Social media is a staple of communication in homes worldwide. As of October 2022, there are roughly five billion users across the globe, an astounding 59% of the total population.
The first social media network site was Six Degrees, created in 1996 by Andrew Weinreich. From its inception, it was billed to users as “the most exclusive invite only social network where you will meet amazing people based on your interests.”
However, in the wrong hands, people can pervert this benevolent goal. A case in point is a rather disturbing trend of late on various platforms, the “celebrity death prank”. The craze gained traction during the 2022 Christmas season on primarily on TikTok where children inform their parents of their favorite star’s passing, record their reaction, and post to followers.
A notable example is sixteen-year-old Slater Vance, son of actress Angela Bassett, known to movie watchers as Queen Ramonda of the “Black Panther” franchise. Vance tells his mother her co-star, actor Michael B. Jordan died. An exasperated Bassett clutches her heart in disbelief at the news. In August 2020, the film series’s leading man, Chadwick Boseman — as the Queen’s eldest child, T’Challa, and the titular superhero — succumbed to colon cancer.
After witnessing the damage his lie caused, Bassett’s real-life son released a public apology to his mother and Jordan’s family. Making false claims with result that subsequent true claims are disbelieved is at the heart of a panther’s kindred animal in the colloquialism “crying wolf”.
The term is born from storyteller Aesop’s fable, “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”. A bored young boy tried to create some excitement by calling out, “Wolf! Wolf!” Neighbors rushed to his rescue only to discover he nor his sheep were in any danger. He did the same several times, and the villagers eventually caught on to his trick.
Afterward, a wolf came and devoured the boy’s flock. Again, he screamed his well-worn line, but no one responded. The boy grew angry and growled at the townspeople about their carelessness to which an elder replied, “A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.”
Like these ferocious felines, lies can tear people and relationships apart, in a sense. Proverbs 16:28 cautions, “A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.”
As an active social media user since 2010, I’ve seen a myriad of online conversations conclude somewhere along these lines, “You voted for that person?” “Do you identify with that political party?” “That’s how you do it?” “That’s what you believe?” “That’s all I need to know.” Instead of trying to discover the motivation behind that vote, affiliation, practice, or belief, we take the easy route and ghost or unfriend. I, too, have been guilty of this over the years.
If we keep the culprit in our friend list — instead of talking to them directly and privately — we launch a “cry wolf” online public campaign. Via passive-aggressive posts, reels, and stories, we aim to “set them straight”, attack their reputations, and seek support from our inner circle to adopt our negative view of them without knowing all the facts. Scripture speaks of the importance of due process from John 7:51 asking, “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?”
Since its initial launch, social media has evolved from a forum for connection into a virtual courtroom. It counsels us to be skilled lawyers, per se, and present ourselves as innocent “lambs” to the masses. We’ve become masters at creating highlight reels and “mic drop” posts to garner praise in the comments. Unfortunately, the adulation is won at the expense of tarnishing someone else’s character.
Can Andrew Weinreich’s original intent for social networking be salvaged? Some believe it’s beyond hope. I’m reminded of another legendary tale, Homer’s poem, “The Iliad”. Achilles — the Greek warrior and its main protagonist — responds to an offer of a truce from his nemesis, Homer, “Fool, prate not to me about covenants. There can be no covenants between men and lions, wolves and lambs can never be of one mind but hate each other out and out and through. Therefore, there can be no understanding between you and me, nor may there be any covenants between us, till one or other shall fall.”
Through human effort alone, reconciliation may seem virtually impossible. However, with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). He’s able “through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).”
The Apostle Peter encourages us the tap into His divine ability to repair broken relationships from 1 Peter 3:10-11, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.”
So, let’s put in the work, shall we? All major social media platforms have a direct messaging option, which includes video calling. Make it a goal this year to have a heart-to-heart conversation with the person or people with whom you’re at odds and start to dismantle the cage which separates and imprisons you both. You might be pleasantly surprised with what you find on the other side and regain or make a friend in the end.
Then, instead of crying wolf and devouring each other, we can savor a newfound appreciation for one another.
Sources:
Article: “Global Social Media Statistics” by Data Reportal
Website: Six Degrees
Article: “Then and now: a history of social networking sites” by Chenda Ngak, published July 6, 2011
Article: “This Year’s Hottest Holiday Trend Is Telling Your Mom Her Favorite Celebrity Just Died” by Jon Blistein, published December 27, 2022
Article: “Angela Bassett’s Son In Hot Water After Pranking Her With Fake Michael B. Jordan Death News” by Kia Morgan Smith, published January 1, 2023
Biography: Angela Bassett
Website: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Biography: Michael B. Jordan
Biography: Chadwick Boseman
Story: “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” by Aesop
Scripture: Proverbs 16:28
Scripture: John 7:51
Poem: “The Iliad” – Book 22, lines 308-315 (Amazon)
Scripture: Matthew 19:26
Scripture: Ephesians 3:20
Scripture: 1 Peter 3:10-11
Scripture references are from the New Living Translation. Their links go to bible.com, courtesy of YouVersion, makers of the Bible App available for iOS and Android devices.
