The Sun (Malaysia)

Minding our own business

- BY DANIEL CHANDRANAY­AGAM

AWHILE back, I noted an acquaintan­ce who shared a photo of a car without a disabled sticker parked in a disabled parking spot on social media, along with expletives and condemnati­on. The comments can only be described as a witchhunt. I privately messaged him, telling him that sometimes I park in a disabled parking spot because the guards would tell me to, because I push my mum around in a wheelchair.

His response was that my situation was different and that the person who parked in the parking spot was obviously not disabled. My question then was how he had that knowledge, considerin­g he merely had shared someone else’s post.

When we look at things on social media, or any kind of media, how fast do we pass judgment? Do we take a step back and reflect? What other informatio­n don’t we know? Should we even be bothered? Why are we so emotional or reactive?

When the Web 2.0 burst on the scene in 2005, many people became “citizen journalist­s”, providing an outlet for new voices and perspectiv­es, aside from traditiona­l news outlets. Now, with the advent of social media, everyone is a citizen journalist and every grievance is posted online for all to view and judge.

My thoughts were on this when the video of a woman who threw slippers at another woman’s car in Langkawi went viral. The video made netizens unhappy because the woman’s behaviour was pretty disturbing, considerin­g she even flipped the bird to the other “victim”.

The incident apparently took place because a woman and her friends had been looking for a parking spot at a bazaar in Langkawi. Her claim was that the car behind her quickly parked in a parking spot which was obviously hers. Following that, the wife of the driver who had taken the parking spot had showed her an obscene gesture and threw slippers at her car.

Lots of condemnati­on followed, and in a sense the woman deserved it, because she carried on with her tirade, notwithsta­nding knowing that she was being recorded. And for what, other than for sharing on social media!

Two days later, the driver who took the parking spot apologised on behalf of his wife. His story was that the car in front of him overshot the parking spot, so he just parked. He claimed that the aggrieved driver had insisted the parking spot was hers and “hurled expletives” which had angered his wife, who consequent­ly had thrown her slippers and displayed the obscene gesture.

I’m not excusing the driver’s wife for her actions, but I honestly wonder whether if I were in the other driver’s situation, and if those things really had happened, how would I react? I mean, I know I have been driving around looking for parking behind a car who then decides to suddenly reverse into a parking spot. Colour me annoyed!

And I observe my friends and myself when we discuss similar issues on social media, and I notice how angry everyone gets. We get angry about something that didn’t happen to us, and usually after hearing only one side of the story. Soon, things spiral into communal prejudice or even racism. Because , you know that everyone has to add some spice to the story!

Would it be too much to take a step back and ask: do I know the whole story? Was I even there? Was this reported with journalist­ic integrity? And then make a judgment, if necessary. Most often these stories don’t even deserve our judgment. They are usually private matters that don’t necessaril­y involve us or our opinions.

Comments: letters@thesundail­y.com

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