This past week, watching the film Catfish, I took the initiative to look at social media in a different perspective. The man character, Nev, is so fascinated with a little girl that friend requests him on social media. Through Facebook, Nev and his friends, come into contact with a family that lives in Michigan and has an incredibly talented daughter who paints artwork, who is only 8 years old. Being so intrigued by Abby's paintings, he begins to contact her and the family online and over the phone. Eventually he starts talking to Abby's older sister, Meghan, and they talk about how anxious they are to meet one day. After Nev spends so much time investing his photography business into the painting's Abby does and talking with Meghan so much, they form a very interesting relationship. After "Meghan" sends Nev several of her cover songs she had sung for him, he becomes very suspicious of who Meghan really is. This makes him doubt who really is drawing and painting the canvases for him.
Out of curiosity and determination, Nev and his buddies travel over 300 miles to figure out what really is going on. At this point, I can't decide which situation is more absurd. To create an entirely different life online and pursue it as much as Angela (the mother of the household that Abby and Meghan live) did or to drive as far as Nev did just to figure out what the true story really was.
Although some can say we can feel bad for Angela, because she has 2 handicapped boys, I really do not find that an excuse to lie about everything online. Being someone you are not and continually following through with those lies is very dangerous, physically and mentally. Also, for Nev to drive that far just to catch Angela in her web of lies is completely irrational in my opinion, almost more absurd than what Angela did.
While we all need ways to cope with the stressors of life, I do not think creating a fake life online is the right way. Also, while we all need to know the truth, I think Nev blew the situation out of proportion by driving that far and taking the risk of what the situation could of been.
Moral of the story, you have one life to live and that should be enough in itself.
5 comments:
I agree with you, I think it is kind of crazy how Nev and his friend drove that far just to see if Angela, Megan, and Angela's llittle daughter where who they said they were. It is crazy how after he saw that things appeared to be suspicious he still agreed to drive that far and find out the truth.
I agree, for Angela and Nev, this was way too much. Angela should have found another way to cope with her sad life and Nev should have let sleeping dogs lie.
It's terrible that those that aren't satisfied with their lives have to intrude on others lives just to entertain themselves. I understand she has a lot of hardship in her life but there are better outlets other than making fake profiles just to stay active
Just because the life we have should be enough does not mean it always is. This woman had a difficult monotonous life and social media gave her an escape from it all.
I agree that what Angela did is ridiculous to say the least. However, while I do not believe that the events or happenings in our lives gives us the excuse to act out, I cannot pretend to fully understand the actions of others completely. And while yes, it is also to an extent ridiculous on Ned's part to drive out as far as he did to expose Angela, he also brought the reality of cat fishing to a lot of us who were unaware of just how real this is.
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