Things I learnt from being chronically online
Things I've Learned from Being Chronically Online: Q2 Series
Hey blog,
It's been 15 days since I published my last post, and a lot has been on my mind. So, let's get back to business, shall we?
FYI: Some parts of this post were drafted when I was still in college. Some information might be outdated, but my opinion still holds its validity.
In my pursuit to make decks and keep up with the world as quickly as possible, I end up being chronically online. Imagine my reality: spending up to 10 hours on a mobile phone. Yes, some of you might say, "Oh my god, Mehak. Get a life," or "Touch some grass." I understand there are serious addiction problems, but my "work" forces me to be online. In the process, I get to witness the best and worst sides of humanity (the netizens).
The most interesting articles, videos, or any sort of content that I have consumed recently have almost convinced me that we are entering the Kali Yuga. I read an article on Vice, just before it got shut down (and rightfully so), about a woman's experiment consuming her own discharge and how it made her feel. Yikes. Writers at Vice were brave, and quite honestly, they take a hit for the curious readers who are just too afraid to try something. Or maybe the writers were simply idiots and clout chasers writing clickbait articles. I don't know; judgment is subjective. But yes, there is plenty of weird stuff happening on the internet, and here are some of my key takeaways.
They're Making Anyone Popular These Days
There's this "Vada Pav Girl" selling Mumbai-style vada pavs somewhere in Delhi. Men, women, and children stand in long queues to buy four Vada pavs for 20 bucks each. Yikes! Any Mumbaikar would know that this local potato in a bun sells hot for Rs 10/- in the Mayanagri. The Vada Pav girl herself admits that the recipe she uses has basic ingredients. But what drives footfalls to her store?
The newfound internet fame for such individuals doesn't necessarily guarantee a decent meal. And today, copycats have opened their own Vada Pav stalls across Delhi - it seems the Battle of Vada Pav will have only one winner, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. I urge them to stop this battle #ceasevadapavnow. (This segment was written in February 2024, and I guess I was right).
Taking a Stand: Not Playing the Switzerland Card, Staying as Clueless as Morty Smith, and More
The internet age has created an identity crisis among teenagers and young adults. I get it - YOU'RE GEN-Z, and SO AM I. YOU WANT TO STAND AGAINST THE OPPRESSORS OF A COUNTRY THAT YOU HADN'T EVEN HEARD OF BEFORE YOUR 16 YEARS OF EXISTENCE. But... YOU STILL WANT TO TAKE A STAND FOR THEM.
It's always better to read a book or listen to a podcast before jumping to conclusions. Whatever you see online is just a small representation and may not reflect ground reality.
A few months ago, Swann Arlaud, an internet sensation from "Anatomy of a Fall" fame, and his entire cast decided to wear "pro-Palestinian pins" to the Oscars. Cate Blanchett, known for her role as the bald lady from Dr. Strange and a lesbian from the movie Carol, was seen wearing a magnificent gown representing the Palestinian flag. Making a statement with pins or artistically making a statement is a big thing in America and pop culture. It's something Hamas has cleverly used to increase propaganda for their own benefit. Many of their criminal activities have been given an easy pass in the public eye. The "Israelis are the colonizers" mindset is exactly what Hamas's IT strategy aims for.
There are Twitter accounts that spread hate against people with different opinions. It's as if a few selected Twitter citizens have complete and accurate moral knowledge of international affairs. So, currently, they are collectively calling for a 'blackout' of celebrities who don't support or haven't said anything about the Palestinian cause.
Man, we have seen bigger genocides that don't receive this magnitude of love and support. And you want artists, actors, and playwrights to make statements about a war they potentially don't fully understand? Some people are just incredibly idealistic. The world doesn't operate like Kendall Jenner's Pepsi advertisement!
When it comes to brands, such micro-bloggers turned politicians feel that since brands are no longer taking a stand on the Gaza-Israel issue, we as consumers must hit them where it hurts by boycotting them. Look, brands no longer care about being woke. The woke culture has been dead since 2020. In reality, individuals like you and me are more concerned about getting through our day. The ever-growing standards of living in metropolises keep us more occupied. It's cool to take a stand on XYZ issue, but when brands take a stance, they end up polarizing and dividing communities further. This undermines the idea of a bigger brand purpose and may alienate their major target groups.
Therefore, it's so important to SHUT THE FUCK UP.
Sexism on the Rise, and Where Do We Draw the Line on 'Dank Culture'?
I have a fake account where I follow some funny meme pages. I prefer not to follow mainstream guys because, let's be honest, most of their work is just copied from small-scale independent accounts. Since I've been exposed to the internet, roughly 12-10 years now, I've noticed a trend: the content people create is becoming increasingly sexist and bizarre.
"Go back to the kitchen," "Bro needs to hesitate," "My mind," "S**S*," and "Would" are a few words I've seen fake accounts, mostly owned by men, write in the comment section of posts featuring women as central characters. The internet has become a highly toxic and dangerous place for women content creators. What scares me most is what this means for freedom of expression.
If a man writes anything remotely derogatory towards a woman's character, she would understandably think twice before posting more content. Meanwhile, he enjoys anonymity and can get away with saying almost anything.
You might think, dear reader, that I'm focusing only on one gender, the male fraction of society. But recently, women are no less in spreading outrageousness on the internet. Recently, a YouTuber named Kunwari Begum was arrested for promoting child sexual abuse! Women are also contributing to spreading outrageous content on the internet.
Memes matter. They make us laugh when our day is going bad. Sometimes they make us wonder if they're witty enough. They educate us if they have elements we haven't heard of before. For example, I didn't know what Papa II was until I read about it in a meme. Memes are easily shareable and use simple language that can have an impact. When people see others expressing a sentiment, they might think it's the norm and continue to follow and think in that direction. That's how detrimental memes and such language can be.
Conclusion
India is consuming a lot of interesting content. Today, every auto driver in MAKABO* and every taxi driver in SoBo* has a basic smartphone and earphones (in some cases, with Bluetooth pairing). It might not surprise many, but sometimes my auto drivers watch TV serials while driving. I'm not sure how they manage this multitasking, but it happens. They watch regional soap operas, and sometimes soft porn, or just aimlessly scroll through desi Instagram/YouTube Shorts. {SOME RANDOM INFORMATION I COLLECTED. Recruit me RAW}
When I board the Mumbai local or the metro, all men and women are on their mobile phones. And I'm guilty of this habit as well. I put in my AirPods and shut out the world, including clients and managers (at home and in the office), and get lost in tranquillity. Amidst the chaotic world, I'm present, enjoying my own company and silly thoughts (some of which make it here) in my own silly world. That's why I find myself chronically online.
*Malad, Kandivali, Borivali abrrevation.
*South Bombay abbreviation.
