William Kelly
Staff Writer
“WORLDSTARRR!” This simple yet highly influential phrase can be the motive for a situation to go from zero to one-hundred real quick.
Admit it, you’re reading this because it has WORLDSTAR hovering above it. If someone were to scream it right now, everyone in the surrounding area would instantly go ballistic without hesitation.
Why does such a simple word have so much influence on our generation? It may appear to be all fun and games until someone is brutally injured. We are in an era of time in which social media and smart devices control our thoughts and decisions.
I came across the hashtag “Justice for Coran” while scrolling down my Instagram timeline and I immediately became heartbroken and furious. For those of you who are unaware of the story behind the hashtag, Coran is a mentally challenged man whose videos of being bullied and abused by teenagers went viral.
The level of ignorance is ridiculously high when someone could bully and abuse an innocent man. Some members of this generation lack humanity and home-training. Even parents are purposely uploading videos of their children saying vulgar things for attention.
As a child, I was raised to respect my elders and always be a gentleman. In today’s society, respect has vanished while disrespect has become “amusing.” There is a decrease in parental figures and an increase in parents becoming friends with their children, allowing them to do whatever they please.
Our generation has become corrupted and blinded by social media. I have seen too many videos of innocent children, adults, and elderly citizens being tortured by teenagers and nothing is done to stop it.
What happened to defending others who cannot defend for themselves? When will you decide to put down your smart-phone and intervene? Will it be when it’s too late? Your perspective will change once you witness a close friend or relative being laughed at on someone’s Vine or Instagram account.
These sometimes violent posts are hilarious until it is our own grandmother or mentally challenged family member being nearly killed for the entire world to see.
As college students, we must conduct ourselves as role models and scholars. Reposting these videos in an amusing tone continues to promote violence, giving the next person a permit for international attention.
If we provide an audience, the cycle of exploitation will never cease. Do you have the maturity level to leave the audience or will you continue to praise ignorance as the promoter?
