Share

Why are we so mean online?

We can read the news, follow our friends, favourite celebrities, politicians, models... Our movements are tagged, our interests are pinned, and our thoughts are shared. As much as we, as a country, curse about how our voice has been stolen by government, we still have a voice.

But lately, that seems to be the problem.

The two stories that grabbed my attention this month are the model race wars and Samantha Brick, the woman who was lambasted pretty much for admitting that she likes how she looks.

Some go viral by accident; others jump on the band wagon to grab their five minutes of fame.  There is one theme that has run through both these rather unrelated stories. And that is: People are mean.

The comments flying on twitter were all about how these woman look. On the one hand, "You think too much of yourself Samantha! You are just an ugly whore..."

On the other side, "Don’t speak honey (Jessica/Tshidi). Just stand there and look pretty, ok? Models shouldn’t be allowed to tweet. All looks and no brains..."

 My question is: how is this less offensive than a racist comment?  You have thousands of people judging based on appearance. Isn’t that the very thing that they are shouting about?

I accept that there are certain situations that require judgement based on appearance.

I have two jobs. I am a print estimator by day (a job very much centred on mathematics), and a bar lady by night. Surprisingly, this job also requires some math skills. I decided to take on the second job to ease my money situation. It's a decision I do not regret. It did, however, take me a while to separate my two working environments.

I am a jeans and t-shirt girl. I don’t go in for the frilly, girly looks. But I had to learn that the people coming to a bar don’t care that you are working two jobs. They don’t care if you have a maths degree (I don’t, I’m just saying) and they certainly do not care whether you can string more than two sentences together.

The boys want tits and ass. The girls want to know they are hotter than the bar ladies.

It took me a while to adjust, but once I accepted it I learned how to use what I have to my advantage. Up the cleavage, shorten the skirt, pile on the make-up and flirt like a mofo with the men AND women. Make my money and go home to my man. If a customer sees me in the Spar (the shop – I don’t make that much money), they will either not recognise me or be very disappointed if they do. Sorry for you.

However! If you look at me and assume the only time I should open my mouth is to ask what I can do for you, then bitch, I will kick you in the nuts. Because you have no right to judge me based on what you think you see. No one does.

We judge people based on their hair colour; their skin colour; because they are too thin, too fat, too pretty, too ugly, too white, too black, too rich, too poor, too gay, too straight.... The list goes on and on.

I still don’t understand the backlash that followed Samantha’s article, but I was mortally offended by the racist tweets – and really, just as offended by the vomit that followed it.

This article was written Women24 reader, Danielle McAdorey.

Follow Women24 on Twitter.


 
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE