Introduction
All it takes is an innocuous pose. If you are unfortunate (or fortunate) to have attracted the lens of a high-end DSLR or one of those phones with a 30MP camera, your face finds a place in the annals of social media history. Take the example of that Pakistani fan. Much water has flown down the Thames since 2019. The men in green continue to be as unpredictable as before on the field. But the image of an exasperated Muhammad Sarim Akhtar, with hands on his hips, remains evergreen in memes.
The internet never forgets.
THE CEO & THE HR LEARN IT THE HARD WAY
He is the CEO of a tech firm. She is the Chief People Officer. Both are high-flying professionals, holding powerful positions in their company. All it took was ONE moment to send their worlds crashing down.
The Coldplay concert was in full swing. Chris Martin was belting out his hits. A ‘kiss cam’ camera went about its job, scanning the crowd of screaming fans for a potential couple. It froze on a man and a woman. He was canoodling her. As soon as the jumbotron screen flashed their intimate moment to hoots and claps from the spectators, it was game over. The lady covered her face with her hands, while the man ducked for cover.
“Either they are having an affair, or they are very shy!” The lead singer joked.
The internet was quick to play Sherlock. Within a matter of a few minutes, the armchair sleuths had fished out the identity of the couple.
It was the CEO and the CPO.
They were married. But not to each other.
The influx of jokes began like a tsunami, uniting strangers across the globe as they displayed their Schadenfreude shamelessly. I am ashamed to admit that I belonged to this category.
WHOM DID THE SCANDAL ACTUALLY EXPOSE?
Initially it was fun. The shocked faces of the professionals were fodder for new memes. Many women sympathised with the partners of the ‘cheaters.’ For the first time, men didn’t grudge the potential alimony the wife could demand in case she asked her attorney to draw up the divorce papers. I am not a judgemental person, but I draw the line at infidelity. It’s not ok to turn a blind eye to it, dismissing it as a mutual act between consenting adults. What about the aggrieved parties? Did they deserve it?
Coming to the scandal, did we go overboard rejoicing over the notorious moment?
Yes, we did.
What the couple did was morally wrong. But were they the only man and woman involved in adultery? They just happened to be caught. Try to put yourself in their shoes. How mortifying the moment must have been! All the riches in this world cannot buy the peace they would want in their world for the coming days. But in an era where the internet never forgives and forgets, the fleeting second will continue to haunt them for eternity.
Chris Martin did not just unknowingly reveal an affair. By trying to crack a joke at the couple’s shock, he exposed the Schadenfreude in every one of us. The singer proved that negativity binds people in an invisible bond. Users from Germany and England, once rivals during the WW times, now displayed a unity in bashing the immoral behaviour of the rich. Indians, with their tendency to boast of their impeccable sanskar, jumped into the fray.
However, most of them were faceless users, used to trolling and passing below-the-belt remarks.
What about the anchors of a reputed sports channel? Why would they stoop to the level of mimicking the act? How was the scandal connected to a game of football?
Nobody knows.
A famous conglomerate known for its ready-to-assemble furniture didn’t waste any time in advertising dolls inspired by the infamous canoodle. Content creators had a field day. Meme makers were jubilant with the arrival of a new idea. He-Man & Skeletor. Iron Man & Black Widow. The inspiration was endless.
STOP IT, SAID MY HUSBAND. AND I LISTENED TO HIM.
I was giggling uncontrollably at one of the jokes.
“Stop it! Please!” His voice was soft, yet firm.
“Come on! What happened to your sense of humour?” I asked him, still chuckling.
“It’s not funny. Imagine what the people involved must be going through!”
I didn’t argue with him. He was right. The jokes had gone too far now. They had unleashed a monstrous side in us. How many of us can boast of leading the lives of saints? Are we so perfect that we have never sinned in our youth? But in the subsequent days following the scandal, we bared our hypocrisy to all. We took an evil delight in flaunting our holier-than-thou behaviour.
It took a singer of a band to expose us.
By Narayani V Manapadam
“Narayani is an IT Professional lost in the dreary world of Excel. When time permits, she loves to get lost in the maze of Word(s). But nothing makes her happier than being a cat momma to her beloved Uttam.”
She can be contacted at fraunara@gmail.com.
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