Balance Jan Issue 2018 - 52

H E S AY S

NIHAL
Off the record:

As today's celebrities find themselves embarrassed by their past indiscretions,
Nihal Arthanayake asks whether any of us is really any different?
photography by WI LL I REL A ND

A

nother week and another young
celebrity of note is asking a
personal assistant to go through
their social media histories to make sure their
younger selves didn't write anything offensive.
They dimly recall a quiet Wednesday night
a few years back, when they still resided with
mum and dad, and the digital bigot came
pouring out of their fingers onto the keyboard
and out into a faceless world.
Fast forward a few years and on the eve of
the announcement of a lucrative sponsorship
deal, it all goes horribly wrong.

SINS OF THE PAST
Just imagine if there was a record of
everything you'd said as a teenager. Every
time you sat in the school canteen or in the
playground at lunchtime, someone was
appointed to record your conversation.
Chances are you weren't as worldly-wise, as
politically correct, as you are now. You may
have used a homophobic slur towards one of
your friends, not thinking it to be anything

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO
INSULT SOMEONE WITHOUT
RESORTING TO BIGOTRY
other than another weapon in your arsenal of
verbal insults. The way you'd discuss the
opposite sex was not exactly imbued with
decorum, respect and a Downton Abbeyesque
grasp of the English language. Imagine every
time you got home, your dialogue was typed
up, printed out and placed, well, everywhere.
I don't write this to sound like I am
excusing people for their teenage social media
misbehaviour. I write it to ask questions of your

52

own younger-adult behaviour. As journalists
trawl through thousands of posts looking for
evidence of sexism, racism and homophobia
from people in the public eye, it horrifies me to
think of what my teenage self was like.
Attending a comprehensive school
in 1980s Essex I can't remember there
being much of an atmosphere of
inclusivity and equality. Being one
of the few Asian kids came with
its own set of unique challenges.
What would I have said as a young
person trying to fit in?
My own children are learning
about equality and mutual respect,
but then they are being brought up
in an environment that fosters
empathy and community.

ANOTHER WAY
I want to protect them from themselves
by understanding there are plenty of
ways to insult someone without resorting
to bigotry. And they should remember
never to put something on social
media that they wouldn't say to
that person's face.
Before you start telling me
I shouldn't allow my kids to
insult anyone, I would just like
to add that they are bound to
come across a few idiots during
their lives; people who, at some
point, will need to be told
about themselves. I am just
keeping it real. B
Nihal hosts Afternoon Edition on
BBC Radio 5 Live, 1pm-4pm,
Monday to Thursday, and the
Asian Network's Big Debate from
10am-1pm on Friday.

BA LA N CE January 2018

Shout back
@therealnihal
@BalanceLDN



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Balance Jan Issue 2018

Balance Jan Issue 2018 - 1
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