The internet is a space that fosters both the best and worst of humanity and this is especially exemplified with apps like TikTok. Although I try to keep my feed positive, there is the occasional negative video that slips through the cracks. I can go from watching a post featuring cute zoo animals or a funny joke to a video body-shaming a teenage girl doing a popular dance in a single scroll.
While the average user of a social media platform is subject to their own share of virtual harassment, celebrities and influencers receive an abundance of hate by far.
As I was scrolling through my feed on TikTok one day, I came across a video of Dixie D’Amelio sobbing as she expressed to her parents that she gets called unhygienic in her comment section. My initial reaction was to laugh because I thought it was a comedy sketch. I was privy to the running joke that Dixie D’Amelio does not shower and thought she was playing along. It’s bizarre to cry over getting called “musty” on the Internet when you’re being handed brand deals every day, right?
However, I wound up remembering the deterioration of my own mental health during the first semester of online learning in a global pandemic. It definitely was unfair of me to disregard the mental health of celebrities when I, myself, have experience with poor mental health and bullying.
Although I may dislike some celebrities and their actions, I can at least respect them as other human beings. It can be easy to write off the virtual harassment that celebrities receive as something trivial, outweighed by their grandiose lifestyles and endless money supply. It is especially easy to do this when celebrities are out of touch with reality–for instance, when Gal Gadot and friends used their vocal cords and not their wallets to keep spirits high during the start of the pandemic.
Don’t get me wrong, celebrities should be subject to criticism and held accountable for blatantly immoral actions. However, there should be a difference between holding someone accountable and bullying. Although Dixie D’Amelio has made a great deal of distasteful TikToks, it would be hypocritical of me to advocate for mental health while bullying influencers that I personally dislike on the side.
Public figures have also been more vocal about their struggles with mental health recently. I commend Olympic athletes such as Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka for prioritizing their mental health during such high-stakes competitions in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It is easy to think that celebrity athletes have minds of steel to match their herculean athletic abilities, but they too can suffer from anxiety and depression.
I am still learning to extend empathy toward public figures who I would not consider the least bit relatable or down to earth. I’ve found that being compassionate to these types of public figures has helped me protect my peace and maintain a more positive headspace.