Earlier this week so-called graphic footage emerged of an Australian 16-year-old fighting back against a bully after being repeatedly punched in the face.
The video was filmed by the bully’s consorts and it seems the bullying of this boy was an everyday occurence. It was only when the ‘victim’ threw his tormentor to the ground that the video took on a new life, going viral with the appearance of many satirical videos emulating our victim’s actions.
As is usual with social networks such as YouTube, there are always questions when something like this goes viral. While the disguised face of the victim looks preternaturally like weight-challenged (fat) UK ‘comedian’ James Corden, there is a discrepancy between the kids’ sizes and ages.
The bully is 12-years-old and small, the bullied is 16-years-old and big. The bully ends up with a broken ankle and the 16-year-old becomes famous for fighting back, with even a Taiwanese news service lauding his actions and dressing him up as The Incredible Hulk.
Whether you agree with retaliation and that the dish best served hot, warm or cold is the correct diet, it is amazing that such a video when published on ‘official’ news websites comes with a warning, it’s as if we’re about to see the snuffiest of snuff.
It’s as if William Golding’s book Lord of the Flies came in brown paper because of its (infinitely more frightening) content or Lord of the Rings was kept on the top shelf of our remaining bookshops because Frodo was nasty to an Orc.
And the more I think about it, that bullying video does look like Frodo picking on an Orc and no surprises that the Orc finally strikes back. In fact, I don’t want to think about it, I don’t even know why I’m writing about it, I can’t even write well about it, I don’t care about it.
See, YouTube, see what you’ve done? I was going to write about how Twitter is being banned in Cameroon because President Biya fears a revolution and now I’m writing about you. Waste of bloody time, I’m going to the pub. God, you annoy me!
Monty Munford has more than 15 years' experience in mobile, digital media, web and journalism. He is the founder of Mob76, a company that helps tech companies raise money and exit. He speaks regularly at global media events with a focus on Africa, writes a weekly column for The Telegraph, is a regular contributor to The Economist, Wired, Mashable and speaks regularly on the BBC World Service.
