Ja Morant and the façade that is social media attention

Life on social media isn't always tethered to reality and that can lead to your own downfall

On Sunday, Ja Morant, the 23-year-old superstar NBA player for the Memphis Grizzlies, was caught on a friend’s Instagram Live video feed dancing in his vehicle with a handgun. It was the second time Morant has been found on social media with a weapon. The reactions were swift and almost uniformly bad for the NBA point guard. A suspension is likely coming soon, and it could be anywhere from 25 games, to a whole year, according to Stephen A. Smith, who has a source from high up in the NBA administration.

It’s not the first time Morant has gotten in trouble with the league, and instead of going over each offense I’ll link to another place that breaks them down in thorough detail.

I, like most everyone else, feel that Morant has acted immaturely, and did something very dumb. That’s a given. But, the more I thought about it, the more I started to wonder about the role that social media has played in this whole saga.

The dopamine hit one gets when you’re blowing up the socials is palpable. The attention feels good, and the creators of these platforms know this. They also know that no amount of evil things that they’re doing behind the scenes will keep people away. But, it also creates an alternative world where you’re not tethered to reality.

On IG Live, Morant can be a gangster. He can be a gun-wielding badass who people look up to as a titan of the streets, even though in reality he’s never lived that life. He’s not from the streets, he grew up in the suburbs and his father was a basketball player, as well. It’s also about to cost him millions and millions of dollars as a result.

Now, I also will admit to the many benefits of using social media. It’s a platform in which I’ve used to market my books, my articles, and even this Substack Channel. You can reach a large swath of people in a short amount of time, and it’s a way to connect with folks from all over the world.

It is a double edged sword, however. If Morant was in his rig with his friend waving his gun around in an empty field before they were out shooting aluminum cans, nobody would know, and he’d still be starting next season for the Grizzlies.

But, he knew what his friend was doing. He wanted the attention. He NEEDS it. Well, he’s got it now, and he’s going to find out that sometimes getting what you asked for is much worse than having to live without it.

So how do we recognize when this grip that social media has on us is hurting us? I’ve felt it — that feeling when everyone is sharing and talking about something you did, said, wrote, or shared. When Rep. Zooey Zephyr was barred from the floor of the Montana Capitol, I shared content related to her, and it caught on like a wildfire.

I’m happy to have added to the discourse, but, as things come back to reality, I’m discovering that these new “followers” were only ever interested in what I was sharing, not who I am as a person or content creator. It stings sometimes, but, it’s the nature of the beast. You can’t believe your own hype, ever.

This meme I created was from a photo taken by Mike Clark for the Daily Montanan. It was shared hundreds of time on Twitter and Facebook, but, the attention I received for it was gone just as quickly as it arrived.

Getting caught up with what’s happening on Twitter or Facebook or TikTok is fun. It’s also not reality. The sooner we all recognize this, the better off we’ll be. I hope Mr. Morant gets the help he needs, and not just a little bit of counseling and a statement written up by a lawyer to cover his bases. REAL help, and real recognition that when you let social media take over, it can kill your career, your relationships, even your life. It’s a lesson I’m learning myself, and I hope we all can continue to learn how to wade in these waters together.