Stop Being So (Cyber) Sensitive
The other day I took one step closer to being a real life adult. It’s something that I’ve thought about doing for some time now but always talked myself out of. What was this event that challenged my ascension into manhood? If you guessed “What is Left a comment on a YouTube video” then you my good friend are going places in life. (Also, you’re psychic so you need to quit your job and get into stocks. Or something).
Why was this noteworthy? Well, I’m a male in his mid 20’s who watches more YouTube than he would like to admit. Basketball highlights, video game gameplay (yeah, I’m a nerd), music videos, cat documentaries, viral videos, and everything in between. Am I proud that I watched highlights of every Chino Hills High School basketball game this year? No, but I just couldn’t get enough Lavar Ball, so don’t judge me. Regardless, I’ve seen some amazing things on YouTube and some straight up weird things; none of which compare to the real pièce de résistance: the comment section. It’s 72–10 AKA the best (not 73–9, because it “Don’t Mean A Thing Without the Ring”- don’t @ me Warriors fans). The creativity that people use in their comments confirm that there are everyday Joes and Janes all across the world who are genuinely hilarious (see: “Black Twitter”). If people used the same creative juices that go into their YouTube video comments to improve life, the world would be a better place and we would probably have a cure for cancer. Heck, I often read the comment section first before I even start watching the actual video and I KNOW THAT I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE.
But with most good things, there’s always a bad side. And with YouTube comment sections, it can get really…dark. And it’s that darkness that has kept me from ever leaving a comment. Well, it really comes down to two fundamental things:
- I plan on getting a better job someday and I would hate for a comment that I made on a World Star Hip Hop Vine compilation to be the reason I don’t get the position… Even if Sharkeisha was out of line.
- In real life, people are generally a little kooky. In Internet life, people are BATSHIT crazy.
If you don’t believe me, go through your Facebook, Twitter, or IG- that’s Instagram for you uncultured folks- feeds and check the comments/replies. Most likely, someone’s left a comment (possibly outlandish) that offended another social media patron, an argument starts, someone talks about someone’s mother, there’s threats of what kind of “chopper” one might use to defend their honor if they ever see the other person “in these streets”, and then WW III pops off in a matter of a few words. It’s what Drake was actually talking about in his song 0 to 100.
While watching a video of the tour of a rapper I like, I felt compelled to leave a comment. I obviously enjoyed the music, but I was really impressed with the production of the actual video. But, not wanting to offend anyone, get trolled, or have someone Jordan Crying Face me (whatever the text version of that would be), I spent a considerable amount of time deciding what to say. I couldn’t just say “Cool Video”. First off, that’s poor grammar capitalizing a non-specific noun. Secondly, and more importantly, that was asking for someone to leave a smart Aleck response and I wasn’t sure that I had built up the social media tolerance to all the “h8ers”. I wasn’t a seasoned vet after all; I was a rookie making his season debut. I guess I could have just left a thumbs up on the video, but my mama didn’t raise no punk. After much debate, I finally settled on a comment that I thought was witty but still got across the fact that I liked the video and clicked the REPLY button. Now it was time to wait.
I watched the video again, because I didn’t have any other adult responsibilities to attend to, like bills and laundry and cleaning my house and washing my behind and…and then I closed the FireFox window. I had done it- I had really left a comment on a YouTube video without spontaneously combusting and no one called me sexist, racist, homophobic, ignorant, or something else that involved me offending them. I was just trying to enjoy my newfound confidence. Until I got a phone notification: “(User) replied to your comment”.
*Facepalm emoji*
“(User 2) has replied (User’s) comment”.
*Nervous, sweating emoji*
For no other reason then that we’ve been conditioned to immediately click on any notification that pops up on our phones, I immediately touched the pop-up preparing for my demise. I get to the YouTube video and see the first user asks why I didn’t say my comment in a way that better played off the name of the artist. (Wack.) Then the second guy suggested that I was a “kid”, another play on the artists’s name, but also insinuating that I was a child who wasn’t very intelligent. (Wack, and also a little hurtful, but mostly wack.) Their comments had thumbs up on them, so other people must have their agreed with their sentiments.
There it was, I had failed. And on my first comment. It was like God was using IAmAThug234 and Weed4Lfye111 to show me that I couldn’t cut it in the cut throat world of YouTube commentary.
I was heartbroken and couldn’t believe it. I immediately deleted my comment, unlinked my Gmail account from YouTube and decided I wouldn’t watch another YouTube video in my life.
THE END.
SIKEEEEEE.
They were right, I should have used IAmAThug234’s suggestion because it was more witty. I left a comment agreeing with them and made a joke that had another connection to the artist (because I’m all about figurative language- mixtape coming soon). Then I moved on with my day, because I wasn’t going to let some random YouTube profiles negatively affect me. It’s not worth it.
I get that some people make some very rude, hateful comments online but it’s not because they’re stronger or better than you. It’s because it’s easy to act like you’re someone behind a screen. Stop being so sensitive to the things people say to you. They don’t know you and you don’t know them. Some people are just going to make ignorant comments because they’re bored and they just want to be trolls. Others might have not thought it all the way through. Whatever the case, everyone is going to have their opinions because social media gives them the platform to express them. It baffles me how many people get into heated exchanges on Twitter or YouTube because some teenager in the suburbs said you’re an idiot and you don’t know anything. Just keep it moving.
FIN.
P.S. IAmAThug234 and Weed4Lfye111 aren’t the actual name of the YouTube users who replied to my comment. So in case those are actual real usernames, my bad. But if they’re not, I call dibs on IAmAThug234. One love.
