Honestly, just how far would you go to direct lewd and clear hatred at someone? Let’s make that clearer and specific. How far would you go at hurling outright abuse rather, make that hatred toward a cricketer? Does that seem like a fair thing to do? For the way Ben Stokes, of all cricketers, was subjected to a pathetic piece of communication on social media seems to suggest that there’s frankly no end to hating anyone or trolling an international cricketer.
While on the one hand, social media has made communication easy and accessible to all, often thanks to platforms like Twitter and Facebook, reducing the gap between cricketers and those who follow them, it has also made directing needless ire a common phenomenon.
In an age where we are connected to one another, more than ever before, one has to address the question often ignored or not thought about with sincerity: does free-speech give the right to an individual to bully and hurl free-wheeling abuses at a celebrity? More so, when the latter has done nothing to hurt the feelings or cause dismay to the one spewing venom.
You don’t have to be a Ben Stokes fan to understand the cause of his trouble at this point in time.
It turns out that a fan said the worst possible thing to the famous England all-rounder, going as far as saying that “Hope both your parents die of AIDS!”
Now, any strand of emotion or possessing the most basic human feeling suggests that what was said to Ben Stokes was horrendous. You could find more stellar adjectives than that but calling it unfair and ‘in bad taste’ just won’t do.
It simply won’t.
Can you imagine being subjected to some spiteful comments on social media. Might not be wrong to say, it may break even the most strong and emotionally balanced human being.
But why did such a disgraceful episode even occur and who was this person who subjected Ben Stokes to such a pathetic time on social media?
While the famous cricketer most noted for his World cup-winning exploits for England in the 2019 edition did not choose to reveal the identity of his bully, he did, as a matter of fact, reveal the screenshot of the hate message sent to him.
Take a look here and judge for yourself as to where has public conscience gone off to:
The above told, surely, Ben Stokes must do all he can in his might to get to the bottom of the atrocity he has been subjected to. Not hard to guess why: that will surely set the correct precedent as to where does the impossible cricket viewer or fan reside for being moronic beyond control.
You simply feel sorry for the ace English cricketer! May better sense prevail among the cricket-frenzied lot.