Social media exploded last Saturday when the news about killing a 17 year old gorilla Harambe, in order to save a little boy's life. The incident happened in a Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio.
Cincinnati.com reported that, Facebook and Twitter users questioned the parental responsibility that falls on the parents of the child. There are those that says the parents should be shot and killed instead of the gorilla.
According to Littisha Bates, assistant professor of Sociology at the University of Cincinnati, she said that, "It's really interesting to see people use social media to do something we've always been doing. But now, the reach is much wider and much less informed."
It's a sad thing, parent shaming has been existing for decades. In our day and time however, shaming has a long lasting effect on anyone. As news like these now, not only reaches into a particular community but some news just goes international. Even Asians get to see the news as they are posted online.
Bates added that, "These shaming and these comments can have a real-world consequence for this family, and of course there's going to be a social and emotional toll." This is true, just look at social media.
People who don't even know these parents personally, would comment saying that they should be charged with child endangerment. Others suggested that authorizes should take their children and have them loose custody of them. CNN reported that the police are investigating the issue, but concerns whether they are just weighing in on what social media has to say may result to wrong answers to their search.
In our day and time, one does not have to be a celebrity in order to be popular for good nor bad. Especially when it comes to parenting. Bates even pointed out that it was society itself who put up rules regarding being a good parent. It is the control mechanism that validates one's parenting skill. If they missed one part of the rule and are not following the norm, society will take a frown.
What is your take on parent shaming? Do you believe anyone even relatives should have a say on how you should raise your kids?
