Making a fuss out of nothing

I came across a reel on Instagram one day and wanted to share my thoughts prompted by watching it and reading the comments under it.

There's one user, @theadnetwork on Instagram posted a reel of a Mercedes Benz ad with the caption: "The ad went viral when it was released. Using a blonde beauty as a metaphor, Mercedes was actually referring to BMW and Audi, which are often compared to Mercedes but are just good in appearance and not in features."

Now, the comment section was hilarious as well as pretty sad to see how negative people can be in their thinking and viewing of a simple ad.

Here are a few examples:

Woman 1: "Someone was really hurt when they made this ad." She was sarcastic about those women who were offended by this ad.

Woman 2: "The irony is the man who wrote this ad, and then the men this ad is aimed at, would still love to date the blonde." Ah! She really seems to be offended and upset about this ad.

Woman 3: "I thought she was in some sort of abusive relationship or kidnapped and she was trying to use some sort of code." I truly can't believe that she gave her psychological interpretation of the woman in a car ad. Huh!

Woman 4: "Very misogynistic!" She clearly labeled the creator.

Finally, there was a breakthrough in the drama I was witnessing in the comment section.

Woman 5: "Why, I don't understand this video." She asked seeking a clarification to her confusion.

Man 1: "I mean, the car is beautiful and nice, but the engine is very fierce. The engine is very good, with many computerized systems so the car remains economical but powerful." A man replied to her, but it wasn't very clear for the woman. So she asked again...

Woman 5: "What is the connection with the story of the woman who ordered in the wrong place? Where is the connection with the car sponsor?"

And then came a sane woman with a positive frame of mind to respond to the confusion of this woman.

Woman 6: "It becomes like this: this is a car advertisement. The tagline is "beauty is nothing without brains," so the video emphasizes that beauty (in this case, the advertised car) has no meaning if it does not have brains. In the video, a beautiful girl is shown ordering fries, burgers, and milkshakes in the library. Well, after that, the library clerk replied emphatically, "This is the library!" And the response of the beautiful girl was very unexpected; she repeatedly ordered the food she wanted but by whispering (because the librarian said, "This is a library," so in the beautiful girl’s mind, when in the library, one cannot speak loudly, so she whispered). This is what it means to not have brains. It's clear that the girl is in the library, where she might not be able to order food. Well, from the filming of the video, the advertiser wants the audience to know that the car they advertise is not only beautiful outside but beautiful inside as well (in this case, referring to the features of a complete car, engine, fuel-saving, etc.). Hope you understand."

Her response was long, clear and considerate.

Woman 5: "If the problem is the woman who ordered, I understand it completely, sis. Only when associated with a car, it seems less relevant to me.(By the way, thank you for the long comment; I would like to type a lot.)"

Woman 6: "The point is, the advertisement is really brilliant."

I truly admired her timely wisdom and consideration at that moment. The matter seemed closed, but no! Silly, negative comments continued to be posted under that reel, so I decided not to read the comments anymore.

These different perceptions and remarks of people concerning an ad made me think and literally bothered me. I wondered why we humans are so negative instinctively? Why don't we try to go deeper to understand the fact or meaning of the matter before being judgmental and negative about it?

"Research indicates that people often focus more on the negative aspects of psychological events as they try to understand the world. We are more attentive to negative events than positive ones, learn more from negative outcomes and experiences, and make decisions based on negative information more than positive data," says Kendra Cherry, a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author, in her article "What Is the Negativity Bias?"

It’s fascinating as well as disheartening how our attention tends to gravitate toward negative aspects, whether in schools or elsewhere. Positive psychology aims to broaden our perspective by recognizing the full spectrum of emotions beyond just negativity. By focusing on strengths and collaboration, we can elevate positivity and create a more balanced approach. This spiraling effect applies to both positive and negative emotions, influencing our experiences from moment to moment.

The spiraling effect refers to how emotions tend to perpetuate themselves. Just as negative emotions can lead to more negativity, positive emotions can create a positive feedback loop. When we experience joy, gratitude, or other positive feelings, they often reinforce themselves, influencing our overall well-being. It’s like a ripple effect—small positive moments can accumulate and shape our overall emotional state.

Dear readers, as a life coach, I constantly strive to raise awareness about allowing positive emotions to overcome negativity. Reach out when you need to collaborate, and remember to follow the path of self-care and let go of negative thoughts and emotions for your own well-being.

Before I close this article, I want to confess, I happened to read one last humorously suggestive comment of a man under the same reel which I want to quote here for you: "Beauty without brains is more beautiful" (Laughs). He simply meant, consider the ad as an ad and don't make a fuss out of nothing.