When public embarrassment becomes social currency: where do we go from here?

The toddler egg challenge illuminated how far we still have to go in respecting children and honoring both their physical bodies and emotional health. Now, taking a safe bonding experience like cooking together and turning it into a moment where your child is confused and crying is one thing, but then uploading it for the entire world to see and relish in their discomfort is another. Seeing a kid cry and grasp at their forehead while mom laughs and looks into the camera made my blood boil.

Sidenote, getting hit in the face by something hard and cold and wet is very different than it being on another part of your body that you can see; getting hit on your arm allows you to look at your arm and see it’s still intact. Developmentally, a toddler is not ready to process the sensory input happening along with the shock and misattunement from parent. God, it’s all so cruel. People asked on insta what my thoughts were and I just wrote back that I’ve lost my faith in humanity.

Separately, a bride preparing for her wedding day was devastated when someone put a hanger on a sprinkler causing the entire room and wedding dress, makeup, etc. to get soaked. She was then shocked to find footage of it uploaded to tiktok by her makeup artist and amassing millions of views. Sadly, she released her own video sharing that her team had essentially abandoned her but had time to post her story. Not only was her day ruined, but that embarrassment was broadcast for all the see.

These days, it’s not just a matter of tripping in public and getting up while you sheepishly look around to see who saw you (I always laugh hysterically at myself, which brings even more attention sadly), but now we have to worry who caught it on camera and what they are going to do with the footage. I love tiktok but always feel uncomfortable when it’s footage of random people unaware that they’re even being filmed.

All this to say, when did the embarrassment of others become such valued social currency? One we delight in sharing?