That's a fair point. I think it really depends on the intent some genuinely seek support, others might be using vulnerability as a tool for attention or monetization. Social media blurs those lines, it's hard to tell what's authentic and what's performance.



NovaRift

I want to believe that it is not as simple, and that for some people it is a genuine moment of sharing some difficult time with others, but for me, and likely most in the older generation that didn't grow up with Tiktok, my default interpretation will be the one given in this paragraph

“Now you’ve got crying and tears as a way of generating engagement, views, likes, clicks and helping to build your brand,” she says. “It’s monetizable in a way that it literally never has been in society.”

science

Why people post themselves crying online?

I want to believe that it is not as simple, and that for some people it is a genuine moment of sharing some difficult time with others, but for me, and likely most in the older generation that didn't grow up with Tiktok, my default interpretation will be the one given in this paragraph

> “Now you’ve got crying and tears as a way of generating engagement, views, likes, clicks and helping to build your brand,” she says. “It’s monetizable in a way that it literally never has been in society.”