One blogger suggests a ‘mother’ clause for online etiquette as a possible solution to the problem. — Filepic
SOCIAL media, sadly, has become a septic tank for many men to shame women because of what they wear.
What has happened to good old-fashioned manners?
While social media makes us feel connected virtually, whereby we don’t have to meet in person to have interpersonal relationships, it can turn ugly and mortifying in a split second.
Worse still, there is no such thing as Internet police to reprimand keyboard warriors and this is where basic human decency becomes obscured, because the keyboard forms a “shield”.
Last week, I was scrolling through my Facebook page and came across a post from a news portal about how a former beauty queen and model lost her job at a logistics company and started selling baked goods.
The main photo was of her displaying the baked goods and wearing an off-shoulder tube dress.
While there was nothing wrong with what she was wearing, I had a sense of foreboding when I saw the photo, only because this had happened way too often. And, I was right.
A slew of lewd comments followed, of which the least offensive to be repeated for print here is “cuci mata” (eye candy).
Some women chimed in and justified the attire by saying it was her “marketing strategy” to brand her cookies.
Others straight out condemned the disgusting attitude of the men who were crude with their words and showing their vile behaviour.
One commenter though hit the nail on the head by saying “the comments here show how we cannot progress as a nation.”
Granted, this does not only happen in Malaysia, but two wrongs don’t make a right.
Why can’t we as Malaysians show some respect, for humanity’s sake?
People are struggling to survive amid the Covid-19 pandemic, what with the increasing loss of jobs.
Shameful comments have no place in this realm.
I agree with this blog post pooleittogether.com/on-the-absence-of-manners/ where the writer said “a ‘mother’ clause for online etiquette could be a possible solution.
She suggests that it should be prominently displayed on social platforms as a litmus test before one can comment on a selected post.
“It should state: ‘If you would say this to someone’s face and you are okay with the emotional reaction that may follow, please proceed.
“However, if the comment you are about to post, if said aloud, would cause someone to feel socially responsible to redirect your misguided hate, think twice.
“Remember, just because you cannot feel or see physical responses from others does not mean you have not caused disruption in another human life’, ” she posted.
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