I just read a rather amazing tale of online harassment, self discovery redemption, and forgiveness. Powerful stuff.
I didn’t believe a word of it.
It’s just another day on the Interweb….
In the past I would have sheepishly pointed to my own cynicism as the true cause for this feeling but that’s too easy.
In photography, at times, I’m a storyteller I guess: portraying scenes and orchestrating scenarios that don’t exist in reality (and with my darker content…shouldn’t). In one view that makes me a bit of a liar. I fit the narrative to match the goal.
Here’s an idea: People DO this online. All the time. At this moment. Regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation and all that. Right, Left. Anarchist, Libertarian….That racist does it. So does that social activist. That actor. That singer. That politician. That athlete. That social media “friend” and that Tumblr/Twitter/Instagram blogger neo celeb with an Amazon Wish List.
Truth is a casualty because the greater good is served by the “good story”: TO. FIT. THE. NARRATIVE. It’s a trade off that has been rationalized because its “right,” and to call that subjective is just crazy talk; an old tactic made anew.
There’s a lot of information out there and it’s ALL in competition for attention. In that the story….the narrative….has to be bigger. It has to make you angry. It has to make you laugh. It has to make you cry. It has to make you repost, reblog and talk (fancy that!) about it to others (telling the story/spreading the lie) to prove how topical and worldly you are.
The problem is of course, many people will not see the fallacy behind all of this. They will not be upset or offended that they are being manipulated. They will just accept the manufactured narrative as reality and that’s the point. Some will even choose to embrace the lie because its more cozy and soft than the alternative.
I’ve fallen for the narrative. Not this time. But next time…maybe. Probably. Most assuredly. No one is immune to this.
That thing in your hand, or that you are sitting in front of…..has been said on many occasions to be the means of bringing us together. It also pushes us apart….with a little help from our (online) friends (or more accurately “friends”)
/CN




Comment