All of us have a façade we show to the world and a completely opposite headspace we keep to ourselves. We do this for many different reasons, whether to avoid intruding questions we do not have the energy to answer, or to avoid mustering the courage to ask help out of fear of burdening others.
However, at one point, our headspace could reach a pitch black abyss. When it gets claustrophobically dark and our breaths too shallow, we can explode.
Filipinos have once again gone to the internet as a huge commotion stirred up the past couple of days. Surprisingly enough, the cause was not a political issue.
The entertainment industry seems to have a lot to report as Clint Bondad, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray’s ex-boyfriend, had gone to the internet with his very cryptic and seriously alarming Instagram stories.
Most people were concerned about Clint Bondad’s welfare more than anything. Many have presumed that the posts were a cry for help or a severe emotional distress – taking into huge consideration mental health awareness.
However, some people have gone to the extremes trying to decode the messages. Rumors have been carelessly flying about as everyone joined the bandwagon of a potentially enormous celebrity revelation.
This to me is what excessively scares me – how people are too careless with what they say without full context.
Many people have gone to antagonize the celebrities involved, constantly pitting one over the other, and blatantly throwing strong accusations without evidence.
And yet the way many Filipinos handle socio-political issues that have crystal clear evidence, tend to be a lot more conservative and detached. A lot of us tend to circle around important issues that directly and largely affect all of us out of simply ‘not caring.’
But the way people have inserted themselves in this celebrity gossip is beyond me.
Since the posts are on social media and therefore public, the public’s opinion is definitely inevitable. What baffles me however, is how some of us choose to take an accusatory stand in what is clearly a very delicate and sensitive issue to the people involved – and again, without really knowing anything.
Every one of us, even those who we never expect, have silent battles that remain only within our headspace. These battles are those we keep hidden from the world because sometimes, keeping them private is also a way of protecting ourselves.
When I saw the cryptic and alarming posts, I remember feeling intensely disturbed and anxious. I remember days when my headspace was also too dark and disturbing. Immediately, I talked to a good friend whose words have left me a deep sense of gratitude and inspiration.
“We can be so concerned about someone we barely know. Perhaps, that is simply human nature,” she said.
With that I felt a lot more at ease about the Instagram posts. It made me realize that there are more good people who would seriously take matters such as mental health and human emotions with respect and value.
These days have made me realize how some of us feast on the lives of celebrities, how quick we are to antagonize, and how naively we diminish mental health.
I would say my greatest takeaway from the cryptic posts and the reaction of the public is how important it is for all of us to come together and be a little bit more sensitive.
Being sensitive applies to everyone and to each and every story we know and do not know. I guess it truly is human nature to be concerned about others, but the way we do so speaks volumes about us.