3 minute read
by Tom Cain
I have been on Youtube since the beginning in one facet or another. Either as a lurker, falling into the ever evolving rabbit holes of digression or creating content. But never felt the need to spew toxicity at someone for creating something.
In 2010 Justin Beiber released a song called ‘Baby’, you are probably well aware of this. It is currently the most disliked video on youtube. Some of the comments, for a then very young man must have been harmful. And for what reason do people find the need to spew such horrid, vile comments at someone who has made an effort to produce something he felt people might like?
The only thing I can think of is these people have sad, bad, dissatisfying lives and have to vent their anger at their own failings at people who are trying.
Now, I understand if you are upset and want to be vocal about say, trophy hunting, medical malpractice, lying politicians, corruption etc. But you can vent that outrage in a meaningful way instead of going online and telling a champion boxer that he is a arsehole and a bum and should give up boxing, while you sit on their sofa scoffing Pringles.
There is no need to be toxic, it’s not funny, it’s not fun, it’s stupid.
I would also argue that most people are actually good at the core, and if they met said champion boxer in person they would either people nice or be neutral, but most would definitely not call him an arsehole and a bum.
We did a live stream a few days ago (from writing this article) and we had a really great turn out of learners who wanted to come along, have a chat and pick up some news vocab in Mandarin. The stream was the best part of 2 hours long on youtube (Link below). Really positive bunch of people (big shout out to Krish, Safiya, Jesse, Marwan, Ravi, Edward,豬豬, Karin, Ismail & Mickey Mouse And wonders). We (Ula and me) had a great time chatting with everyone about a range of topics in the typical Chinglish we normally operate in.
BUT some had to pop in quickly and call Ula (Taiwanese) a ‘gook’ which is a racial slur used mainly by the American troops during the Vietnam and Korean wars to refer to their enemies at the time.
This person felt compelled to log onto Youtube, find a live stream, jump in, be racist and then be banned and removed by me. Why?!
We also have a whatsapp Group (link below) we started because we want to engage with people on different levels and find interesting ways to help people learn. And it is going very well. Its still early days and still evolving but it’s helping and thats the aim.
https://chat.whatsapp.com/invite/3v9THVRlakx19SnSPcpcJE
Again just a few days ago, someone came online grabbed the link, joined the group, and started calling everyone bitches and who knows what else in Portuguese. Here’s the thing, there are a good number of people in that group, from all over the world. The chances someone will understand what you are saying are pretty high. I understood, he got removed and banned. Bile for no reason.
I get so frustrated with people who take time out of their sad lives to be nasty to people who are trying, trying to learn, trying to create, trying to help. I don’t just mean us or the people in our groups, but generally.
BE NICE TO EACH OTHER. You only live once, no point wasting your finite time on the planet being horrible to people for no reason. If your life is not good, make drastic changes, re-evaluate yourself and improve, get healthy! Eat well, exercise, create opportunity by learning new things! Be nice for the sake of being nice. It pays dividends in the end and you will feel better.
Rant over. Will promise to write a Chinese/Mandarin specific one soon. Just needed to get that off my chest.
Hello mate great bloog post