Trolls! Ogres! Oh my!

It’s easy to post senseless hate, spam, or flames over the internet since no one can really know who you are over the internet unless someone finds out who you truly are. I’ve seen a lot of trash talks on the internet, be it a racist or an angst-driven teenager wanting to be noticed. It’s also easy to feel angry rather than to be collect and rational. The emotion is such a complicated but wonderful aspect of a human being.

Some people know how to go about it and some just can’t stop, think, and listen. I admit that sometimes, I get overwhelmed by my own emotions when I’m being attacked by strangers with loose tongues or read something that generalizes my race in a negative way. Sometimes, I react too much from it showing my vulnerable spot – my ego. People tend to see things wrongly and will also react badly to the situation.

One night, I was talking to someone I know, who I will call by the name of Bob, telling him about this article I read on the internet about a rare (almost extinct bird) found somewhere here in the Philippines. The bird was captured by poachers and sold to the market to be eaten. There was a comment particular comment generalizing the people in my country that we are too poor and more or less making us look like “savages“. A lot of Filipinos read that comment and started flaming the guy. I told myself, “I’m too passive or rather too tired to comment.” Bob reacted and said that just by flaming already shows that they are somewhat “savages“.

I, then, changed the subject to another situation I had. Earlier that day, I was having a conversation with someone I know, who I will call John Doe, from the US who was surprised that I drink iced tea. He didn’t know that there are also ice teas outside the US. Bob got agitated and flamed about the iced tea. I raised my hand to make him stop and I continued with my story. From the reaction that John Doe did, I almost got mad myself but I told John Doe that I was also surprised by his reaction and so John Doe explained that even in some areas in the US, a tea is considered hot. With that explanation, Bob calmed down. I quickly asked, “Now, who’s being a savage?”

I am not mad with Bob or with John Doe. My mother always tells me, “Kung sinong nakakaintindi, sya ang magpakumbaba.” (Rough translation: Those who can understand must humble themselves.)

I saw this video from Martin and it’s totally unrelated but it’s something to “Think” about.