Political Action Caucus.
They shall become the core of the proactive spearhead to usher in the legislation that you have heralded so eloquently.
On behalf of the numerous victims, I salute your support of this necessary legislative initiative.
Exactly right. Lucians acting in bad taste again, like everything has to be something graphic. Usual hypocrisy though because none doing this would want to be in such a state themselves.
How is it a country can be debased so quickly?
You would think DBS would have known better but instead they went ahead and showed the damned video with the young lady’s body on full display…They should be the first ones to be sued. What a bunch of heartless retards
Well said , when I heard about the video I was disgusted that someone would do such a thing and when I finally came across it I was sick to my stomach , to think that’s someone’s daughter , sister , aunt, etc . I tried to get fb to remove it from the site but according to them it didn’t go against community standards , what a load of bs . some people have no heart , some things u can sharing if its to enlighten others of the dangers out there but not this , the family just found out their loved one died then to have this circulating all over and to see the comments from someone ” intelligent ” people making excuses . smh. Sad , so sad
So why are you so surprised, social media has robbed the minds of these post independence clowns…you are talking to invisible people. To these clowns, social media is for self amusement. Not a learning tool, not to promote business; but to mind people business.
I don’t believe the author is at all surprised. I just think it sort of shakes you to the core when humanity keeps upping the ante in a socially malicious manner. Social media hasn’t done ANYTHING to us. People are the ones responsible. People are the ones who have taken it from what it was fashioned for, and turned it into a malicious tool. Social media at the very core is basically humans interacting digitally. We’re ultimately responsible.
I wish I could shake your hand. I’m always disgusted that some people would stoop to such low levels. I often wonder by the comments and sharing of such post were has humanity gone. A life lost is nothing to explore, while a family is grieving. So sad. My heart broke when I saw how heartless humans can be. r.I.p Yanna.
Great article rochelle… And the writing is on point..
Social Media are here to stay! I think what needs to be stressed is that persons posting (content creators) are not immune from the danger and harm of their creations. In this new landscape of “citizen journalism”, creators are not exempt from the law. The family of the young lady, can in fact, seek relief from the offending persons.
One of the foundations of creating content on social media is that you should not harm anyone…and should be sensitive to the emotional distress their postings can cause families, etc.
There is a code of ethics that can be applied. Read at link below.
http://mor10.com/code-of-ethics-for-bloggers-social-media-and-content-creators/
Girl, you wrote the f*%k out of this article. LOL. Well researched, penned, edited and most importantly, sound!! Keep it up.
LOL Yeah u took the words right out of my head
A very well written article and thank you so much for your comments and opinion.
I too have been disgusted by some of the comments following the report of the death of this young lady. Such a tragedy and my heart goes out to her friends and family. I hope that, if it is murder and not an accident, the people who did this are bought to justice and quickly.
I had met Yanna once or twice when visiting the island and she was always gentle, friendly and helpful. Very sad.
Interesting read. This is perhaps one of the reason s why i am slowly getting away from social media. Its almost as if people have become inhumane with no empathy. anyone wondered why the late Cherece benoits coffin was kept closed? for this exact reason. this is not how a family should have to remember their daughter. Everything about this is plane wrong. When the morne sion tragedy occurred i went on site there after and saw one of the missing bodies. yes i did take pics. Did i send it to contacts No. Did i post in on social media No. i took pics and there after deleted it from my phone. its high time people become more sensitive to these tragedies and stop making excuses for their stupid acts. you have said it all in the article. Continue to share your views. Its time more people start speaking out.