A recent social media trend is drawing criticism for its perceived toxicity and selfishness. What initially started as a simple soup recipe has developed into a heated internet debate about a certain behavior that many individuals may unwittingly engage in.
Selfish behavior on social networks: ‘What about me?’ trend takes center stage.(sarahthebookfairy/TokTok,tiktok_us/Twitter.X)(TikTok/Twitter.)
The trend started when TikTok user Kara shared a simple bean soup recipe last month. She mentioned that this dish would be helpful for those with iron deficiency, and her caption read: “All my anemic girls, this is for you.”
Her video quickly gained massive popularity, garnering nearly 8 million views since its release in late August. While many viewers appreciated the recipe as a quick meal idea, a significant number of commenters expressed their distaste for beans and sought alternative ingredients for bean soup.
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This caused controversy, and some individuals pointed out the absurdity of these demands and labeled them as a reflection of the selfish nature of some people in today’s world.
One creator, Sarah Lockwood, coined the phrase ‘What About Me?’ effect, and her response to this trend went viral on TikTok.
In her video, which has garnered 4.5 million views since it was posted last month, she explained: “I’m going to talk to you about something I’ve decided to call ‘What about me?’ repercussions.”
She further described the effect as a combination of an individualistic culture and the pervasive influence of constant online connectivity, particularly on TikTok.
Sarah emphasized that ‘What about me?’ The effect occurs when someone encounters content that doesn’t directly relate to them or that they can’t fully identify with, and yet find a way to make it about themselves. Instead of recognizing that they are not the target audience for that content, they seek personalized adjustments for their unique situation.
Sarah used the example of Kara’s bean soup video to illustrate the ‘What About Me?’ performance in action. Commenters on Kara’s video asked about alternatives for the beans or how to modify the recipe to exclude the beans, instead of simply admitting that the video was not intended for them.
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Sarah suggested that such behavior is not simply a lack of common sense, but is rooted in the individualistic culture prevalent in the United States, and perhaps elsewhere.
She further illustrated her point with the example of a bald person who got upset over a hairdresser’s video online.
Sarah emphasized that this trend of creating everything about oneself and seeking validation and adaptation for every situation is a widespread problem in modern society.
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Categories: Trending
Source: newstars.edu.vn