It’s amazing the difference one word can make.
We can say a lot of negative things about the impacts of social media. But…one of the positives is that it has enabled public figures to communicate more directly w Joe/Jane Public, & their hard core fans. For some of these figures, it’s a way to have intimate conversations they’d never be able to have, going thru the media/a reporter.
As MH advocates, like many of you are, tho it’s not appropriate to diagnose, we are able to see signs in certain public figures when it comes to what their social media posts reveal, that may be concerning. It happened wi Britney Spears recently. But it’s happened w folks in the sports world like Antonio Brown, Ja Morant & Kryie Irving…happened in the entertainment world w folks like Kanye West.
We as a society have been able to do check-ups & follow ups….even do welfare checks, based on some of what we have seen on social, before more catastrophic outcomes.
If you look at the first two titles of these first two articles, the titles are responsible. They talk abt “troubling” or “personal reasons” for why someone is taking time off, & we should be concerned.
But look at the titles of the rest of the articles – words also used to describe (in a mocking/eyeball-grabbing type of way) the Morant & Brown situations: “Bizarre” & “Disturbing” & I’ve even see the word “Crazy” used. That doesn’t help the convo, it sets it back.
If you read up on Kai’s social posts, it’s clear he’s not in the best place. He’s calling out his own teammates, making grandiose claims abt his superiority, saying how he can beat MJ one on one. Even a public figure who feels these ways deep down, as professionals, they don’t put those things out there, as a professional way of handling themselves. It makes sense he’s taking some time away from the Hornets. But this is HEALTH like anything else.
We need to hold the media to a higher standard. We can’t sensationalize these actions. We need to support these folks w compassion. We wouldn’t use this verbiage if they were physically injured & needed time away.