Television shows are no longer the only source of drama today. Before, watching teleseryes used to be a family activity: we’d all sit down to watch a mother find out that her kids were switched at birth, or gawk at the “legal wife” confronting her husband’s mistress.

Nowadays, drama is either a show that can be binged on Netflix or, for better or worse, a lengthy social media exposé.

This month, actors Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings were the center of a social media thread confirming their affair, complete with screenshots of their intimate conversations, which spread like wildfire on every social media platform. Netizens immediately called out the actors, questioning their morals and demanding their apology. Meanwhile, others quickly made memes out of the issue. Lines from the actors’ conversations were repeated and screenshots cropped to fit whatever jokes there were.

The revealed affair quickly became entertainment fodder for a lot of people.

Perhaps the quintessential Pinoy teleserye has desensitized us to these sorts of issues. Matters like violence, cheating, or harassment are seen by many as exciting plot points on TV. We scroll on social media the same way we sit in front of televisions, always waiting for this month's bunot to be exposed.

In reality, all this does is take the focus away from important conversations.

Treating serious issues as ‘tea’

(Photo from Muppets)

Gossip is thrilling. Even if you see it as a personal look at the lives of the famous or a scheme to cause our idols’ downfall, gossip always gets a big reaction. Issues blow up as people express their disappointment or speculate about the personalities’ private lives. As a result, celebrities and everyone else involved are the subject of negative attention. This may discourage them from sharing the truth and taking accountability. Especially for serious issues, treating these as “tea” to be spilled avoids the harm done.

Experts have tried to explain our obsession with gossip. The common idea is that it’s a coping mechanism and a way to belong. A report by NPR describes gossip as a “respite from the stressful news cycle.” Meanwhile, a TIME Magazine article shares that gossip has been found to reduce loneliness and strengthen bonds with others.

The problem is that gossip distracts us from truly important issues. At the onset of Maris’s and Anthony’s issue, a similar story involving singer Sabrina Carpenter and actor Barry Keoghan arose. This led to an even more crowded online feed that day, as the entire world speculated on the private lives of celebrities. That same night, South Korea’s president declared martial law. While netizens were preoccupied with gossipping online, little room was left to discuss such a major global event. Even if gossip is meant as a break from stressful events, it shouldn’t distract us from these totally.

These distractions prevent us from facing reality. Even in politics, joking about President Marcos and Vice President Duterte’s feupreventsd us from taking the consequences seriously and demanding accountability. While it’s true that we should find joy in everything, watering down important issues in favor of entertainment achieves nothing. Instead of highlighting gossip and drama, perhaps we can shift our energies into sharing important news and combating the same misinformation that rumors are built on.

Restraining the ‘judgmental’ attitude

(Photo from Medium)

Of course, gossiping isn’t inherently bad, but it does have its negative side too. Apart from Filipinos being more interested in gossip rather than serious issues, there is also this attitude we have of being too judgmental of a person when we do partake in gossip.

While there is certainly nothing wrong with indulging in the occasional tsismis among celebrities, the attitude that many Filipinos have of being critical and judgmental often spills into negativity. Public figures like celebrities are people, too, and although they should be aware that their actions will be scrutinized by the public and hold more influence than the common folk, we should not expect them to be perfect at all times.

Because they are humans like the rest of us, it is inevitable that they will make mistakes. However, being critical can be a double-edged sword when not wielded correctly in the sense that one might only hurt another’s feelings instead of providing them feedback to do better. The point of criticism is to point out flaws that they can learn from and then take the necessary steps to become better. Of course, grievous acts like cheating cannot be easily forgiven, but it is also unacceptable that we, the public, should constantly drown these celebrities with hate and bashing.

It is precisely because we are outsiders that we cannot be too quick to place judgment on these people, nor should we be acting as if we are well aware of their situations. Take Carlos Yulo and his mother, for example. While they have both made their statements regarding their issues, it is impossible for us to know every detail of the story; hence, it is best that we leave them to their devices and allow them the privacy they deserve to sort out their issues on their own.

In the end, these celebrities are still public figures with a right to their privacy—often undeserving of the hate and negativity they are being shown. By knowing when to rein in one’s quick-to-judge attitude, we would be able to promote a society that isn’t so heavily critical of the actions made by public personalities and learn to turn our attention to noteworthy circumstances with no connection to drama caused by such people.