Inverse Issue 1

Features
What is with this
trend of in-your-face
confession pages? Are
these pages a bane or a
boon?
YAY OR NAY?
There has been a trend of “Confession” pages
springing up on Facebook recently. These
pages encourage students from the respective
universities to bare it all anonymously on the
page. Everything under the sun is discussed in the
page - topics can range from the usual complaints
about school life to shocking revelations about
the sexual lives of students.
This trend started last year in United Kingdom,
when “Confession” pages of various English
universities appeared on Facebook. Students
and readers alike were amused by how the
confessions were so relatable and prompted
readers to find out who the confessors were.
These confessions were also a confirmation of the
rumours that were whispered around the schools,
hence helping these “confession” pages gain
notoriety and Facebook likes. The trend slowly
spread to universities all around the world, and
our local universities quickly caught on.
Currently, NTU’s Confession page on Facebook
has garnered over 10,000. NUS’s Confession page
has attracted a whooping figure of over16,000
likes while SMU’s Confession page attracted
about 4,500 likes in a short amount of time.
The number of Facebook likes these pages are
getting are reflective of the many who support
the idea of these “confession” pages. Some
may argue that these pages herald the new age
of social media and freedom of speech, where
anyone and everyone can publish whatever they
like on the free web. The confessions page also
presents the reality and hidden side of university
life to the world, which may not necessarily be a
PHOTO| Screenshot from facebook.com_NTUConfess, 11_02_2012
bad thing.
? Victoria Chanel Lee
However, the various “confession” pages from
local universities have inevitably drawn attention
from the public and even the media.
The increasing public and media attention has
since brought to light certain worrying issues.
What would the public think of our school
and students after reading some of the more
controversial posts on the page? Would the
school’s reputation decline and lead to NTU
students being stereotyped based on these
confessions? Furthermore, it has also been
revealed that some of the confessions might
have been fabricated and are completely untrue.
Would this bring about a new kind of cyber
bullying? Some of these confessions might also
go out of hand and cause potential conflicts
among schools, halls or students.
Although the confessions are filtered by the
administrators of the NTU Confessions page
(submissions that are racist, vulgar, sexual,
obscene or/and contain sensitive remarks will be
rejected), they are still submitted anonymously.
Therefore, it is almost impossible to determine if
a confession is true or not.
Although some of the confessions are hilarious
and relatable in many ways, it is important to
recognise the many potential problems and
issues that could arise from this emerging
trend. The responsibility then lies on both the
administrators of the page and the confessors
to maintain a safe yet respectful environment for
secrets to unfold.
‘FESS UP!
We all love reading
NTU Confessions
and this is one
open secret that
nobody needs
to anonymously
confess to.
PHOTO| Bilal Kamoon, flickr commons
HONESTY OR COWARDICE?
Speak the truth. Don’t type it.
Unsurprisingly, the NTU
Confessions page has gone
viral in a matter of days. The page
allows our undergraduates to
express their emotions and spill
their deepest and darkest thoughts.
Some have even gone as far as
admitting how they have lost their
virginity in the hall rooms. Now, is
this truly the best way to allow our
youths to express their feelings?
Or does the protective cloak of
anonymity encourage a brash
outpouring of thoughts without
any consideration for possible
repercussions?
It seems to be a double-edged
sword, really.
Recently, there have been heated
discussions revolving around
morality issues with regard to the
posts on the NTU Confessions
page. Some strongly believe that
the majority of the posts reflect the
poor moral standards of Singapore
undergraduates. Others believe
that it is an encouraging step
in allowing Singaporean youths
to be more open in expressing
themselves, albeit anonymously.
In our technology-savvy world
today, social media platforms are
effective ways of allowing people
Maybe it’s the increasing
apprehension of the festival
of the pink arrows, maybe it’s the
build-up of stress from realising
that mid-terms are just around
the corner, but whatever it is,
there is no denying that NTU has
followed the footsteps of many
other universities worldwide in a
“Confessions” trend.
Ranging from mawkish confessions
of adoration to irate complaints
of shuttle bus timings, NTU
Confessions, along with the many
other variations of it (NUS, SMU,
Polytechnics, even Junior Colleges)
have recently gained traction
among many students.
For the uninitiated, Confessions
pages are hosted by Facebook
and allow anonymous postings.
Censorship rules vary among
different administrators but
sensitive topics like race and
explicit sexual content are largely
kept out of the public eye.
to step up and voice their thoughts
and emotions. Indeed, they are very
accessible outlets for youths to be
honest, sometimes imprudently so.
It cannot be denied that The NTU
Confessions page has posted
some shocking revelations. Even
though the posts are submitted
anonymously, there are negative
consequences that everyone has
to be aware of. The page is public
so there is always a possibility of
unwanted identification. I believe
no one likes to be shamed online
unnecessarily.
Sure, it is always easier to hide
behind a computer screen and
spill your thoughts. Yet, it must
be remembered that courage
cannot be built virtually. Ironically,
the Confessions page serves to
encourage cowardice, shaping
individuals who are capable of
being honest only anonymously. I
believe there is greater satisfaction
in confronting the real truths if
everyone chooses to take a step
back from the Internet world and
place their feet back in reality.
Speak the truth. Don’t type it.
At last count, the NTU Confessions
page has garnered a whopping
9,000 likes ever since its launch in
the beginning of February. There
are many reasons for following
the page. I, for one, use it to fill
my study breaks and to tide over
the occasional tepid lectures.
They are an invaluable source
of entertainment - some posts
border on sheer absurdity while
others warm the cockles of my
heart. Sometimes, the posts get so
amusing that whatever I was doing
before that takes a backseat.
I like to think of this trend as a
virtual version of reality TV. For
the same reasons why shows
like Survivor are so popular, the
NTU Confessions satisfy my, and
I daresay everyone’s voyeuristic
pleasures. Most people delight in
reading or watching someone else’s
inner thoughts unfold. Whether it
is heaving a secret sigh of relief
that some others share your weird
Features
habits or quietly waiting for people
to confess to you (tagged helpfully
by your friends), we all visit the
page because it offers intimate
interactions with similar others.
Some people have ventured to
say that the posts reflect our
waning moral values. While
there are certainly a number of
questionable posts, it is undeniable
that they are in line with the spirit
of confessions. That being said,
these posts are in the minority. The
majority of the posts, being love
confessions, seem to bode well
for Singapore’s flagging marriage
rates.
One word of advice from a fellow
schoolmate though: Confessions
of love will remain fruitless unless
concrete action is taken.
So go forth, Romeos!
February 2013| issue #05 Februry 2013 | issue #05 03
? Kenneth Wee
? Elfarina Roszaini
PHOTO| Stevendepolo, flickr commons