Think twice before we judge someone as Hanan, Ivy cases teach us

In the strange world of social media looks can be very deceptive. After all, virtual reality is far removed from the real world. Trust comes at a premium as all types of mischief-makers are playing out pranks amid surge in online crimes and fake news with virulent effects.

The current furore over the online visuals of Kerala college girl, Hanan, selling fish on a busy intersection in Kochi arises mostly due to the growing lack of mistrust about the online world that thrives on anonymity.

Hanan was an ordinary teen until media exposed her tale of selling fishes in uniform to sustain her life went viral. From being appreciated widely on social media to being offered a a role on silversreen, it was not all praise that she received.

Hanan's tale was misinterpreted to be a mere publicity stunt and netizens couldn't help digging up old pictures from Facebook, blaming her mean drama, her uncovered head, flaunting tresses cut in style, and even the gold ring on her finger! It was then time for some to rewrite the praise posts they wrote for Hanan. The social media hullabaloo continued for hours until media once again popped in vouchin for her true hardships.

An initially nervous Hanan was not ready to give up for she had seen bigger battles in life! Hanan's plight alerts us about the need to be vigilant about online tales. The dirtiest of all that social media could harness from an erroneous thought was what made Hanan teary eyed.

In a similar yet small incident, a viral post from Mumbai that has surfaced online shows how wrong our first perceptions can go. Take a look at Dipika K Naik's post about an old woman, Ivy, she had met on her commute in Mumbai.

"Today, I got in the Churchgate local from Virar. This old lady (very thin, wearing messy clothes, carrying unorganised bag full of clothes) got in when all the seats were occupied. Being very thin, she did not need much space. So she requested all the ladies (who were sitting spreading their legs as much as they can in order to pretend that there is no space even for an ant!) to shift a bit so that she can manage to sit. The lady was so thin that she needed as much space as a 2-3- year-old would need! But still, ladies were denying to shift as if they have been fixed there with Fevicol. I had to make them 'realise' that if they would be kind enough to sit without spreading legs, this old female would get a seat! After having a few minutes of 'unhealthy discussion', they agreed to shift. But gave very disgusting look to the lady. And asked me to let her sit beside me because they did not want to sit next to an untidy person!

I was lucky enough that she chose to sit next to me. I was feeling so sad that she had been judged and ridiculed because of her attire, personality and messy bag. I told her not to feel bad about the hurtful comments she got from those ladies!

The lady just smiled and said "I never feel bad about it. Because their comments are limited only up to this journey of 1 hour. Their perception cant make any difference to my 65 years of journey and to the rest of it! It is not their fault that they don't know that this messy, weak, old lady was a state-level hockey player when she was young. They don't know that this lady they are denying today to sit next to has worked in the French Embassy in India as a certified bilingual. They don't know that the lady they are finding ugly today, was a part-time model in her young days! They don't know that the lady they are finding weak is so strong that even after losing her husband and their only daughter, she moved on in life with joy! They don't know that the lady they are asking "pehli baar aayi hai kya train me?" is travelling in Mumbai locals since 1940. They don't know that the lady they are advising to sit at home at this age, travels DAILY from Virar to Bandra at "peak" hours to teach unprivileged children, so that they won't become like one of these people when they will grow up!"

Such a tight slap to all those who judge a book by its cover! I could not resist to take a selfie (though its not perfect) with Ivy and post it here along with her thoughts so that we all could learn from her.

Before we parted our ways, she recognised the question in my eyes, and said, "Ivy is one type of a plant. You did not learn it in your school days?"

God make us meet some people for a reason!"

Naik concludes her post!

Prejudice is natural and it arises from stereotyped beliefs, but when we are judgmental about things and people that we really don't know we are bound to go horribly wrong as Naik's fellow travellers or the netizens who targeted Hanan.

So, next time let us be careful!