In order to garner more followers on social media, people are readily dropping face first on the ground, with their expensive possessions spilt around them. The trick is to give the illusion of having fallen down or tripped and accidentally spilt one's possessions on the road. This is Flaunt Your Wealth challenge, commonly known as “falling stars” challenge, which started in Russia and has gained a massive popularity in China.
The idea of people deliberately sprawling on walkways and roads, with their high-end goodies scattered around them may sound hilarious to many. However, this is just another way for people to show off their fancy possessions.
Perfect excuse to gloat about your privileges
This desire to flaunt wealth on social media is in sync with our increasing proclivity towards vanity and show off. Everything from an expensive phone or a promotion, to a relationship status or a vacation gets flaunted on social networking. A kiss with bae at a scenic spot, the latest cosmetics, exclusive perks, whatever gets us traction and bragging rights among friends. It is no surprise thus, that falling stars challenge is rapidly gaining popularity across the globe.
Most internet challenges are about getting massive shares and likes and gaining popularity. Some like the Ice Bucket challenge even spread awareness about medical conditions. One can easily spot a silver lining in most absurd challenges, be it providing comical relief or creating awareness or simply providing some junk to our brains. But with flaunt your wealth challenge one cannot see any silver lining. All one can see is sheer bragging rights to flaunt your wealth and create longing and jealousy among others.
SOME TAKEAWAYS
- In the new flaunt your wealth challenge people are dropping face first on the ground, with their expensive possessions spilled around them.
- The idea of people deliberately sprawling on walkways and roads, with their high-end goodies scattered around them may sound hilarious to many.
- Falling stars challenge further rubs their materialistic supremacy in the faces of vulnerable people.
To use this challenge to let people know that you can afford costly merchandise. That you deserve their attention because you are monetarily well off. But are these people sparing a thought about what kind of impact on other social media users? We live in the age of insecurity, which has escalated manifolds ever since social media came into our lives. Not many people can see through all the dressed up virtual perfection.
Often people buy these filtered versions of wealth, popularity and relationship as reality.
It gives rise to an inferiority complex, especially among teens. Their confidence takes a beating and they become discontent with their lives. Falling stars challenge further rubs their materialistic supremacy in the faces of vulnerable people. But alas, social media was never a place for the weak. It was never a favourable space for those who get easily affected or influenced by whatever is presented to them in form of digital content.
There is no doubt that falling stars trend will catch up in other parts of the world. But the good thing about social media trends, though, is that they have a short shelf life. And no sooner than it is at the peak of its popularity, will it start fading away. Eventually, it will become so obscure, that no one would even mention it. How many of us talk about the kiki challenge anymore? Or the floor is lava challenge? Similarly, flaunt your wealth challenge wouldn’t have many takers in the distant future. Perhaps that is the only silver lining of this challenge.
Picture Credit : Weibo /Sean
Also Read : Social Media Etiquettes Shouldn’t Be Taken Lightly
Yamini Pustake Bhalerao is a writer with the SheThePeople team, in the Opinions section. The views expressed are author’s own.
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