Real-world trolling and performative outrage….

I’m not sure of just how big a risk radical Islam is to the good people of Tyrone. According to the last census the Muslim population of Mid Ulster is 198. This is a massive 0.2% of the population. It’s hard to know how many of the 198 are jihadi extremists’ intent on overthrowing Western civilisation or how many of them are just normal people working and raising families.

But another year, another Moygashel bonfire ‘performance art’. Last year it was an effigy of a boatload of migrants. This year it’s a mosque. At this stage it’s pretty obvious that they are just trolling us and trying to find something that will provoke the biggest outrage and reaction. When they look at all the front pages of the newspapers today, you can imagine them being very happy that they have managed yet again to get all the media attention.

When you have been doing Slugger as long as I have, all this stuff seems very performative. Every year we have our calendar of outrage: flags, bonfires, racist attacks. It all becomes quite cynical and cyclical.

It seems like the online world has bled over into the real world and what we’re seeing is real-life trolling. What can we do to provoke the biggest reaction and wind up the most people?

It all becomes very performative. The usual radio shows and media give it coverage with the usual talking heads for and against it. The newspapers have to fill space. Radio and TV shows have to fill time. The ones doing it want a coverage. The whole thing is a coordinated dance of outrage.

Personally I am bored with the whole performative cynicism of it all. My reaction to it is just a shrug of the shoulder and a roll of the eyes. It’s the same with the flags. They are put up to provoke and wind up the rest of us. If you let it annoy you, you’re just giving in. I feel nothing but pity for people who have nothing else in their lives. Last week I was in Donegal, far away from all our craziness. This week I’ve been out and about at home enjoying the sunshine. The other night we had a walk around the glorious Lady Dixon Park, which is looking amazing with all the roses in bloom.

Now when you say these things, you get accused of being elitist or sticking your head in the sand. But if someone is being deliberately provocative, is the most sensible course not to give them the reaction that they want? To quote Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Does anyone remember those choose your own adventure books you used to have when you were a kid? It was like “turn to page 174” or “turn to page 290” to continue the story.

This summer I am choosing joy over fear and outrage. Belfast will be the world centre for positive Irish culture over the next few weeks with Tradfest, the West Belfast Féile, and the Fleadh Cheoil. Hundreds of thousands of people will be coming here to join in the festivities and have a good time. Away from Belfast I’m going to be in Donegal, Newcastle, Ballycastle, and all the other wonderful places we have to visit. In Belfast we are lucky to have some amazing parks and green spaces right on our doorstep, a walk around Shaws Bridge, Cave Hill, Colin Glen, etc., will do more for your mental health than being a cog in the manufactured outrage machine.

You can spend hours being outraged by what anonymous bots say on social media and being wound up by various radio shows and talking heads or you can get out into the real world and embrace the restorative power of culture, community and connection.

You can choose your own adventure, which path will you choose?

Brian O'Neill

Managing Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.