A few days ago there was much talk about an incident that occurred in a well-known reality show. In particular, a contestant with psychological fragilities decided to leave the game following the aggressive and indifferent behavior of some of the other participants.
I admit that I am not a fan of this kind of program and that, in my opinion, “throwing to the wolves” those who are going through a difficult time just to increase ratings seems to me to be taking advantage of their vulnerability, but the dynamics of television are now clear and in a sense represent an evolution of those of ancient Rome in which, to entertain the people, they had people torn apart by lions in the Colosseum. I do not mean to say that certain topics should not be addressed on TV, but certainly not in a show whose purpose is superficial entertainment. Unfortunately, however, the space reserved for programs in which such content is treated with a scientific approach is progressively being eroded.
For years, in fact, we have been witnessing the degradation into which the world of entertainment has inexorably sunk: improvised musicians who have overshadowed talented singers just because they are falsely alternative; pseudo actors who are imposed at the expense of those who have dedicated themselves to the study of acting; television formats of all kinds filled with embarrassing contestants and content. And, in general, characters without any competence and often without any dialectical ability hosted as “pundits” on the most disparate topics.
How did this cultural model that rewards incompetence with success become established? I mean, in the past some personalities became famous thanks to the constructive contribution they made to the world. Whether it was art, culture or science, generally those who emerged had such talent or preparation that allowed them to stand out from the crowd. Not that there were no “recommended” people of the moment, but they represented an exception and, in any case, even the recommended person was required to have a minimum standard of competence in a specific sector so that, in some way, access to TV was “filtered” by a preliminary evaluation. At a certain point meritocracy was abandoned and selective criteria were adopted based mostly on sloppy frivolity.
In my view, the responsibility lies with social media which, from a precious tool for exercising the democratic right to express one’s opinion, has become the means through which to assert oneself without having anything to say. Thanks to social media, it is no longer competence, talent or merit, but visibility that leads to success. And to have visibility (with due exceptions, of course) it may even be enough to show oneself half-naked or to exhibit with shrewd confidence the most negative part of oneself. With the result that fatuous characters with an immeasurable ego rise to unmotivated notoriety. The ego, understood as self-awareness, if guided and educated, is essential to building a balanced personality based on healthy self-esteem, but if left “unbridled”, it tends to make its dark side prevail and transform into a boundless and empty exaltation of the self.
In this regard, I would borrow the famous exhortation “stop making stupid people famous!” and transform it into “stop making empty people famous!”, that is, let’s stop making “empty” characters famous, who have nothing to teach or are unable to entertain professionally. Characters who have risen to notoriety thanks to the ostentation of their vacuity. People hungry for glory, without talent and without preparation.
How, then, do we stop making these people famous? How can we contribute in our small way to a reversal of this trend? I believe a conscious choice is necessary: deciding to “follow” only people who can truly make a constructive contribution to our lives. “What does it take?” you might think, but in reality it is not always that easy: we are bombarded with useless content and sometimes we are sucked into the vortex of curiosity without even realizing it. Indeed, it is the platforms themselves that ensure that whoever has the most views goes trending and it matters little that it is stupid, vulgar content, bordering on decency and increasingly often characterized by sadistic meanness. What matters is – precisely – that they are seen by the highest number of people.
Instead, it would be enough to apply a simple principle: if certain “empty” characters stop receiving attention from us, their unmotivated fame ends. Period.
So, here’s what you can do in practice:
- take a critical look at your social media and start a healthy social decluttering: if they are characters who until now have not brought any kind of value to your existence/society or that you do not consider intellectually/artistically stimulating, then you can safely press the “unfollow” button and free up unnecessarily occupied space;
- when a link appears promising to reveal the latest hot gossip, don’t click; you can live without knowing why the most loved couple by Italians broke up (I assure you they wouldn’t give a damn about you…);
- when stupid or disgusting videos are suggested to you on social media, don’t stop to watch them. Stupid and vulgar content is precisely meant to attract the attention of those who would never do such things;
- look for valuable content and/or in line with your projects and social media will suggest similar profiles to follow.
After all, why should you, who would never dream of creating idiotic content, sharing embarrassing dances, spreading malice and gossip at the expense of those going through a difficult time, fill your time watching those who do? If you think about it, it’s really an insult to your intelligence and it’s a matter of respect for yourself: you become what your brain feeds on!
♥
Intelligence is also seen in the things you choose to avoid
