PUBLIC shaming is nothing new. Filipinos value amor propio. We can afford to lose everything except our face. So when nothing else works, we resort to shaming.
We parade alleged perpetrators of crimes on national television for the public to feast on. We post the names of members who fail to pay club dues on bulletin boards for all to gawk at. We splash on the pages of our local papers, the photos and names of those who steal electricity from the utility company—complete with public apologies.
It comes from a place of frustration—frustration over recidivisim. Shaming is our last-resort strategy to get something done or to prevent something from happening again. To cut a sad tale short, we do it because it works.
When business establishments get shut down by government agencies, signage is posted at the building front detailing business violations for the public to view.
Our shaming strategies shocked a foreign tourist.
We are not alone in the world in our public shaming culture or history. Today, however, public shaming takes on a new name and form. These days, we don’t call it public shaming. We refer to it as “calling out bad behavior.”
And calling out bad behavior in itself is not wrong. In fact, it is necessary to effect change for good in society.
But the world has changed. Today, news reaches millions in seconds. In the digital age, the breakneck speed with which information is delivered comes with a high price—the context necessary to understand posted content is lost. And when content is received without context, digital hysteria can result.
When we call someone out on their bad behavior—we can inadvertently wake the fury and frustrations of an entire digital kingdom. One inflammatory post can escalate into a digital war in less than 24 hours.
Cyberspace is for the fast and furious. Outrage is instantaneous. Condemnation is swift. In minutes, the mob swoops in. The Internet fuels our appetite for quick judgement. Social media provides the perfect platform for public lynching. Our digital devices give us a sense of empowerment. In seconds, we can effect change—we can create a hero or a villain.
But such immense power within our fingertips can be deadly. When there is no time to measure our responses, no time to temper our words, no time to curate our clicks. When pause is no longer in vogue—calling out bad behavior can become a blood sport.
Yet, we can have the wrong information. The mob can go after the wrong person. It’s not only civility we lose but courage when we move mindlessly and mercilessly to pound on someone from behind the safety of our screens.
Public shaming is nothing new. But it takes on a sinister layer today. The Internet can be a force for good but it can also be an unintended vehicle for evil. The time for caution is now.