When did we lose our humanity?

Like most people, I use social media as a form of escape—scrolling through an endless stream of funny memes and jokes I’d instantly share with friends.

It’s fun to get lost and fall into a rabbit hole of hilarious TikTok and Instagram reels. Lately, however, there has been a frenzy of content that made me wonder: When did we lose our humanity?

I admire the creativity of content creators. They churn out endless ideas that I find highly entertaining. But the recent trend of exploiting other people’s mistakes for laughs has made me question whether or not I’m following and supporting the right content creators.

Online spaces have unfortunately devolved into breeding grounds for negativity, where individuals feel emboldened to express opinions without considering the impact of their words.

And then there are the creators who profit off other people’s misfortune by using it for laughs and giggles, like a cheap thrill in exchange for an expensive cash out. Sure, humor is a coping mechanism, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of someone else’s suffering.

This toxic misuse of social media has become increasingly prevalent, with recent examples like the online attacks, memes, and content created against Maris Racal and Denise Julia.

Maris’ cheating allegations and Denise’s diva attitude are truly alarming. I disagree with everything they’ve done and they deserve to have their actions publicly scrutinized, but only to an extent.

Ultimately, a conversation behind the scenes should have been the best way to deal with their issues; but people who they have wronged chose to air out their dirty laundry and make it a public spectacle.

The problem with social media is that people attach themselves to the issue as if they were the ones betrayed or disrespected. This parasocial behavior among chronically online people could be bothersome as it fosters blind hatred and a bandwagon of unfair criticism.

And though we must hold these people accountable, it is also important to note that Maris’ and Denise’s mistakes and actions are not for us to use against them or an excuse to start calling them names, make easy content to laugh at and make a hasty judgment of what kind of people they are from our point of view.

Instead, we must use their issues and situations to have meaningful conversations and reflections on our humanity. It is okay to feel disappointed, angry, and upset as a fan or a mere observer, but it’s never okay to channel all those emotions into a damaging and hurtful comment, Instagram reel, TikTok, or tweet.

As observers of those actions, we are not on the receiving end so it shouldn’t be up to us to demand an apology.

We are nothing to Maris and Denise as they are nothing to us. They are merely human beings that make mistakes as we all do.

Hollywood actor Constance Wu shared a nugget of wisdom in an interview that deeply resonated with me. She said, “I think it’s important that we engage in curiosity and empathy before we go straight to judgment. Because if somebody does something out of character for them, (it) usually means something’s going on in their life.”

In 2019, Wu engaged in a volatile Twitter spree, expressing frustration and anger over her show’s renewal. This led to backlash from fans and the entertainment community, with many people online using this as a chance to berate and ridicule her without understanding her perspective or trying to at least dig deeper into why she did it.

When we hide behind the anonymity of the internet, it’s easy to become judgmental and critical. At the same time, it is tempting to use a person’s misfortune as a quick cash grab.

But we should always have humanity, empathy, and curiosity. Never assume someone’s character from that one mistake as if that’s all there is to them.

We hold these people to such high standards and make it impossible for them to correct their behavior.

Meanwhile, we have corrupt politicians and blatantly evil capitalists getting away with so many more inhumane things simply because they are never put in the spotlight—at least not enough.

Now that the election season is upon us, I hope people speak up on more important issues plaguing our country. Channel all that hatred and passion toward people in power who are abusing and exploiting those in vulnerable spaces.

Let us talk more about the farmers whose lands are being taken away to build unnecessary infrastructures, teachers taking more out of their pockets to continue doing their jobs and teach children, and service workers experiencing unfair work conditions because their employers refuse to compensate them properly. Let us put pressure on those with power and shame them for ignoring the woes of everyday people.

I have lost hope that people online will ever find their humanity. It is so easy to hide behind anonymity and engage in hateful commentary but to the few who still have an ounce of their humanity, I hope you find that light in you to see where I’m coming from and start asking yourself: Am I fighting the good fight?

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Syd Pascua, 27, is a writer and artist.