Losing it with words

It seems like the supporters of the same camp are now turning against each other in the online sphere. Former Mandaue City treasurer Regal Oliva is now under fire by different groups who are die-hard supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte. It stemmed from the former’s explanatory video on the proceedings of the cases lodged against Duterte at the International Criminal Court. Despite the lawyer’s attempt to clearly explain and interpret in the simplest terms, many have taken it out of context.

It is a curious phenomenon how online communities that once shared a unified voice can quickly become divided by a few choice words. One individual who seemed to have joined in the online chatter is Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro. For some, she seemed to have “lost it” by using the slang “yuts” in her social media status. In the end, she reiterated her support for the former president. The term yuts, as many know, refers to a gay person or a member of the LGBTQ+ community. In her defense, she said she has a lot of gay friends whom she calls the same, like some form of endearment. As expected, her statement didn’t sit well with many netizens.

This incident once again highlights how language can easily be misconstrued, especially in the digital age. A single word, however casually expressed, can be enough to spark outrage. In Baricuatro’s case, the attempt at familiarity was seen as offensive, even discriminatory, by some. Once the online mob decides to pounce, apologies or clarifications often come too late. Optics is everything in this time and age. If one is established to be a public figure, the whole world looks up to him or her in a manner that with one misstep, it is so easy to cancel. Both may have gone through the same but it did not diminish their fighting spirit to stand by what they believe in. Still, it doesn’t look good with everyone watching. Just like family members loudly fighting inside the household, the residents outside are enjoying the free entertainment. Of course, we don’t want to cloud others’ judgment and diminish their respect.

This is why it’s important to think before we click. As cliché as it may sound, it remains the key before acting upon anything. A misstep could mean the destruction of one’s career, as cancel culture continues to prevail in our society. The level of understanding of many has become surface-level, basing only on what they see and hear on the internet. Never mind being objective; it’s now all about visuals, likes, and impressions.

In the end, it is still better to keep one’s cool than just lose it all with words. Both Oliva and Baricuatro will likely move on from this hullabaloo, but the public will not forget easily. Words have power and in this era of screenshots and sound bites, that power can either enlighten or destroy. May we all learn to use it with a little more care, a little more wisdom, and a lot more heart.