Text// Tianyu Duge
Online micro-dramas are like wildfires, quickly occupying the public's audio-visual space. In a short and concise form, they cater to the needs of people in a fast-paced life for fragmented entertainment. However, with the proliferation of this form, the barrenness of its content and the emptiness of its spirit are gradually exposed. In particular, the plot of those who started by insulting the "poor boy" and fought back against those who once insulted them after they developed is not only full of routines and exaggerations, but also spreads a distorted value and world view. However, in these seemingly light-hearted and interesting short dramas, there are quite a few hidden problems. A large number of short video dramas full of exaggerations, routines, and kitsch plots have been widely spread on online platforms and attracted a lot of traffic. This is not only an insult to the intelligence of the audience, but also a distortion of social values. The purpose of this article is to expose the chaos of these online micro-dramas, and call on relevant departments to strengthen supervision and guide the healthy development of the online drama industry.
Insulting plot and distorted values
As an emerging form of entertainment, online micro-dramas should attract audiences with innovative and interesting content. However, the reality is that a large number of episodes are full of insulting plots and distorted values. In these dramas, poor boys are often portrayed as wastes and have no dignity to speak of, and once developed, the former insulters become unaware of the business magnates around them, and this absurd plot not only insults the audience's intelligence, but also distorts social reality. These episodes tend to attribute success to personal luck and chance, ignoring the importance of hard work and struggle, and conveying a negative, negative set of values.
In the play, the poor are often portrayed as incompetent and ridiculous, and once they turn over to become business giants, they immediately become high and unattainable. This extreme reversal not only lacks the logical support of real life, but also a simplistic and stereotyped treatment of social class mobility. It sends the wrong message: only wealth and status can earn respect and recognition. The relationship settings of the characters in these episodes are also extremely ridiculous. In the real society, the changes in a person's status and ability cannot be completely separated from the cognition of the social circle in which he belongs. In these online micro-dramas, the identity changes of the characters are like magic, and the people around them are unaware of them, and the irrationality and exaggeration of this plot are unbelievable. This is not only an insult to the wisdom of the audience, but also an ignorance of the laws of the operation of real society.
In addition, these micro-dramas are often filled with kitsch and vulgar plots to attract the audience's attention. They often use exaggerated performances and absurd plots as selling points, pursuing short-term traffic and click-through rates, while ignoring the artistry and social responsibility of the works. This practice of using kitsch and vulgarity as a means to attract traffic not only damages the image of the online drama industry, but also has a negative impact on the audience's aesthetic concept.
Shoddy and malicious drainage
In addition to plot problems, there is also a shoddy production phenomenon in the production of online microdramas. Due to the short production cycle and low cost, many micro-dramas are very rough in terms of picture, sound effects, editing, etc. This not only affects the viewer's viewing experience, but also reduces the overall quality of the work.
These episodes tend to be of low production quality and are filled with a lot of routines and kitsch elements. In order to attract traffic, the producers did not hesitate to use vulgar techniques, deliberately creating conflict and drama, but ignoring the internal logic and emotional authenticity of the story. This shoddy attitude not only lowers the overall level of Internet culture, but also misleads the audience's aesthetic and value judgments. What's more serious is that some online microdramas have adopted malicious drainage methods in the process of dissemination, inducing viewers to pay for viewing, but providing low-quality content. This kind of behavior is not only an infringement of consumer rights, but also a violation of market rules. It reflects the mentality of some content producers who are eager for quick success and disregard for business ethics.
What's more serious is that some micro-dramas use malicious drainage techniques in order to attract audiences. They induce viewers to click and watch by posting false information and creating rumors on social media. Once the audience recharges to watch some episodes, they find that they are maliciously directed to other platforms or pages, which not only wastes money, but also wastes time and energy. This kind of malicious diversion not only harms the rights and interests of the audience, but also undermines the market order of the online drama industry.
Strengthen supervision and guide healthy development
In the face of the chaos of online micro-dramas, relevant departments should strengthen supervision and formulate stricter norms and standards. First of all, a sound content review mechanism should be established to strictly control micro-dramas involving insulting plots, distorted values, shoddy production and other issues to prevent them from entering the market. Second, it is necessary to strengthen the crackdown on malicious drainage and other behaviors, severely punish violations, and maintain market order and the rights and interests of audiences.
At the same time, the online drama industry should also strengthen self-discipline and improve the quality of works and a sense of social responsibility. The producer should pay attention to the innovation and rationality of the plot, and avoid excessive pursuit of traffic and click-through rate while ignoring the artistry and social value of the work. In addition, it is also necessary to strengthen the training and management of actors, screenwriters and other practitioners, improve their professional quality and moral level, and ensure the quality and taste of their works.
As an emerging form of entertainment, online micro-drama should have become an important way for young people to pursue spiritual and cultural enjoyment. However, the current chaos in the online microdrama market is deeply worrying. At the same time, we also call on the audience to improve their aesthetic concepts and cultural literacy, and to choose high-quality and healthy online drama works for viewing. Only in this way can we jointly create a healthy and harmonious network culture environment.
As an emerging cultural product, there is nothing wrong with the popularity and popularization of online micro-dramas, but the problem lies in the quality of its content and the lack of social value. We should encourage and support those innovative and positive web series, rather than allowing these dramas full of routines and negative messages to dominate. At the same time, the regulatory authorities should also strengthen the supervision of the content of online dramas, and severely crack down on those shoddy and malicious drainage behaviors. Only in this way can we protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers and maintain the healthy development of Internet culture.
As viewers, we should also improve our aesthetic and discerning skills, and say "no" to those vulgar and kitsch content. Our choices and attitudes will directly affect the development direction of the network cultural ecology. In short, the exaggeration and distortion of online microdramas are problems that cannot be ignored in the current online cultural ecology. We need to work together at multiple levels, including content production, regulatory systems, and audience education, to promote online dramas towards a healthier and more mature future. Only in this way can online micro-dramas truly become a force that enriches people's spiritual world and spreads positive values, rather than superficial gimmicks and a hotbed of negative information.