“Online Rambulan is stupid,” said a Facebook user. But what is Online Rambulan?
To answer the question, Online Rambulan is an emerging source of entertainment young netizens are drawn to. It's a Facebook group that engages in trash-talking, cursing, badmouthing, and degrading other people. Here's how Online Rambulan works: a member posts a triggering photo on the group and other members post nasty comments about it. That's when "online rambulan" happens.
Filipinos are notorious for their displays of humor and talent for entertainment. In this vein, Online Rambulan was supposedly made “for fun” and to ease the boredom of members. However, the name itself clues us in that it's not just for ordinary entertainment: the Facebook group is involved in cyber or virtual violence.
Online Rambulan's brand of cyber bullying has a profound effect on how young people and some adults interact. It is alarming that social media, particularly Facebook, has become a tool not just for instigating heinous acts, but also for executing them. Discrimination and prejudice against one's race, sex, and class are never justifiable, as it affects a target's psychological state. Participating in Online Rambulan is like adding a massive amount of salt to people's wounds.
Fortunately, a new Facebook group called Online Respetuhan is now gaining momentum. This group is the total opposite of Online Rambulan. The group similarly uses photos to lure members into commenting, but members of Online Respetuhan are more careful in choosing their language. The Facebook group simply promotes respect, hence, its name.
So, as a Filipino, how can you contribute to the world's healing? Is it participating in Online Rambulan or behaving yourself? Reflect. Think. Choose.
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