When followers overshadow morality

 When followers overshadow morality

Recently, a man known on social media as ‘Nepali Bro’ murdered his wife. This incident shocked everyone. Not thousands, but millions of people used to watch his content, react to his videos, and many saw him as an influential figure.

But this incident has once again raised a serious question, ‘Are we making the mistake of considering the image we see on social media as the real person? What is the basis for us to know someone? His character, behavior and values ​​or the popularity of his social media?’

He was a familiar face on social media. His videos used to go viral, people followed him, and his statements were quoted. But there is not always a correlation between a person’s popularity and his moral character. Social media shows us the edited, decorated and publicly displayed appearance of a person, but not his private life, behavior towards relationships, ability to control anger or human sensitivity.

What is even more interesting is that now, after the incident, many people are starting to watch his old videos and say, ‘Some of the signs were visible before.’ Some of his content was criticized for showing signs of aggression, abusive language, normalization of unhealthy relationships, or socially irresponsible behavior. But at that time, those issues were not made a subject of serious debate. Because he was popular. He had millions of views. He was already established as a ‘celebrity’.

Why do we consider a person to be a role model? Why do we ignore potential warning signs of his behavior as entertainment?

In today’s society, the number of followers has become the measure of success. The one who has many followers is successful. The one whose video goes viral is influential. The one whose name is in the news is respected.

The idea has developed that a person followed by millions of people must automatically be respectable, trustworthy, and a role model. But popularity and morality are not the same thing. A person's video going viral, being in the news or having a lot of followers cannot be proof of his human qualities, moral values ​​and character.

Today, a person is not evaluated by his behavior, but by his reach and views. Society automatically gives the status of a person who is followed by millions of people on social media the status of a celebrity. His words are considered true, his behavior is normal and his weaknesses are dismissed as 'personal matters'. We are experiencing the results of this blind devotion time and again.

Ironically, we do not recognize the teachers, social activists, scientists, doctors, researchers and people who have contributed to society for years. But we worship people who have become famous by making some controversial videos on social media as celebrities. Our priorities have been reversed.

We never asked, 'What is the attitude of a person towards another person? How is his behavior with his family? How does he manage anger? How does he use power and influence?' Instead, what we looked at were: how many views he got, how many followers he gained, how much he went viral.

In today’s digital age, popularity can be bought, built, and algorithmically enhanced. But it cannot be sustained over time by acting out a character. If society fails to understand this difference, we will repeatedly idolize people who have earned fame but have not developed the human qualities necessary to earn respect.

Most worryingly, such a culture is sending the wrong message to the younger generation. They are learning that to earn respect, it is not character but publicity. It is not contribution but controversy. It is not knowledge but popularity. In such a society, values ​​are gradually disappearing and performance begins to replace reality.

This incident is not just the story of one person. It is also a mirror of our collective psyche. Why do we idolize a person? Why do we ignore potential warning signs of their behavior as entertainment? Why do we look at the number of followers but not try to look at their character?

A society matures when it values ​​character over publicity, responsibility over popularity, and human values ​​over viral content. Otherwise, we will continue to chase after yet another viral face, and only ask questions after another tragedy.

A person who has millions of followers does not make him an ideal person. Social media popularity is not proof of morality. And the sooner we accept this truth, the healthier society we can build.