Published on:
20 Sep 2024
Written by:
Pranay Aggarwal
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35965
The News:
Celebrities are increasingly using ‘sadfishing’ to endorse their products or draw attention to their causes. Recently, Poonam Pandey was involved in a cervical cancer hoax, bringing sadfishing into the spotlight.
What is Sadfishing?
In January 2019, journalist Rebecca Reid coined the term "sadfishing," which she describes as "using emotional problems to hook an audience on the internet." Sadfishing can be seen as the emotional equivalent of clickbait, where individuals perform sadness online to gain sympathy or attention.
Studies on Sadfishing:
- March 2024 Study: Found that those using denial as a coping strategy or exhibiting attention-seeking behaviors were more likely to engage in sadfishing, especially when intoxicated.
- 2023 BMC Psychology Study: Identified anxiety, depression, and attention-seeking as factors behind sadfishing. It also highlighted gender differences in the behavior's prevalence.
Sociological Analysis of Sadfishing:
- Attention-Seeking Behavior: Sadfishing is driven by a desire for social validation through online sympathy or attention.
- Impact on Mental Health: It can lead to increased dependence on social media validation, exacerbating mental health issues.
- Community Building: On the positive side, it fosters connections and support from those who can relate to shared struggles.
- Cultural Stigmas: Sadfishing may arise from stigmas around mental health, as social media allows for anonymous expression without judgment.
- Ethical Concerns: The line between genuine expression and manipulation becomes blurred, raising ethical questions.
Sociological Perspectives on Social Media and Mental Health:
- Danah Boyd: Boyd examines how social media impacts mental health, with both positive and negative outcomes based on individual circumstances.
- Sherry Turkle's Goldilocks Effect: Turkle warns against over-reliance on controlled digital interactions, which may weaken real-life connections.
- Jean Twenge's "Delayed Adolescence": Twenge links increased social media use to slower emotional development in adolescents.
