TikTok is well known for acts of kindness or heartfelt videos, whether it be giving to people experiencing homelessness or couple videos. There are no complaints about the act of bettering the world or recording the sweet moments between loved ones, but there are complaints about how staged and ingenuine these instances can be.
Mr. Beast, a challenge YouTuber, is one of the originators of this trend. He is known for videos such as “1,000 Deaf People Hear for the First Time” or “$456,000 Squid Game in Real Life!” His prowess as a “helpful” and “genuine” person has only expanded his wallet as he continues to produce videos. The YouTuber is filthy rich and one of the most infamous social-media influencers, so it was only natural that fresh fame-seekers decided to take after him.
As much as popular trends like these can help people in need, I have a bone to pick with profiting off of those in need for greedy purposes such as fame — and with the rise of TikTok, more and more people are taking after it. This is but one example of a video that is more than likely staged and scripted while taking advantage of a homeless person.
When referring to people who post precious moments on TikTok, that is a little less harmful and fame-seeking. However, it is doubtful that adoption or proposal videos are not posted for clout (the act of seeking fame). Although it can be touching for random strangers to see those videos online, there is always something fake about them.
In a way, both of these trends are preying on the viewer’s pathos in order to increase a follower count, and although it is just business, I dislike that people pretend that it is done out of the kindness or happiness of their own hearts.
Social media helps spread awareness for mental or physical health disorders such as Tourette’s, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and many others. However, there is an increasing trend to fake conditions or illnesses for fame, damaging the reputations of those who actually suffer from them. Perhaps it spawns from the growing popularity of self-diagnosis.
This phenomenon of ingenuity and dishonesty is becoming more well-known. It has been acknowledged by creators and news sources (such as The Central Trend) and receives many criticisms when discovered.
The self-diagnosis of a sporadic disorder has become common, which is somewhat ironic. There was a case of a TikToker being called out for faking Tourette’s syndrome, having been discovered by a YouTuber and Twitch streamer, according to Sportskeeda. And Dissociative Identity Disorder is even more popular to fake, according to Medium. And although the conditions are manufactured, those who are faking seem to genuinely believe they have the condition half the time.
With the popularity of an app such as TikTok, there is a mass belief that social media or the internet can give a person everything they need to self-diagnose a mental illness, according to Teen Vogue. And this inability to critically analyze what is posted online is exceptionally damaging.
Not only are these instances of being a good person for clout or faking a severe illness causing viewers to distrust genuine ones, but the videos also present the negative idea that genuine kindness or happiness is attainable when posted on social media. In reality, these sorts of things are not posted to spread awareness or show a vital memory — it is for followers and fame.
With this content genre, children or impressionable minds are being taught that being a good person has to come with a follower count or a camera, or it is not worthwhile. It teaches that if it was not caught on camera, it did not happen. And worst of all, it exemplifies that the use of professionals should be shunned in the face of online forum posts.
I have so many issues with the ingenuity that TikTok is putting on a pedestal. Although I once believed in the righteousness of videos that follow these trends, it now leaves a sour taste in my mouth every time a random person skyrockets to fame from being fake. One can only hope that awareness of these issues can be brought to light.
