I do not believe anyone: Why behind every good deed see self-praise
Text: Elina Chebbocha
Two weeks ago, young model Essina O'Neill became famous far beyond your instagram. She deleted more than 2000 pictures from her account, and changed the signatures to the rest to show what is actually hidden behind the photos of a happy life. As it turned out, nothing pleasant: an attempt to present what is desired for a valid, exhausting pursuit of the "perfect angle" and, as a result, hatred for one's body (in particular) and life (in general).
Essins wrote a lot about self-exposure, although the staging and routine of model life seems to be nothing new. Here, rather, a goodwill gesture was important, but readers all over the world — in the States, in Russia — almost unanimously accused her of public relations. After all, a beautiful girl, and even a model, cannot consciously and sincerely be disappointed in the exhibitionism of social networks and her profession. Not to mention that the concept of PR, that is, "public relations" is usually understood only in a negative way: not as a way to convey information, but only to "couple" it in order to extract benefits.
Accusations of self-praise are an indicator of powerlessness and unwillingness to ponder the reasons for the act.
The statements and actions of politicians, distrust of which is even justified, because they exist on taxes, have long been viewed with a “double bottom” filter, however, any public performance by an ordinary person is now immediately marked by PR. Collect money for the treatment of her husband-writer? PR and discredit the work of the funds. Out of corporate work that has become contrary to your principles, and wrote about it in a blog? PR and simply mindlessly follow the fashion. Do you remove your chest and talk about the importance of cancer prevention? Of course, PR. Are you raising a child with cerebral palsy and covering your day on Facebook every day? PR, and for someone else's expense. Employees of relevant agencies can celebrate the absolute victory of public relations over common sense: no matter what you do, now you officially do everything for show.
Why is there always someone (and then a hundred thousand more) for every beneficent public gesture who will shout the word "PR"? The culture of online commentary has led to the fact that even pages in social networks, especially open, are not perceived by someone’s personal space. The Internet does not have a host, which means everything is allowed, but with one caveat: if you did something in a public space, then you did it for a reason. Despite corruption scandals, the spontaneous popularity of yellow newspapers and gossip in general, the 21st century has shown that there is nothing more important than concern for reputation. When people see PR everywhere, they first of all speak about the public image of the person being discussed, which officially cannot be shown weakness. The habit of breaking oneself and, to the last, pretending that everything is fine, has destroyed more than one fate, however, with the stubbornness of a maniac, one should continue to post cheerful status on Facebook, otherwise you will pass under the PR tag. However, cheerful statuses, most likely, are also PR.
No matter how unpleasant it may be to admit, the desire to see self-advertisement for everyone is also a direct consequence of the reduction of aggression. We do not like gossip, but before they were killed for them, they could be accused of witchcraft and immediately burned at the stake for general entertainment. Charges of PR are an indicator of powerlessness, unwillingness to ponder over the causes of an act, the desire to shut off the fact and dismiss it with a familiar explanation. In the end, this is a commonplace suspicion: everyone knows the story of Galileo, who published a scientific book that contradicts the dogmas of the Catholic Church, in which half of the ruling apparatus saw itself, and the other half simply did not understand. He was kept under house arrest until the end of his days with the wording "strongly suspected of heresy", which in those times meant activism: you spread unaccustomed and unwanted information among the population.
It is much easier to designate a protest as a PR than to leave the comfort zone.
Centuries have passed, but people still find it difficult to come to terms with civil pluralism and the existence of minorities, who began to actively use PR mechanisms back in the 60s of the last century to stimulate public recognition and tolerance from society. Thanks to this activism associated with social movements from feminism to environmental protection, a new pattern of behavior emerged, which in fact forced society to recognize their existence and change. Exactly for this, and not for the “propaganda of homosexuality”, there are gay parades, it is for this, and not for fifteen minutes of fame, eco-activists undress in the cold, smeared with red paint.
Being transgender is not possible if your legal status is unclear; to be a sovereign consumer is impossible without labeling food ingredients; it is impossible to be unchurched if religion breaks into social life; to be a believer is impossible if you are persecuted for your faith. However, with the formal recognition of the existence of other, not like most, groups that used loudspeakers first and then the media to increase social tolerance, quiet hatred towards them increased. It is much easier to designate a protest by public relations, because openly disagreeing with what does not look like you means leaving the comfort zone, and no one wants to do that for a long time. This means the need to recognize that there is a different opinion and it is not always pleasant for us, but intolerance for otherness leaves only one model of behavior for society.
In the end, the era of reality TV generated a devaluation of a sincere gesture. By hypocrisy is meant everything that is shown, and not behind closed doors. On the one hand, there is a request for sincerity, but on the other hand, good deeds should still be done quietly, and if you talk about them, then of course you do not draw attention to yourself, but to yourself. Contradictory concepts of morality make anyone a target for hypocrisy, and the only thing that the hand of public control over behavior has not reached yet is the collection of money for the treatment of children.
To do good, and indeed to do something, it becomes more difficult under the spotlight of distrust, but do not despair. Time will pass, and the dust from the public marathon will settle down on someone else’s life, Facebook status will drown in the tape, and the good will remain good. Not a single famous person remained famous thanks to an exceptionally competent PR, having survived in the people's memory of all the leaders of the Snake Bow Basket.
Photo: 1, 2 via Shutterstock