“Mummy please hide my I.D …” and thus began the tale of what the internet might easily describe as the ‘society’s chaotic form of entertainment’. I cannot trace exactly when the trend spread to us, who brought it with them, from where or who fostered the spread of its tentacles. Given its popularity, maybe someone might want to wear the initiator’s crown, do update me when it’s given.
One thing I’m sure of is the tendency grew like genetically altered and overly fertilized pumpkin. Too quickly it’s many loopholes couldn’t be noticed and too superficially big everyone bought the illusion without bothering to check if at all it was all that it seemed. The easiest, quickest, and perfect solution to their life’s problems especially relationship related.
Perhaps it was a well thought out and intended method to help people speak out with their identity concealed so as to avoid shame and judgement. A way to be able to spill the otherwise shameful things and seek help from others without the burden of identity shackles. Personally, I once saw it as genuine, I might have even been a candidate too, except my issues needed more than just “public opinion”. So, I kept to myself and watched the trend grow from a distance.
Something of such sensitive and delicate magnitude was quickly growing into a simple ‘trend’ and no one seemed to care. More and more platforms keep throwing open their doors for the masses to flood in their unending issues. Somedays one is tempted to doubt the credibility of most stories.
Lately Hide my I.D cases have for the most part been reduced to nothing but jist and entertainment for both the Victims and their audience. Remember the Che-Franti Saga that became a film with parts and episodes, a public display of unchecked emotion, excitement and attention seeking.
These days one can’t even keep count, my girls are always asking me if I read the latest jist on one blog or the other. Wonderful stories they usually are, I must admit but mostly I’m unimpressed and disturbed especially as I see no solutions. Below are some reasons one might start to view “Hide my I.D” as entertainment and not help avenues as per their original objectives.
1. 𝗪𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀: I bet there are some of us who check pages for the newest case with no intention of helping but rather keeping up with the jist. While we might not realize or even believe it, misery loves company. Troll other people seemingly suffering to forget your own misery. We spend more time arguing with each other than how much Time we spend reading a case. This is more of entertainment than actually helping the victims.
2. 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠/ 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝘤𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧: The more voices, the less effective counsel becomes. Public opinion because most people just comment based on the general emotion surrounding the case. Ask anybody who has ever had counselling services if they received it from a group? Why then do we bring issues to a public court if not for sport and entertainment.
3.𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹: Yes, I said it! We all know it is, yet we carry along with it, fueling it with our likes and comments. Exactly the kind of attention required for it to thrive. How many of those who run hide my I.D platforms are trained counsellors? How many of them have so much as basic knowledge in psychology? The truth is no professional puts their clients and excesses out there in such a manner. Content and entertainment over actual solutions is the order of the day. Feel free to bring evidence that proves otherwise.
4. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲: Most cases are usually written from a victim point of view and all victim narratives are tailor cut to paint only one picture. Very few people bother to ask further questions whenever cases are brought up. Little attempts are made at filling any possible gaps in the stories. We take what we’re given and make the most out of it, entertainment.
5.𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝘅: We could simply consider this as click bait. The Nature of issues that are seen on hide my I.D platforms are far from ordinary and quite complicated. A simple word of advice and public opinion in truth is like a pie crust promise, easily made, easily broken. Even if it could solve the issues, in reality it really doesn’t do much. How many people from the thousands of complaints ever bring success testimonials? Before you argue, a problem that is being solved isn’t continuously growing as is the case with hide my I. D’s. Yet we continue to sell the idea comfortably.
Life is sometimes very complicated, and it will be hypocritical to stand by and watch avenues that were supposedly out to make life easier to navigate or bearable to say the least, being the very center of chaos.
– Wandji Winifred
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