I watched this video over Angie's shoulder a few minutes ago. It touches a nerve for me.
I think it is unfair to all who participated. The video was almost certainly done under false pretenses. I doubt the participants gave permission for the results to be used in this way.
There were language issues and the questions were completely out of context.
But even if the people heard the question correctly and really didn't know who Kim Jong Un was, or were afraid to admit that they didn't know about the "posing party", does that justify publicly shaming them on the Internet in a way that can never be taken back? Imagine how mortified some of those people feel.
It is also a lie. Do that exercise anywhere, any street corner in the world, and you will be able to cherry pick the answers you need in order to create the impression that people from that place are ignorant, and then laugh at them for it. In their case they are perpetuating a stereotype about "fashionistas".
I really do understand people laughing at it. It is funny. But it is also part of the same cycle of snark and hate that can hit any of us when someone on the Internet catches us at a vulnerable or silly moment and then exploits that for their own laughs.
Except, this is worse. Because MessyNessyChic set out to create those situations and exploit them for their own commercial benefit.
