Just Because It’s Viral Doesn’t Mean It’s Important

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Asli deh, kapan kita mau sadar yang viral itu belum tentu yang penting?

Di zaman serba digital ini, apapun bisa viral dalam hitungan menit. Tapi pernahkah kamu bertanya, does going viral mean something really matters? Not always.

What is "Viral Content"?

Menurut Cambridge Dictionary, viral content is “something that becomes very popular by being passed from person to person, especially through the internet.”
Menurut Jonah Berger dalam bukunya Contagious: Why Things Catch On, content can go viral karena beberapa faktor seperti:

  1. Emotional triggers (content yang memancing emosi, terutama emosi tinggi seperti marah, senang, takut),
  2. Social currency (orang ingin terlihat keren atau up-to-date),
  3. Storytelling (konten dibungkus dalam cerita yang menarik),
  4. Practical value (ada nilai guna langsung), dan
  5. Public visibility (mudah dilihat orang lain dan ditiru).

Tapi here's the problem: not all viral content is meaningful. In fact, banyak sekali yang viral karena hanya memicu emosi sesaat, tapi tidak menyumbang apapun ke kualitas public discourse yang lebih penting untuk dibahas.

Why Things Go Viral (Even When They're Useless)

Let’s be honest, some things go viral simply because they are sensational. Think of recent viral content like:

  1. A celeb’s awkward dance at a private party,
  2. A random TikTok beef between influencers,
  3. A bizarre food trend like mixing cola with instant noodles.

Yes, it's entertaining. But does it have societal value? Most likely no.  It’s like empty calories—ngenyangin tapi nggak ada gizinya.

Social media algorithms also play a huge role. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or Twitter are engineered to push what keeps us watching—not what makes us think. The more outrageous or emotionally triggering a content is, the more engagement it gets. Engagement is profit, not meaning.


When Viral Becomes Distracting

Worse, viral distractions can shadow truly important issues.
Misalnya, saat dunia sedang fokus pada “drama selebgram A vs selebgram B,” we may be missing:

  1. Legislative bills being passed quietly,
  2. Ecological disasters,
  3. Human rights violations,
  4. Educational or health policies being changed with little scrutiny.

Take the example of TikTok challenges that go viral while no one talks about the increase in climate-related disasters or the underfunding of public health systems. In Indonesia, a trending gossip on YouTube (like some celeb's marriage) bisa menggeser perhatian publik dari isu-isu penting seperti kenaikan harga pangan atau kebijakan pendidikan nasional, atau pangan yang katanya mendukung pendidikan nasional. LOL.

So, What Should We Do?

  1. Don’t take virality as a measure of importance. Just because everyone is talking about it doesn’t mean it matters.
  2. Practice digital discernment. and be literate/be critical. Ask: What am I consuming? Apakah ini penting, berguna, atau cuma sensasi sesaat?
  3. Support meaningful content. If you find someone talking about social issues, mental health, education, or climate—engage and share it. Push value, not just volume.

Being viral is not a badge of importance.
Kadang yang penting justru tenggelam dalam keramaian yang nggak penting.
Let’s not let our attention be hijacked by the next shallow sensation. The world has real problems—don’t let them drown under a sea of memes and celebrity gossip.


References:
  • Berger, J. (2013). Contagious: Why Things Catch On. Simon and Schuster.
  • Cambridge Dictionary. Definition of “viral.”


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