Strange and concerning

An online content creator, more popularly known as ‘vlogger,’ reportedly caused the usually slow-moving traffic along the highway in Consolacion to come to a standstill recently after performing a stunt in which he pretended to be a snail crossing the road, complete with a costume.

The report did not specify the exact date of the incident, but according to MyTV Cebu, the video of the stunt was posted on Sunday, March 9, 2025, and has already garnered 1.3 million views, 15,000 reactions, and 11,000 shares.

Authorities have reportedly called on the vlogger to explain his actions. But I hope he faces more than just a demand to explain. He should be dealt with to the fullest extent of the traffic and other local laws he may have violated.

This isn’t actually an isolated incident of vloggers performing stupid and dangerous stunts just to garner views and reactions on social media—and I’m sure it won’t be the last. There is, in fact, a new expression these days that goes, 'Nakapag-vlog na ba ang tanan?' It refers to the popular trend of vlogging as a source not only of notoriety or fame but also of income, since more views increase the chances of earning large commissions from advertising revenues on social media platforms.

This is one of the reasons I recently decided to unplug from social media, at least for most of the day. There are now days when I don’t use social media at all, and during the times I do check it, I make sure to just glance or spend a minute or two—incidentally, after checking for messages on my Facebook Messenger.

There is just too much nonsense online, and many people are addicted to it—a phenomenon also called 'brainrot' or mindless scrolling. I understand that it serves to entertain or it provides a dose of dopamine pleasure. However, numerous studies have indicated that much of this behavior already points to some form of addiction.

Try observing your surroundings, whether in a public place like a restaurant or in a private setting like at home—people are glued to their smartphones. It’s like witnessing a dystopian scene where everyone around you appears hypnotized or mindless, as if infected by some bug, and it would be a miracle to find a survivor who has not yet been affected.

With a touch of irony, this prompted me to post on my Facebook page last week about a conversation I had with two student journalists concerning the need for mid-semester school reading break. In that talk I brought up the elephant in the room. I asked them, 'Why are students, and people in general, so exhausted and constantly busy these days?'

I wrote: “Not a day passes without seeing someone on their electronic device—a phone or laptop—scrolling, typing, taking photos, editing videos, swiping, or talking. It has become odd to simply sit at a coffee shop with only a book or nothing but coffee and a good conversation. People are constantly plugged in. Pusta anay (I bet) they would break into a cold sweat if denied their smartphones. A constant stream of chats and tasks, all actually pointless.”

The traffic snail stunt by a vlogger along the national highway in Consolacion can be described as clout chasing, performative behavior, or virality chasing, as experts call it. I hope more people will speak out about this and how it is impacting our social behavior and sense of community.

Something strange and concerning is happening, with almost all of us glued to our gadgets.