Saturday 21 August 2010

The Power of the Internet

A friend asked if I have been keeping myself up to date on youtube about 賜座男 and 雞巴男. I said no but couldn't resist to check them out online.

Turns out that 賜座男 is about a young ignorant kid who refused to let a man sit next to the idle seat next to him on the bus. His rudeness and ignorance caused him the shameful video now posted on youtube for everyone's viewing. There is even a music video made on him and his background such as his age, where he lives and which school he goes to!

雞巴男 is about a guy who parked his van by a bus stop preventing buses from stopping which in turn caused an outrage from bystanders and those waiting for buses. The guy was swearing and saying how he felt sorry for those who has to take a bus since they don't have their own vehicle! The whole incident was videoed and uploaded onto youtube. Again, his whole personal profile and his family's were posted online as well!!!

It's kind of scary when you think about it. Anyone can be videoing you with their cell phones at anytime, anywhere.

I consider myself a nice person, most of the time. But there are times when I snap at taxi-drivers or have run ins with people. Hong Kong people are constantly under a lot of stressed because we live in such heavily dense city.

I have had run-ins with people at restaurants, subway or just shops where sales assistants were being rude.

Anyhow, I guess the power of the internet makes me think twice before I misbehave myself in public, whether I have been provoked or not. I would never want my business aquaintance to see the other side of me! Nor would I ever want the whole world to know my personal profile!!!

The good thing is that the power of the internet also serves as a way for the citizens to discipline themselves. Like the website www.openrice.com. You can search any time of food, in any area, at whatever price range there is in Hong Kong.

People are free to post pictures of the restaurants, their review of the food, ambience, service, price and anything you can think of!

Consumers are better informed with the products and services as the reviews are made by the general public and thus, very objective.

Another site is http://dpreview.com where people discuss about cameras and lens, their pros and cons in full length! We bought our camera based on the information we read online.

When there is tons of choices, it's really hard to choose what is truly value for money and what is just a result of multi-million marketing campagnes.

I guess it's not a bad thing when people think twice before they behave badly in public nowadays, myself included.