Where The Cycle End
It seems there is a great deal of discussion on the idea of Drama and how people should interact about it and with it. There does seem to be a cycle that can be simply put as offender-offendee, but it is not that simple. In a dynamic and interconnected world, such as the current media-saturated culture and especially the overly connected world of the Internet, any agitation between two people will have propagating consequences that make ripples in a pond seem like "child's play". The biggest question is exactly how do we react to all these frictions.
The main focus here is when someone is slighted and needs to find solace and comfort in others. It should not be difficult to see that the degree of trauma created by the slight will increase the amount and need for comfort. A simple verbal bashing may only require a few comments of support for the "victim" and maybe even a verbal retort to the "perpetrator". Yet, it is the second action that causes all the problems since everyone wants a "Drama-Free" existence on the Internet.
This seems to be an almost impossible concept. Unless everyone online decides to universally stop annoying others, coveting others, or trying to get ahead of others -- there will always be drama. Humans are emotional creatures that sometimes pretend to be logical and rational. When someone hurts us or our family, it is almost expected that reactions will occur and sometimes these reactions may even escalate a situation. This is not a admonition or commendation, just a statement of fact. Every action in the physical world has an equal and opposite reaction; in the emotional world, there is always a reaction but never equal.
In essence, there seems to be little to be done about removing Drama from our online lives. Too many things carry too much importance to us. Since there is little to be done about the actions, perhaps it is our reactions that must be observed. With reactions, we must also observe the causes underlying any and all agitations. It could be a lack of insight that causes Drama to not only propagate and exacerbate as well.
Recently, a friend of mine was targeted in the real-world (as we call it) by an act that could carry extreme repercussions. The incident grew from interactions online. No matter how trivial the source of this agitation, it grew quickly into something not trivial at all. Disregarding the notion that it is just "lounge staff stuff" or "internet drama", arson is arson. The base fact is that arson was committed and many tragedies have occurred from arson in the past. In this exact instance, one victim could have been a three-year-old girl. I do not care if the event did not occur and the girl was not killed. The sheer fact is that someone started a fire that could have cost lives over what many would view to be a trivial incident. This is the core of the problem. Real-world arson (and by extension, attempted murder) created by online drama. Yes, there is a connection.
Before there is a mass uprising about how this is all just supposition and unenlightened fabrication, I offer another example of how an artificial world can create a very dangerous action in the real-world. Many people feel that high school is such a vital and critical time, but it is only four years of a very long life. It is a time for growth and challenge; it is a time to learn about life and the real-world. It is not a time to create an empire of control because everything ends at graduation. At least, it should if one graduates. As much as cheerleading is an amazing sport and a true calling requiring amazing strength of body and spirit and demanding incredible sacrifice, it is just as artificial as everything else in high school. It is just a possible direction out of a myriad of possibilities. It is not something worth a human life, just as an internet lounge is not worth a single life at all. However, in Texas, things can be different. Wanda Holloway, perhaps in a twisted act of love for a daughter, conspired to kill the mother of her daughter's rival in order to secure a cheerleading spot. Now, this is not to make Holloway's daughter captain but just get her on the team. You may all disagree and say that cheerleading is critical, but it is not worth a life in any way at any time. Just as an Internet lounge is not worth any life at any time. This is the basic point to contemplate, but it is not the sole focus of argument. There is a second "prong" so to speak. How we react as a community and family.
So far, there was an act by the arson's target to see if her reactions are off-base. Some showed support, but the others took a different direction. Instead of stating she was wrong, the main point was that her actions were not worthy of consideration because it dealt with something trivial like a lounge. It was more Drama and she was only causing more Drama. It seems there is two points to make on these: "You were hurt and I want to help" or "Stop causing more drama because it does not matter". Basically, there are just caring hearts and deaf ears. The latter seem only to want to point out contradictions and use some half-formed pseudo-philosophical argument to turn the points against the actual victim. This seems almost insane. There seems to be no point in ever using the Internet to find compassion and support. If it is not something of deep concern, then do not bother talking about it.
The scariest part of that last statement is that no two people can always agree what is vital, and the Internet connects over 25% of the world's population; good luck finding consensus in that large a population. It is so nice to be able to turn everything against the victim. There is no way to ever gain a consensus or majority that one's problem is relevant. There is also no way to bring grievances to the public without being derided as being an agitator one's self. Best of all, there is also no way to ever defend one's self once one is in the public forum. Everyone just sits back and attacks at leisure and in single feints. The whole system is set against the injured and everyone sees this as the way it should be.
This is by no means a request or demand that people no exercise the right to free speech or to not express their own feelings at all. However, this is a request that people think about their actions and feelings first. It is so easy to dismiss the plights of others we never see. It is also easier to attack and chide those who bring their pain into public. It is almost a sport to wait for someone to hurt and turn to their source of comfort, the Internet, so that we who do not hurt ever can attack them. After all, is it not their fault for whining in public? It almost seems that people must comment negatively to teach them to suffer in silence and not burden us with their problems ever. How dare they pour their Drama into our lives. Do not we have enough to deal with already? While I dislike rhetorical questions, I feel necessary to bring these out. It seems this is how many think and view the world. However, it is wrong to dismiss the pain of others even if it is over a trifle. Trifles can lead to tragedy. Speak as you wish, but just remember that you also have the right to think before you speak. It seems almost fitting that an ancient cliché works here; this seems so trivial, unless it happens to you.
The act here was to see if the view was unbalanced and the reactions off-target from a victim. It was also to alert the public about a possible danger. Do we not have Megan's Law and the Sex Offender Registry doing the same thing? We police ourselves against all types of danger, unless it is caused by something trivial or non-relevant to out little world. As long as it happens to someone else, it is of no concern. There is a contested poem that deals with this very topic. Regardless of the origin or actual text, it is still poignant and relevant.
First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up, because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me.
We are a family. We will all have pains and pleasures, triumphs and tragedies, and we will share them. Try to remember that each MuMM or post comes from another living person. Remember we all hurt and bleed the same. The biggest thing is to remember that each time you dismiss someone else's pain as Drama or Trivia, one day someone may very well dismiss you.
I believe in Richard Parker.
I believe in Spaded.
