Word wars in the analog age were a relatively slow spectator sport. A game of “he-said-she-said” boosts a slow news day, with its recorded exchange of insults and accusations between high-profile protagonists. There was a bit of waiting time for blows to be delivered and returned.
With social media, and the coverage of “all media” (traditional and digital) verbal feuds are now on steroids in terms of action and reaction. The exchange is in real time with postings of insults and insincere apologies quickly dispatched. (I am sorry, but I will not delete my previous posts.)
In the current ranting spree regarding a TV talk-show host and guest infuriating an absent party, the opening shot (or post) was fired right after airing. Should deadbeats in general be glorified as having a copacetic life using up the settlement amounts previously extracted? Shouldn’t they just run around in shorts trying to shoot the ball and not get into lifestyle programs?
To be newsworthy or trending, rants (and counter-rants) need to involve at least two well-known personalities, maybe even three. They don’t even have to be answering each other at first. The brouhaha is fed by coverage and reactions of unintended beneficiaries (welcome to the club).
To get a media battle going between oral sects, combatants cannot be timid with their rants. (He is a deadbeat dad.) Maybe, Mr. Soft-spoken when asked in an interview if the problem with another personality was over, he might give an “I-am-the-victim-here” answer like “I just miss my son. I am really a nice guy.” (So, the other party is what… not so nice?)
Responses are seldom quoted in full. There’s editing needed to reduce words to a manageable length, maybe in the process losing some context. Anyway, in social media where one is trained to be pithy due to an enforced word count, certain softening phrases are dispensed with. There are no modifying phrases — but she is really a good person at heart, if perhaps a bit too emotional and quick to react. The punch lines are all that remain — she can be childish.
It does not matter who fires the first shot in a word war. It may be an obscure factotum currying favor with the boss and giving an interview in a corridor at a convention where busier folks dodge heavily made up women accompanied by a cameraman. He is careless with his comments — they avoid each other like the plague.
Word wars leave no winners, except for media assured of a filler story and perhaps a wave of full-page ads to continue the dialogue of the deaf in front of an absent audience. PR types do not turn away business, and are only too willing to hand out the rifles and supply the bullets. (What’s a deadbeat?)
Verbal conflicts are easily ended, quickly and simply with just two words — “No comment.” It’s hard even for a newspaper to distort such a declaration of cease-fire. Of course, it can still feature an old photo of a smirking person with the two words in caps.
Still, these old rules of firing, misfiring, waiting for an action or reaction, or the offer of a truce or apology are all thrown away in the digital age. There is just no pause between volleys. Digital wars take the form of video games where the blows are landed with fists and secret weapons purchased with points. The sound effects enhance the combat atmosphere.
PR types that have the time to fashion a narrative try to chase their clients to hold their fire and think things through.
Now, the boxing match featuring two pugilists and a referee has been augmented with a very participative and raucous audience that can jump into the ring and slug anyone there, including the referee. These so-called “netizens” (or busybodies) aggravate the tweets and posts. (Shouldn’t he pay for the tuition?) And they don’t even have to be celebrities themselves. They are anonymous (maybe even fake) individuals with labels like “working mom,” “spurned parent” (she didn’t even invite me to her debut), and “neighbor.” (Hey, can you keep the noise down?)
The digital feud has all the attributes of a reality show. It only ends when everybody loses interest… and advertising endorsements.
A. R. Samson is Chairman and CEO, TOUCH xda.
ar.samson@yahoo.com
