Slanderman: Collect my vagueposts
“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” — Oscar Wilde
I would bet all of the money in my wallet right now— a grand total of zero dollars — that the following statement is true: Vagueposts expose the person’s true beliefs, emotions, or intentions.
What’s a vaguepost?
To vaguepost is to post something with minimal context to bait people into engaging with the content. Oftentimes this is done to draw attention, sympathy, or interest onto the subject or to the original poster. 1
For the bait to be effective, it should provoke a strong emotional response — positive or negative, with the latter being more common. One of the most common ways this is employed is through rage-baiting.
Why do people do it?
The most likely answer is Plausible deniability. Since they didn’t explicitly state who or what their subject of ire is, they can’t be held accountable when confronted. The original poster would have no risk of ruining their reputation and they get to have a catharsis in speaking their minds.
I’ve noticed that this type of passive aggression is often used by younger people— namely, those in their early to mid-teens. There would occasionally be an outlier and those in their 20s, 30s, etc. would indulge in this type of behavior. However, these adults unwittingly reveal that they are lacking in emotional intelligence because their fear of confrontation prevents them from communicating their frustrations civilly.
There could be many reasons why they resort to such tactics, including but not limited to: the risk of being shamed for displaying socially unacceptable behavior, or a lack of assertiveness.
The Online Disinhibition Effect
You may be wondering why displays of passive aggression such as vagueposting are so prevalent in online spaces.
The digital world’s social interactions operate under conditions that are very unlike the real world. Unlike face-to-face communication, social media users get to utilize anonymity as a psychological buffer. When these users believe that their actions or words can’t be traced back to their identities, they feel less responsible for the effects that follow.
With the nature of online communication being asynchronous, it is much easier for people to give in to their impulse to react without considering the fallout.
The public eye cannot subject the original poster’s belief or statement to scrutiny due to the nebulous quality of vagueposting and/or internet anonymity. As such, they feel safe from any criticism or judgment.
With this in mind, it is reasonable to believe that the sentiment behind their vagueposts are their pure, unfiltered thoughts.
What do you do when someone vagueposts about you?
You find their exact address and beat the shit out of them. . . . Just kidding. If this is someone you don’t particularly care about, the simplest and most stress-free solution is to block and/or report them. If not, then it’s trickier.
It is easier said than done and I struggle with it to this day, so take these words with a grain of salt:
- You’d need to stand your ground and hold them accountable. (In private messages. Fighting out in the open is bound to increase tension further).
- Don’t fall into their trap by responding with anger or passive-aggression yourself.
- Don’t give in to them since it’d perpetuate their behavior.
- Beat the shit out of them. (/j)
- Limit interactions with them if they continue to slight you.