What was supposed to be a playful snowball fight in New York City has since become a viral moment, sparking discussion about how society’s love for fun might have gone too far.
In a video shared on Reddit, an elderly woman stepped into a lively snowball fight, looking as though she was unaware of what was happening, while yelling, “Why are you doing this?” The participants seemed confused, asking her what she wanted. “Say a reason why you are here. Why are you here? What’s your name?” someone repeatedly asked from behind the camera.
They continued interrogating her while hurling several snowballs directly at her face. “Why are you here? You’re in the middle of a snowball fight. They’re going to hit you,” another person was heard saying, but the elderly woman didn’t budge. “This is a battlefield, man! I’ll give you five seconds,” someone else shouted before throwing another snowball and beginning a countdown once again.
The comment section quickly turned into a storm of divided opinions, with some criticizing the woman’s presence. One user expressed frustration, writing, “Some people are so unhappy with their lives that I can’t tell if I should pity them or be angry at them.” Another wrote, “Some people are miserable and think everyone else should be miserable too. Just go away, lady.” A commenter added, “If only there was a way to avoid scenarios you don’t want to be involved in.” Someone else suggested sarcastically, “Someone should have put a snowball in her hands and let her relive her childhood,” while this user remarked, “She got that Mitch McConnell stare going.”
However, not everyone supported the way she was treated. “Once again, human beings are acting with little civility. Extremely disappointing behavior,” a user stated. Another highlighted how quickly people jump to conclusions, adding:
“As a society, we always seem to assume that old people are automatically Karens in these situations when, in a lot of cases (not all), it is dementia-related symptoms. She might not even have an understanding of what is going on right now or where she even is. Society’s solution, let’s throw snow at her.”
A similar remark read, “I’m a little concerned that she might be ill and confused, but ‘I’ll give you 5 seconds’ is so funny.” One netizen summed up the lack of empathy displayed, adding, “The lady needs some help clearly. But none of y’all seem to have any form of empathy. Instead, you throw snowballs, film an elderly, distressed woman, and put her to shame on the internet. You are pathetic.”
Although the blizzard in New York has created an opportunity for residents to have fun, some situations call for a little empathetic approach, especially when the elderly is involved.
