Warning: POTENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH TRIGGERS
Yesterday, the internet group 4chan started the twitter trend #cutforbieber and started posting pictures of self-harm injuries on fake accounts. The idea was to inspire Beliebers (Justin Bieber fans) to cut themselves and post pictures so Bieber would stop smoking weed, which a leaked photo revealed him doing at the weekend. The plot, malicious in it's nature, quickly took root; #cutforbieber trended globally at 2:30 the same day.
Words cannot describe how much this sickens me. Whenever I try to form a coherent sentence about how wrong I find this act, my brain degenerates into mindless swearing and throwing things. The best I've got is this: 4chan are assholes. You do not get to play with people's lives and emotions, despite how messed up our cult of celebrity may be. People are not a game. It's important to think we should try and dampen the hyper fan-dom that enabled this stunt, but ultimately the responsibility for this reprehensible act is with the plotters at 4chan. This is them acting unacceptably.
Mercifully, I think I saw few self-harm pictures from real accounts, most were from fake 4chan accounts. Also, the trend on twitter seemed to be trending because of outrage or snide comments, not actual support. However, I did see lots of mocking and "jokes" about the hashtag. Many people tweeted photos of themselves cutting sausages with knifes, or paper with scissors in the hashtag #cutforbieber, laughing at those who were self-harming and at how "ridiculous" their mental state was (to quote one individual). Others were just blatantly victim blaming, calling the beliebers "stupid" and "pathetic".
Like 4chan, these people don't seem to realise self-harm is a serious mental health issue. People who thought it was an ideal opportunity for humour. The people who made similar "wise" cracks about Amanda Todd. It is to these people I say this: "Guess what?, Self-harm isn't funny." Self-harm is destructive. As someone who's been there, done that, ad stained the t-shirt, I assure you it's an incredibly destructive issue. Imagine not being able to wear shorts because of the scars on your legs and the stigma around self-harm, or having to go into school and lie to friends who notice the fresh cuts. Imagine wanting to die for a year because of an deep existential funk, constantly dreading and questioning life, only feeling the cuts you give yourself when it all becomes too much to cope with. Just try and imagine. Try and empathise. Then you'll realise how serious self-harm is.
Self-harm is an issue, and not a light one. 4chan and the idiots who instigated the #cutforbieber hashtag need to be taught this. However, while they are the most serious offenders, others can still learn a thing or two. Namely, self-harm isn't funny.
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EDIT: It appears 4chan are now trying to blame 9gag for the #cutforbieber tag 4chan started, using a fictional and fabricated suicide of "Addison" to try and incense anger towards 9gag. Don't let them get away with it. Tell your friends. 4chan are going too far.
