Culture of... "putting others down"

(Baonghean) - "Unbelievable" is a keyword currently being searched intensely on social media. Unfortunately, a significant number of those searching for it online are doing so with a negative attitude, even using it sarcastically, to criticize, to belittle, or to "throw stones"—as is currently popular among many young people. In reality, "unbelievable" isn't a new linguistic discovery. Almost everyone has heard it at least once, and probably everyone has used it at least once. Yet, after the highly anticipated launch of the "made in Vietnam" Bphone smartphone, it suddenly became a common phrase in many conversations.

Why is that? To clarify the story, let's first go back to one of the most prominent technology events of the past week: the launch of the Vietnamese smartphone called Bphone. Those paying attention probably noticed the unusual fact that for the past few years, Mr. Nguyen Tu Quang, CEO of Bkav, has not appeared at any media events or given interviews to the press. Perhaps this is the time when this famous CEO has been wholeheartedly devoting himself to his technological brainchild. And finally, it has officially launched.

I don't intend to judge the quality of the Bphone, as that's a job for experts and the market. However, I believe that if my personal financial means allowed, I would definitely buy a Bphone. Why? Simply because I appreciate this product. I don't know if it has "500 times faster data transfer speeds" as one newspaper headline claimed. I also lack the confidence to think that it immediately became a top-tier device in the high-tech world upon its release… But, beyond being a customer, I still yearn to experience it out of a sense of responsibility, affection, self-respect, and frankly, a touch of Vietnamese pride. Yes, it's a Vietnamese product, the first product that dares to offer us the concept of comparison with "giants" like Samsung or iPhone…

It's been a long time, a rare occasion, and it's been incredibly difficult to experience this feeling again – a feeling hard to describe in words, but certainly filled with anticipation. Bphone – Bkav's first smartphone – officially launched on the morning of May 26th in Hanoi after countless rumors and speculations. Reportedly, the launch event cost over 10 billion VND. The number of registered attendees was so overwhelming that Bkav expanded the number to 2,000 instead of the initial 1,500. The stage featured a giant screen, measuring 18x10 meters, specially manufactured for high-powered projectors. This is the largest screen ever used at an event in Southeast Asia. Bkav stated that they ordered it from Germany and had it custom-made in Hong Kong to ensure high image quality before importing it to Vietnam… That's the gist of it!

It's impossible not to consider this a spectacular launch with a highly professional marketing strategy. No matter how critical one might be, one cannot deny that Bkav has a beautiful dream, a grand ambition, and a sound strategy. They persistently pursue their dream, turning it into reality, and they have every right to be proud of it. With such a long and arduous journey, how could this highly anticipated launch be without flaws? I don't believe that iPhones, Samsungs, and Nokias have never had any mistakes. But it seems we don't see as much "mob mentality" directed at them? That's it! Ultimately, empathy is a form of encouragement. People desperately need encouragement.

And yet… sadly, what a pity…

During the Bphone launch event, after Mr. Nguyen Tu Quang described his product, he faced a barrage of criticism. His statement, "unbelievable," was mercilessly ridiculed. The nickname "Quang the braggart" was chanted amidst the keyboard frenzy!

How strange! Anything imported, they all praise it and make plans to buy it together. Seeing a foreign brand, they automatically add their name to the list of loyal customers. Then they spend money "feeding" these brands with enthusiastic praise and effusive compliments for... foreign companies! Do they lack self-confidence, or are they controlling their resentment and bitterness at someone else's success? Is envy and the pleasure of "putting others down" their "specialty"?

It seems that in society there is a significant portion of people who are only good at… criticizing! They criticize from the moment they open their eyes until they close them, from morning till night, from East to West… They criticize whether they know or not, they criticize to show off, to make others think they are clever, to conform, to feel obligated to criticize… they criticize for fun, to satisfy their urge to speak, to vent their anger…

The newly crowned beauty queen was criticized for her high cheekbones, then criticized for not doing charity work! When she does charity work, people say she's just using money to boost her image… Last year, Nguyen Ha Dong was criticized for daring to become the first Vietnamese person to achieve global fame through her talent. When will talent no longer be a victim of envy?

Writing this, I suddenly remembered Albert Einstein's famous quote: "Any fool can make things bigger, more complicated, and more violent. Only the hand of genius—and a great deal of courage—can reverse that."

Let's hope that besides talent and hard work, they also possess the talent for... endurance. It's truly "unbelievable"!

Nguyen Khac An