The 21st century is an era filled with technological devices that gives people access to the Internet from wherever they are. There are laptops, tablets, smartphones and handheld videogame devices, just to name a few. One would think that with such easy access to a cyber world overflowing with knowledge people would use it to seek information. Instead they use it to access social media sites and upload videos of acts of pure stupidity for the sake of likes and view counts.
People teasing animals and getting attacked by them. Guys who jump off roofs to a pool, but land on the floor and break some bones. YouTube, and other sites, is littered with such videos. Granted there are also millions of videos showcasing amazing feats, true talent and skills, but the nonsensical ones overshadow those. But, seriously, what is the point of sharing these embarrassing acts across the world? Is the backlash people that will receive worth the attention? Where is the common sense?
In recent days, a video went viral showing a young girl getting hit in the head with a shovel after she instigated a fight with a younger girl on that girl’s property. The victim’s friend, who recorded the entire incident, uploaded the video onto YouTube and received thousands of views in minutes before being removed. Some friend. He should have stopped the fight instead of recorded it. Shovel-Girl, as she will be called, received a minor concussion from the attack. However, minutes after the video was shared, people claimed that she had died from her injuries.
This rumor spread like wildfire causing the masses to believe the hoax simply because it was shared on Facebook. Hey, it isn’t official if it’s not on Facebook, so the saying goes. Soon after, thousands of remixed videos of this incident were posted on YouTube alone. Seriously, do a search on it. It’s almost up to 44,000 videos. Shovel-Girl, identified as Miranda Fugate, spoke out to let the world know that she was still alive, and even relished this newfound fame, however she will forever be known as Shovel-Girl to the world.
The phrase “15 minutes of fame” comes to mind. A common dream many people share is to become famous. After all, with fame comes fortune, right? Wrong. Fortune only comes to those who have talent. Yet that doesn’t explain Justin Bieber. In any case, people who think that they’ll become famous for their ridiculous stunts will get worldwide recognition, just not the way they wanted it. They won’t get fortune, fancy cars and mansions, or be invited to the hottest exclusive nightclubs in Hollywood. Instead they get turned into memes and become as a form of Internet comic relief and satire for everyone to use and abuse. Moral of the story: do not subject yourself to acts of stupidity simply to become the newest Internet sensation. It just isn’t worth the labels that will forever scar you thereafter.
