As you’re a Mount Holyoke student, I’m sure you’ve heard of Fizz. An app in which people can post anonymously, it has been under fire pretty much since its conception – it even ended up on the Mount Holyoke News as being against the Honor Code. Granted, I see why so many folks are against it. It is a great recipe for disaster when you put a bunch of hormone-packed, eager-to-complain young adults on a platform where you can say whatever you want with little to no consequences. Even if people disagree, all they can do is downvote and insult you, which may not be a problem if you’re thick-skinned. However, I think Fizz is more than just a place to complain and a cesspool of negativity. I think Fizz can be something beautiful if we let it. Let me explain.
While anonymity makes it so people can be nasty, it also leads to people being honest. Sometimes people can be scared to ask certain questions about MHC student life if they fear the answer may be obvious – being anonymous allows people to ask their questions instead of being confused. This is especially important for firsties who may still be acclimating to campus and be shy to ask questions to strangers.
Besides asking questions, it can also make people more comfortable giving compliments. Be honest, how many times have you seen someone post “who’s your campus celebrity?” or “who’s your campus fashion icon?” and people actually responded with names of people they admired? It can be hard to go up to someone and compliment them, especially if they’re a stranger. Fizz makes it so that not only can you compliment someone, you can also start a campus-wide chain reaction of love and kindness.
Hate will always be present on Fizz; it’s just what happens when people don’t have to show their face. However, together, we can drown out this negativity and make Fizz what it was meant to be: a place where people can be honest while still spreading kindness. I will do my best to foster a positive online community today. Will you join me?