Sensationalizing Pain Through Social Media
By Barrington H.
Brennen, September 29, 2019
PDF Format
Dear
readers, what I am writing about today is very painful to
even think about. I am becoming more and more upset with
how many are using social media to spread news about
private, painful, or violent events involving individuals,
families, and communities. Oftentimes, videos or photos of
actual violence or murder scenes are being shared without
any thought almost universally on social media. Please,
let’s stop this. This practice demonstrates insensitivity,
and a lack of empathy and understanding of how doing this
drives greater pain into the hearts of the families
involved. It appears that in The Bahamas we love to
sensationalize the pain of others. We seem to enjoy and
thrive on the pain and misery of others, until it is our
time when we cry for help.
When we place videos or photos of a murder scene or of
personal incidents on social media, we are invading the
privacy of people. We are also making it difficult for them
to process what took place in their own time and space. It
makes it even much more complicated because the videos and
photos will be circulating the world for a very long time.
The private lives of these people will forever be
scrutinized by all and sundry.
In a December 2017 article by a student at Fitchburg State
University, Massachusetts, USA, entitled “Sensationalism of
Social Media,” the writer expresses these sentiments:
“Throughout the decades, technology has significantly
advanced to become a fundamental part of human
communication, however, within recent years the problem of
sensationalization has become an enormous problem among
social media sites, and has darkened the media in a way in
which violence and negativity has become the main news
source in day to day life.”
How true it is! Why do we in The Bahamas have a greater
need to sensationalize? The author continues:
“Often times representations of crime, influence
people’s conception of their lives and communities far
out of proportion to actual incidence of criminal
activity.” Sensationalism is used to bring out fear
within people and the constant questions of who can be
trusted and who can’t. With the uprise of
sensationalism, social media in particular, has become a
beacon for negativity and hate.”
Interestingly, the very makeup of social media websites like
FaceBook and WhatsApp, have a way of seducing individuals
into becoming “news reporters” about anything, no matter how
personal or violent it is. In the article “4 Reasons Why
Social Media Has Become So Toxic and What to Look for Next”
the author writes:
“Today’s social publishing environment rewards
sensationalized content, thereby damaging healthy
relationships online. These platforms reward
"engagement" by highlighting highly liked posts more
prominently in newsfeeds, accustomizing social media
users to attempting to post that sensationalized content
themselves.” It becomes a trap to lure people into
sensationalizing violent behavior. Many of us are not
aware that because of this, FaceBook viewership has
declined.
Having a smart phone with a powerful camera, can be a plus
for taking solicited photos or capturing our beautiful
environment. On the other hand, it is upsetting to watch
people stop what they are doing and take out their phones to
record a fight, violent action, or insulting argument. What
they should do is call the police and seek to stop the
fight. Or better yet, do not reward those fighting or
arguing by recording the actions and placing the video or
photo on social media. If the actions are being recording
for the police, then let it be that, and that alone.
Once again, the frightening truth is that the over exposure
to so much violence and sensational news causes us to lose
the ability to empathize and truly understand what is really
happening in society. It lends to a glorification of the
pain in others. Violence isn’t violence anymore, it seems.
Far too many of us have become desensitize to the violence
and grief around us. I am disgusted when people laugh at
others involved in a violent fight or argument. It is just
like they are watching a movie and cheering for one side
thinking there is no harm in doing so. How pitiful! We
have become numb and insensitive to the pain of others.
Dear readers, would you join me by becoming an agent of
change in our land? Would you join me by speaking out
against this kind of behavior? When someone sends you a
video or photo of a violent act or belligerent behavior,
will you avoid forwarding it to those on the social media
list. You can send it to the police and then delete it.
Remember, when you forward these videos and photos to your
circle of friends, they are becoming a part of the wider
conspiracy to dumb-down the value of your fellow human
beings. You will also be making it that much more difficult
for the families involved to effectively process the event
and heal. Be an agent of change today.
Barrington Brennen is a counseling
psychologist and marriage and family therapist. Send your
questions to question@soencouragment.org or
call 242-327-1980 or visit www.soencouragement.org
