“You Never Know What People Are Going Through”

So why are you still being a jerk on the internet?

Photo by visuals on Unsplash

There are two instances in which I hear this phrase:

1. After a famous person passes away due to suicide.
2. After it is revealed that a seemingly healthy person has a terminal illness.

In April 2020, late Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman posted a video on Instagram promoting a charitable cause. But more than the message he had to get across, many fans tuned in and were shocked by Boseman’s appearance. In the video, Boseman appeared visibly gaunt, cheekbones protruding. It was an image vastly different than the man we saw in the Marvel universe.

While there were fans who expressed genuine concern over his appearance, others assumed that perhaps his weight was down to prepare for an upcoming role. But an alarming number of people decided to go the comedic route. Within days, new memes were out, comparing the actor’s appearance to that of a crackhead.

Chadwick Boseman’s drastic change in appearance drew public attention months before his death.

Imagine the horror the same people felt just months later when Boseman passed away due to complications related to his Stage IV colon cancer…