Pranks: Do Pranks Violate People's Boundaries?

Through the help of the internet, it doesn’t take long for things to spread rapidly in today’s day and age. When this happens, a video or an article will have gone ‘viral', and what started out being known by only a few people, will soon end up being known by millions of people from all over the world.

Two Sides

On one side, this has made it possible for information to be shared with people who wouldn’t have been able to see the information in the past. When the internet wasn’t around, it was a lot harder to share things; especially if one didn’t have a huge marketing budget to do it.

Yet, if a group of people are being violated in a part of the world that is often overlooked, for instance, they no longer need to suffer in silence. This has given individuals the power to stand up and to make a difference.

On the other side, this it has allowed people to share things that are not as beneficial to the human race. When this happens, it could mean that someone ends up being violated in public or it could relate to the fact that their private life has been shared with the world.

Entertainment

This doesn’t mean that everyone will have the same outlook though; as there are going to be some people who see it as another form of entertainment. In this case, it won’t matter whether another person’s personal pictures have been shared or if someone is being humiliated on a prank video.

Their point of focus is going to be on themselves and how they feel, and not on how the other person feels. Therefore, one is not going to be putting themselves in the other person’s shoes and imagining how it must be for them.

Empathy

This could be a sign that someone lacks empathy, but this might not be the case. What it could mean is that they have just got used to watching these types of videos, for instance, and that it has become ‘normal’.

As so many others watch the same type of videos and because of the enjoyment they create, it might just be another part of their life. If they were to take a step back and to look a little deeper, their actions may begin to change.

Dismissive

There is also the chance that one will wonder what the problem is, and say that it wouldn’t bother them if they were humiliated on a video or if their private pictures were uploaded to the internet. So as it doesn’t affect them, they can’t see why anyone else would be affected.

They might believe that people need to ‘lighten’ and to stop taking life so seriously. This would mean that they are not willing to put themselves in another person’s shoes, and if someone else sees life differently, it means that they should change as opposed to one questioning their own outlook.

Boundaries

If one lives in a house, they are likely to have some kind of fence around their land. This is there to not only let other people know where they cant go; it is also there to protect their private property.

And while a human being can’t put a physical fence around their own body, they are still going to need to protect their personal space. This has become even more of a challenge due to the internet; as the internet has made it easier for someone to violate another person.

Hacking

There is no longer the need to break into someone’s house or to walk into their personal space, as one only needs to hack into their computer or a website that stores their property. Other people can then share what hackers have stolen from other people, and they can do this without feeling as though they are doing anything wrong.

In fact, one can feel as though they are entitled to view what belongs to someone else. As it is relatively easy for them to access what belongs to someone else, there is no need for one to think about if what they are doing is right, or how they would feel if someone else was sharing their private property.

The Real World

When it comes to the prank videos that have become so popular, there are two parts. The first part is what someone goes through who is experiencing the prank, and the other part is the entertainment the prank provides for others.

While it would be inaccurate to say that all pranks are bad, it would be accurate to say that all pranks are good. There will be times when another person’s personal space is not violated, and then there will be times when it is.

Pleasing Others

People’s personal space is not always taken into consideration; what often matters is creating a video that will amuse others. This will mean that they are not thinking about what the other person thinks, they are only thinking about themselves.

It is often said that people shouldn’t worry about what other people think, and while this can sound ‘good’, it can stop someone from having empathy. This doesn’t mean that one should only focus on other people’s needs and ignore their own.

Infamy

But as one lives on a planet with other people, it is important for them to respect their personal space. When this doesn’t take place, it is going to make it a lot harder for someone to enjoy their time on this earth.

One reason why someone would make these kinds of videos is to draw attention to themselves. In this case, it won’t matter whether they are famous for doing something good or for doing something bad.

Conclusion

As emotions are generally ignored in the western world, it can have an effect on people’s ability to experience empathy. This can also cause emotional pain to build up in one’s body and for them to be drawn to anything that will make them ‘feel good’.

If one is avoiding what is taking place within themselves, it won’t matter if their fellow human beings are being dehumanizing in the process. It will be just another way for them to distract themselves.