Thread by @TriciaTae

Why Armys should respect Bangtan’s personal space: A thread.

Due to what happened at so many occasions now, I really want to address this issue. If you have a little time, please read this.

This is going to be long, so please bear with me.

Cr. for pictures: @wreckedbias97

I don’t know if the pictures belong to this account, but I found them there (:

Basically mobbing means surrounding someone in an excited way, making it difficult for the other to move. This isn’t an issue that has only occured today or now in the present. It is something that has happened and happens to a lot of idols, including BTS.

It’s an issue that has happened a lot of times now (several times at Gimpo Airport for example) and now also today at Incheon Airport, making Tae even post about it, pleading people to think about their (BTS’ and their own) safety.

You could say “But nothing bad happened though, there’s no need to cause a fuss about it.”

You’re right. Nothing bad happened. Yet. But no one knows what could have happened, the consequences of such behaviour being huge.

1) As much as many people may fantasize about one of the boys being their boyfriends or friends, they actually are people we know from pictures, videos and social media.

Even if we may know a lot about them and they love us for the support we always give them, they still are strangers to the fans and we as well to them. Mobbing them, chasing after them, trying to grab any body parts of them or pushing them all into a corner clearly ...

... invaded their personal and intimate space, the zones reserved for friends, family and close partners. As strangers to them isn’t appropriate at all and can result in them feeling uncomfortable and anxious.

2) Unfortunately, anxiety disorders exist, such as enochlophobia. Every case of Enochlophobia is different and depends on the thoughts, movies and images the individual associates the large crowds with.

There isn’t a cause that explains the general fear of crowds, experts mainly blame genetics, biochemical irregularities, stressful or traumatic life events and inaccurate beliefs for the fear of crowds.

In this type of anxiety, an individual might feel as if his personal space is getting violated by the crowd and results in them trying to avoid crowds or free themselves from it.

Yoongi is known to have dealt with social phobia in the past, although he claims to be over his depression and his fear, loud and aggressive crowds at airports could still revive the past fear.

For the other members, who aren’t known to be dealing with social anxiety, such events could still evoke such types of anxiety, since it’s known to also be caused by stressful or traumatic events.

3) Apart from the fact that these kind of mobs can cause mental stress, they can also cause physical pain. On the one hand, the boys could be clearly hurt if people push through crowds to get to them.

But on the other hand, also yourselves could get injured, for example by tripping, getting a hand or an elbow from another fan in the face and not even thinking about the injuries of tripping and having people stamping on you because they don’t notice you on the ground.

All the consequences stated above are hypothesis, “what ifs”. I’m not trying to say that mobbing will lead to these kind of outcomes. Still, the probabilty that these things can happen are high, which should be an opportunity for all of us to open our eyes and try to avoid them.

The problem with mobbing celebrities clearly is the chain effect. If 20 individuals start gathering around their faves, other 40 will follow as well, because they feel like their view is being blocked or because they simply think it’s acceptable since others are doing it as well.

So if you ever decide to go to the airport to see BTS, make sure to interact with groups of people who are doing it as well (Army Amino or Twitter are good social networks to get in touch with as many people as possible).

Through BTS’ fansites or through big accounts people can come to interact with each other and organize projects or even just be willing to compromise that everyone will stay on his spot at the airport.

Putting all group organizations aside, you always still are responsible for your own actions. As an idividual who cares for BTS, but also for yourself and maybe also others around you, always think about the outcome your actions can cause, if it’s socially and morally acceptable.

In the end, you can talk with others about it as much as you want, you still are responsible for your actions as an individual, for their and your own safety.

Even if 20 other people are violating their privacy, always remember that still one person, which is you, can still make the difference for them not to feel violated in their personal space and uncomfortable.

Mobbing celebrities at airports is not only morally and socially questionable, but also dangerous for the boys as well as the fans.

For all of us BTS are celebrities, people that inspire us, that we admire and feel like they’re untouchable for us. Seeing them live and in a near distance to us can cause irrational emotional reactions.

TO MAKE IT CLEAR: BTS are no prey for hungry animals, a last piece of clothing of an exclusive designer collection on a sale date, not a piece of meal for starving humans, no objects you can pull and push. They are humans, like you and me. Always remember that before acting.

THE END.

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

- Tricia.