Summary
People sometimes post how they feel on social media. If what they say is exaggerated in order to get attention or sympathy, we have a phrase to describe their actions. In this programme Rob is guilty of doing it too but does it work?
Transcript
Feifei
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I’m Feifei.
Rob
And I’m Rob! Now, Feifei, can you help me with this social media post I’m trying to write?
Feifei
I’ll try – what do you want to say?
Rob
I want to post something about how tired I am because I’ve been working so hard – and how I just can’t go on.
Feifei
Hmm, it looks like you’re looking for sympathy.
Rob
Sympathy? No, I just want to tell people how exhausted I am because I am so hard working. You just don’t understand!
Feifei
I completely understand – you are sadfishing!
Rob
Sadfishing – I don’t even like fish!
Feifei
No, Rob. You’re fishing for sympathy. When someone is ‘sadfishing’, they are exaggerating their emotional problems, particulary via social media, so they get sympathy or attention from others.
Rob
Hmm, that doesn’t sound like me. Right, well I’m going to send my post now – there, done.
Feifei
Good luck. Let’s hear some examples of sadfishing…
Examples
He got lots of ‘likes’ for his post about having no friends, but I think he was sadfishing – he’s got loads of mates.
I don’t know if Heidi really has a problem with her skin – I think she’s just sadfishing and wants attention.
Some people say there’s a growing trend for sadfishing and people just share their worries online to get noticed. But I wonder if it’s a cry for help?
Feifei
This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, and we’re talking about the expression ‘sadfishing‘, which describes when someone exaggerates their emotional problems, particularly on social media, to get sympathy or attention. It’s not a nice thing to do. So, Rob, how’s your ‘sadfishing’ going?
Rob
It’s not sadfishing, Feifei. I’m just telling people about my terrible life so they understand – and look, I have received a comment already.
Feifei
Oh, who from?
Rob
It’s from Roy. He says “Stop moaning! I work even harder, every weekend and every evening but it’s OK because I love my job!”
Feifei
It looks like he’s fishing too.
Rob
What, sadfishing?
Feifei
No, fishing for compliments – trying to get someone to say something good about him.
Rob
No, he’s just sad – working at weekends! Perhaps my life isn’t so bad – I think I’ll delete my post now.
Feifei
Good idea. Bye, Rob.
Rob
Bye.