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When flaunting online is both a blessing and curse

Now… how many times have you wanted to, or at least thought of, responding with go to hell?

You’ve probably seen it. Hop on to your social media account and you’re likely to run across someone who’s describing something as ‘blessed’.

Blessed to have this. Blessed to have that. Blessed to be feeling like this. Blessed to be feeling like that. Blessed to be whatever I can think of.

Now… how many times have you wanted to, or at least thought of, responding with go to hell?

Social media tends to overplay things. If I remember correctly, one of my first — if not the first — encounter with such a bit is when some gal was flaunting her new car with the adjectives including, of course, ‘blessed’.

Here’s my beef with that post: The car in question was the fruit of a business that was basically a pyramiding model, and you know how those schemes work. And by the way, the car was a garden-variety, very affordable Ferrari. (If you aren’t fluent in sarcasm, cease reading right now).

If that’s the way you feel, being ‘blessed’ for everything life throws at you, fine, go ahead. No one’s stopping you. But at least be sensitive about how others would react. I particularly feel bad for those ‘used’ in that pyramiding biz; quite sure they saw that because that post is apparently part of the strategy to ‘inspire’ others to sell more (and get their own Ferraris in the process).

Religion is a very sensitive topic. I’m fine with criticism, but do it with respect, just like I do when I speak on something, particularly on topics in other beliefs that I’m completely oblivious to. Learning is one of those big rooms for improvement; it doesn’t make you less of a person to admit to not knowing something, more so to signify your intent to acquire new knowledge.

And to overplay religion — anything, as a matter of fact — can have serious consequences. Some things don’t cross over very well, especially if you force the issue on connecting something that is sometimes pointless.

Just like the other day in my hometown, a popular basketball player rocked a pair of uber-rare Air Jordans specifically designed for the Philippine market on his social media account and, you guessed it, he described the moment as being ‘blessed’. There were only 150 pairs of the coveted shoe that went on sale, and the only way to even have the chance to purchase one is to enter an electronic raffle.

Expectedly, there were not-so-kind reactions. One netizen in particular suggested that Mr Player should’ve given the chance to others, no matter how slim, to cop a coveted pair. Player fired back saying he was only made to wear the kicks by Nike, a fair point but still leaves a bad taste in, this case, the feet, if you’d like to play the rich-get-richer card.

As a sneakerhead myself, I had a paradoxical feeling: Happy for him because he got it, but at the same time disappointed. Apparently, his pair was No.149, so I thought, yeah, maybe Nike should’ve given him his own pair if the intent was to hype it, not take one out of the already few 150 pairs up for grabs.

So, if I may defend those I’m targeting (how ironic), the underlying burden of fault doesn’t seem to always rest on them. It may be a knee-jerk reaction for getting or experiencing something they know only a few others would get. Or maybe it’s part of a deal with whatever they’re promoting. We’ll never know for sure, but the problem is to what degree is the bragging at — and I’d bet you a hefty sum that you know at least one person in your circle who posts things just to rub it in to others.

This is just one example of the countless others you encounter, and I can imagine either the awe you may feel or the rolling eyes that come automatically. Keep it cool, folks. Keep it simple. Or, better yet, keep it to yourself. Mixed blessings can be a heavy burden.

But yeah, I still feel a bit salty not being able to learn of that sneaker raffle earlier. I’m just hoping there’s a blessing in disguise waiting to unravel itself upon me.

— alvin@khaleejtimes.com