Infamous troll did nothing wrong but speak his mind

A CHRONICLE reader defends Tristan Barker who has become a household name for online antics such as encouraging Facebook users to ridicule victims of murder.

THROUGHOUT the last few months, the names Tristan Barker, Nebz Alday and Facebeef have become house hold names.

Interviewed on a plethora of social media sites and radio shows, they have been the subject of media attention.

Nonetheless, all the occupants have been labelled as 'internet trolls' or such despite the valuable points which are brought up time and time again.

I am sure most of you have seen the scandal surrounding Tristan Barker of late. However, I am here to make a different point from that of the media.

Tristan Barker has done nothing wrong.

Freedom of speech allows us to make our own judgements on people and their activities. So then why do we slam Tristan for handing out his ideas?

Because he is showing us ourselves.

Time and time again the point has been raised that 'no one cares until these atrocities are knocking on our front door'.

This statement holds a wealth of truth. People commit suicide every single day- So what made Amanda Todd special?

That she made a video and posted it on YouTube? That she was an attractive young girl?

Why did the media give her, of all people so much more attention than those who had committed suicide before her, and undoubtedly after her?

More evidence to prove this theory is the Jill Meager murder. How many other people have been murdered or raped, but not been subject to media attention? Thousands.

We are ignorant to everything that goes on around us, and Tristan is simply pointing this out.

The media also 'feeds the trolls'. They continuously blunder about like blind fools, making mistakes and reporting errors.

Does this not point out how primitive today's media really is? How little attention they put into a article before publishing it?

So then it is viable to assume that the article you are reading is henceforth not correct, is it not? Critical elements of the story has been left out- as with the Tristan Barker/Facebeef story.

Therefore it is impossible for us to make an unbiased opinion. Traversing forums and Facebook it is obvious to see this.

Many of the articles make reference to the videos/rants I have above- but have cut out information in order for the public to be persuaded.

You all say that Facebeef and its creators have a cult like following of fans; but you fail to realise they also have a cult like following of haters as well.

Perhaps this rant will not enlighten you- the public- to take matters into your own hands. To not believe everything you are force fed by the media.

To look for information on your own and draw conclusions which you deem suitable to the situation.

And this extends far beyond Facebeef or Tristan Barker; they are simply an allegory for something a lot larger. Intelligence itself is fading because people no longer have to think.

They wait for the answer that someone provides them, and that answer must be ultimately true.

We pride ourselves on being the most intelligent form of life on this planet; but we are not.

Originally published as Infamous troll did nothing wrong but speak his mind