SubscribeBodySnarking: How the Internet Made Us Nastier
People have always picked on one another. But with the advent of blogs, social networks, video and picture-sharing - it got a whole lot worse.
Maybe the magazines started it. Unflattering photos of celebrities make great covers and - according to the Wall Street Journal "stories about celebrity weight-loss with before-and-after photos now fly off the shelves."
Scrutinizing and criticizing a woman's appearance has become a popular pastime - and no one is immune.
What we do to celebrities we now do to each other. Some of us defend celebrity-mocking: "that's what they signed up for" we say. Nowadays we feel we have the right to have a go at anyone we see - especially in the pseudo-anonymity of the Internet.
Social-networking sites mean teenagers now focus even more on how they look. "I know girls who have entire photo albums just of their face at different angles. On the flip side, the unflattering photos can't just be tucked away somewhere. They become the basis for publicly displayed ridicule,"
Imagine this: You're at a party. Someone takes lots of photos (as they always do). The photos go up on Facebook or wherever. Some of the photos contain some unflattering shots of you -- and on come the comments. The snide criticisms: "muffin-top, whale-tail" etc. etc.
That's bodysnarking - and it's not helpful. The person that makes those kind of comments presumably gains some kind of buzz to feed their own fragile insecurities.
Has a picture of you ever been the object of ridicule?
"Social-networking sites mean teenagers now focus even more on how they look." I think it is true.
ReplyI think the internet does make a certain type of person meaner... and they get vocal. It's shameful. Why insult anyone? I don't think it makes sense for unknown individuals or celebrities.
ReplyI definitely think the internet has made people more critical of one another. The biggest reason is they can be anonymous about it and basically there is no recourse for saying something.
ReplyI feel that social networking sites are, for the most part, rather anti-social...
ReplyAs most people believe I feel that the anonymity of the internet has made it easy for people to criticize others especially celebrities. Unfortunately, I don't think this will change in the near future, and it is very hurtful to people and can be very demoralizing especially for someone trying to improve their body.
ReplyI agree. I think that social media sites make it easy to ridicule and also that it has made teenagers more aware of thier flaws.
ReplyHow many people would call someone fat to their face?
You may notice peoples online personas can be quite agressive online when theyre actually not like that at all in person.
I dont think its made us nastier, i think its made it easier to get away with saying nasty things becuase you dont have to deal with it directly.
ReplyI fret enough that someone (HELLO Joel McHale from the Soup!!) I gonna find my monday facetimes and mock em---I dont think I could document my weightloss on youtube.
ReplyYou know, if someone wants to snark on me, let them snark on me. The thing is, you have to assume that the same nasty comments that are being posted anon on social networking sites were being whispered behind one's back in the days before the Internet. It's not like people weren't criticizing each other's bodies and faces! Everyone who puts themselves out in the world has to develop a thick skin...that's just reality.
ReplyI don't think ragging on celebrities' bodies is anything new; it's just that now people can do it online and it's very public. I also think a lot of people say things online that they'd never say in public...anonymity is a very powerful thing. When no one knows it's you that's saying something, you tend to be a lot more honest.
That being said, I do think it's kind of sad that we feel like we have to be really mean to celebrities to make ourselves somehow feel better. And if you ever notice any of the public snarkiness, it's usually the generally considered pretty actresses that get the most crap. Most people don't pick on the fatter actresses AS much. But if you're a skinny celeb that has an ounce of cellulite, watch out!
I have a feeling that if someone took a picture of me and others wanted to criticize it, they'd probably find the following faults: My ankles (I have what snarky websites call "cankles" and YES, it's genetic), my pale skin (I don't fake 'n bake, thank you very much), probably my legs because they look really "buff" and most women would probably think they look manly. It's all stuff I'm aware of. Just like I'm sure most celebs are painfully aware of their own flaws. It's not really necessary to rub stuff in. What's wrong with maybe picking out the really GOOD traits of celebs instead of constantly ragging on them?
ReplyLife sucks, get a helmet.
ReplyThanks good
ReplyYou touched on a social phenomenon for sure. We have all heard of "internet trolls" but did you ever stop to think; you may also exhibit those characteristics at some point?
When you consider our herd mentality, then add the anonimity factor, we all have the capacity to suddenly turn into a viciuos pit bull; snarling and snapping at someone who we think has just insuled or slighted us.
Some of us "pretend" and say; "it doesn't really bother me"; but they still reciprocate the nasty vibes by typing out a vitriolic response to a snarky comment. From there it will sometimes spiral out of control.
If you are in a web ring or post to one of those v-bulliten sites; you get trolls who easily become stalkers. They follow you around all over the internet: to every thread you post to, they arrive trying to push your buttons. I know some of you know what I am talking about.
If you respond just once to their bait; the psychological effect it has on them seems to consume them. You may not realize they have hooked you until you find yourself knee deep in it. Why?
As a society, I believe the internet has caused us to forget something my Grandma used to tell us as kids; "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". ALSO; "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can darn near kill you."
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