OPINION: Campus celebrity trend exploits the vulnerable

Photo via: Jason Howie/Public Domain'/Wikimedia Commons

Ollie Hunt, a Sophomore studying Journalism, argues that the growing trend of filming strangers in the city raises serious ethical concerns.

It’s been a week since students returned to campus, and Athens thrums with energy. However, with the return of students comes the clash of locals and students.  

Campus celebrities are people on campus or the surrounding community that one develops a fascination with, despite that person not being “famous” in the traditional sense. Yik Yak and other anonymous social media sites allow these claims of “campus celebrities” to grow and potentially reach nearly the whole campus population without a trace of who started it. 

As of late, students have taken to social media with the “campus celebrity” mindset. The label has grown from peers and moved onto the unhoused population of Athens. Through TikTok and Yik Yak, so much attention is brought to people and yet it isn’t the attention needed for those in need. 

This shocking instance found its way onto my feed while I was scrolling in my dorm. It knocked me out of my “doomscroll” haze as I took in the student posing with a man wearing beat-up clothes and didn’t seem aware that he was being filmed. The video was posted anyway. 

Students at Ohio University are lucky to be in the position they are. Ohio U offers so many resources to students in terms of aid, such as counseling services, food banks and much more. Locals are often not afforded the same support by the city. 

Students should not be using people who are struggling as a chance to go viral. It creates a harsh line between those who call Athens home and those who call Athens school. By further using Athens residents as a spectacle, those engaging in this behavior are not only stereotyping those without homes, but also depersonalizing them. Students should not be treating residents (or fellow students, for that matter) as accessories in a post or picture. 

The rift between students and locals has been longstanding. Even in 2008, the split was deep. As years have gone by, both parties seem to have come to an understanding, but that doesn’t suggest agreement all the time. Using the town and its locals as a playground isn’t the answer to fostering good connections between the university and the city.

Athens is new for some people. Personally, coming from a larger city and moving to a small town for nine months was an adjustment. It isn’t difficult to imagine that there’s a difference for others as well. The biggest tool students can use when going out uptown is compassion and empathy. Taking an extra minute to understand that no one chooses to be homeless and that person is going through something unimaginable to a lot of students at Ohio U. Taking these moments and practicing empathy should deter others from simply using people for photo or video opportunities. 

Instead of this, students should be uplifting those who are less fortunate and working with the many resources in Athens that aim to alleviate food and shelter stress. 

As students, there is a duty to give back to the city that gives the university so much. The Gathering Place, an organization aiming to combat the stress of food and shelter for locals, plans to turn a parking lot into an array of “huts” for those without homes to have shelter for even just one night.  

Invisible People is a resource for those seeking to learn more about the homeless crisis around the nation. The organization strives to put names to stories and give those experiencing homelessness a voice again. These stories put things into perspective. Michael, a person experiencing homelessness in Columbus, Ohio, speaks about his addiction and how it tore him from his family. Invisible People writes, “At times, Michael’s life seemed almost normal. He’s held a few jobs and even fathered a daughter, but the booze kept bringing him down to the streets.”

Experiencing homelessness isn’t a choice. The cycle that continues homelessness fails people every day. As those fortunate enough to experience basic needs, we should be using those resources we have access to to help, not stereotype and fearmonger. We should not use vulnerable persons for our own entertainment. 

The relationship between students and locals should blossom, not wilt. We, as students, have a duty to foster that relationship by showing respect to everyone around us, even if we do not know their lived experience. 

Please note that these views and opinions do not reflect those of The New Political.