TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The public was recently shocked by a video of a vicious assault on a teenager that went viral on social platforms. The perpetrator, who has been captured and named a suspect by police, was 20-year-old Mario Dandy Satrio. The internet community went on a rampage over his lavishness and ‘flexing’ trait, especially after beating a younger male teenager who went into a coma.

According to the Urban Dictionary, the verb "to flex" or “flexing” essentially has one of two meanings. It can mean to show off, to gloat, or to boast, which is the most popular definition of the word; however, it can also mean to put on a fake front, to fake it, or force it.

The following are 7 reasons why some people go on social media “flexing.”

1. Inferiority

According to Nurhayat and Noorizki in the Flourishing Journal, the flexing phenomenon is closely related to low self-esteem. Usually, the perpetrators tend to be more sensitive and get easily disturbed by criticism, have a prudent attitude, and are self-centered.

2. Seeking Recognition

It is a common understanding that every human being needs validation from the surrounding environment. Whether it's about beauty, achievement, and wealth. However, if done excessively it turns out to have an impact on self-confidence. Citing 2 Know Myself, people who blatantly display wealth are actually just looking for validation as they assume that other people will look down on them if they don't show concrete evidence of their possessions.

3. Traumatic Past

It turns out that influential events in the past also influence the reasons people tend to show off on social media. Some who flex in their adulthood would often come from a childhood where they were looked down upon, whether by their parents, peers, or teachers at school. It could be due to frequent violence or bullying (bullying).

4. Self Expression

In the Journal of Early Childhood Education by Daviq Chairilsyah, it is stated that the habit of showing off is not only experienced by adults, but also by children. Showing off to children is a form of expressing imagination, part of the development of cognitive abilities. Usually done to get attention or appreciation from parents.

5. Not Actually Rich

People who often talk about their own achievements actually feel that they have not been able to reach their targets. Most of the time, you will never meet an actual supermodel who admits she is beautiful. Likewise, people who claim to be in the wealthy upper class will try to show their lavishness. While most people who are actually wealthy prefer to live simply.

6. Social Influence

Extravagant behavior or hedonism is also related to the reasons people like to show off on social media. In a journal entitled ‘Outbreak of Hedonism Lifedata-style Threatens Children's Morals,’ a sense of belonging to the community encourages a person to act like one another. For example, being in a circle of friends who are accustomed to a luxurious lifedata-style, individuals are also forced to follow.

7. Cultural Differences

Geographical conditions would sometimes create dissimilar consequences to one's actions. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) organization found that the perceptions of each individual from different parts of the world from a different way of thinking.

For some people, driving a Ferrari is considered a luxury in Asia, but it may be common for people in European countries, for example. Western culture tends to be liberal and values equality more than Eastern culture which is far more conservative. So there is no strong benchmark for interpreting the terms flexing or showing off.

NIA HEPPY | MELYNDA DWI PUSPITA

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