'Commonplacement' of fame

Oh my God, where are we? Since when has fame been built on such cheap, mediocre, and illusory foundations?

On a leisurely weekend evening, while browsing the internet, I was shocked to see a livestream selling men's clothing that was so blatant that the seller was constantly introducing the products while inappropriately touching the body of the male model next to him. The male model, according to the livestream host, was 1.8 meters tall with a perfect physique. The livestream didn't show the model's face clearly; the camera deliberately only focused on the area from the neck down, presumably to facilitate the suggestive behavior during the sales.

The male model was responsible for trying on every outfit requested by viewers commenting on the livestream, but instead of moving away, he stripped naked right in front of the camera, even performing suggestive actions. The livestream host's hands caressed every part of the model's body, uttering vulgar words; strangely enough, the more outrageous he became, the more viewers he attracted. The livestream initially had only a few hundred followers, but as the male model became bolder, it quickly attracted tens of thousands of viewers, and the products sold like hotcakes.

Browsing Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, etc., more and more "idols" of young people are appearing, but honestly, when you check them out, you can't understand what these people have to idolize. They're covered in tattoos, have a rebellious appearance, boast about their criminal records, drug addiction, and wild lifestyles, and take pride in it; they film themselves throwing money around like trash in nightclubs and bars; they have their right arm around a tall, attractive woman while their left hand gropes a hot girl…

That's understandable, society is diverse, but these "online gangsters" even livestream, lecturing, preaching morality, and advising "you young punks" on how to live... It's truly appalling! Unintentionally, the ugly images and rotten character spreading online influence a segment of young people, leading to a distorted worldview, making them think that's cool and impressive, and prompting thoughts like, "I wish I were like you," or "Brother, do you take on apprentices?"

Another alarming trend on social media is restaurant reviews. Facebookers, TikTokers, and YouTubers who rose to fame through food review videos have now largely become a nightmare for restaurant owners. While food reviews, whether good or bad, praise or criticism, are normal, reviewing with the sole purpose of nitpicking, mocking mistakes, or even deliberately overreacting by banging on tables and chairs, or cursing at the owner because the food wasn't to their liking… all to gain views and create drama for viewers… is unacceptable. Many restaurants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have had to put up signs saying they don't accept customers for reviews, filming, or photography because of this!

Social media accounts seeking fame through aggressive, rude, and vulgar means are becoming increasingly common. They share a common goal: to be unique, the stranger the better, regardless of social norms, customs, and morality, as long as they get many views. Views become the measure of popularity, and naturally, income follows. More views on YouTube mean more automated ads and more money; more views on Facebook mean more opportunities to be approached by brands to write advertising content, at exorbitant prices; more views on TikTok mean instant access to live streams selling anything and everything, with high demand… Therefore, people are "trivializing" fame, pursuing it at any cost!

Despite this alarming situation, the current penalties are still insufficient to deter offenders. Most YouTubers, TikTokers, and Facebookers who violate the rules only receive intervention from authorities if their actions cause public uproar and the media speaks out, but these actions are mostly limited to warnings and administrative fines; meanwhile, many other "celebrities" continue to produce content to gain views as usual.

In this day and age, no matter how upset we are about the deviant behavior on social media, it's difficult to delete accounts and completely disconnect from the internet. We worry that our children still intentionally or unintentionally watch these vulgar videos and images every day, but doing something to limit or eventually eliminate harmful and toxic content online is incredibly difficult! This requires not only stronger and more decisive sanctions from authorities, but also a change in each of us.

These "internet gangsters" and channels with "dirty views" didn't become famous by chance; we, whether intentionally or unintentionally, are fueling their views through our attention and interest. Ignore them, block them, and report their channels to inform platform administrators that they contain content that violates community guidelines and goes against moral standards. By doing so, we are saving our own living environment and the future of our children!