Oversharing has been around for a while, but in recent times, a new trend has centered around it on social media. Dolphins in the background, unnecessary personal information in the middle of the screen, “Symphony” by Zara Larsson playing—sound familiar? The Symphony craze is one of the biggest trends on TikTok, likely because of how random and funny it is. And yes, oversharing can definitely be funny; but other times, not so much. For example, Kevin Leonardo, or the nair guy, went viral for uploading a YouTube video on how to remove pubic hair. Except he was naked throughout the duration of filming; on camera. And when millions of people clicked on that video, none of them were expecting to see a fully nude man. That is most likely still Leonardo’s most viral video as of today – generating millions of views. Imagine making thousands of dollars by traumatizing people—oversharing does not sound so fun now, does it?
An active member on social media, freshmen Sidney Simms would agree.
“People take oversharing too far,” Simms said. “But as long as it’s not too much, it’s fine.”
Besides that mortifying video of Leonardo, there are lots of other ways people overshare. Many seem to trauma dump on social media. An example would be someone claiming they have been abused and have PTSD. For some reason, many people on social media love sharing this type of information with viewers without providing any context. At the same time, this goes for any other type of personal information.
People use social media to say these things because they can be fully anonymous, so they do not have to worry about people finding out who they are. Sometimes it can be obvious when someone is lying about their personal life. Lying and oversharing are two different things, but they go hand in hand on social media. Now that oversharing is quite literally a trend, it is almost impossible to tell whether someone is trying to be funny or actually in need of help. And in the case that someone is seriously in danger, it would probably be better to call the police than to make a video about it.
So, why do people love oversharing so much? For many, sharing personal details of their lives can be freeing or empowering. But for many others, oversharing is a way people cope with trauma, stress, depression, etc., because they do not have anyone else to share that information with. Not to mention, there is a disorder that can be linked to oversharing – Borderline Personality Disorder, or BPD, is a mental health disorder that includes intense emotions and a pattern of impulsive behaviors. A common thing observed in people who have BPD? Oversharing, or a tendency to give out personal or sensitive information excessively. This is because people with BPD tend to have a fear of abandonment, and oversharing can be an attempt to create a connection with others, driven by the anxiety of being forgotten or overlooked. Another reason why people with BPD overshare is because, as stated earlier, they can be very impulsive. This causes them to be constantly emotionally unstable, and means they cannot stop talking and are not able to think about what they are saying. Thus, people may overshare or even lie purely to seek attention, but other times, they cannot control what they say.
CHS freshman Avery Kurera made a similar observation.
“When you see people who overshare, it’s not usually someone who you personally know,” Kurera said. “They’re usually influencers so it doesn’t matter as much.”
While Kurera is correct, there are many people who are not influencers that overshare on social media, although not everyone who comes across these videos will know the creator personally.
The Symphony trend is popular for a reason. People love oversharing, and they love hearing about others’ personal lives. However, oversharing can be taken way too far. In that case, I do not want to be part of your symphony.