Buzzfeed’s new documentary series on Netflix, “Follow This,” is thought provoking and gives us an insight on issues that marginalized people deal with on a daily basis and are not entirely covered in mainstream media.
While you’d expect for a Buzzfeed series to be full of nonsense information on subjects that aren’t relatively important, their reporters Scaachi Koul, Bim Adewumni, Juliane Loffler, Azeen Ghorayshi, John Stanton and Charlie Warzel surprise their viewers.
With the series being 15 to 20 minute long segments, Buzzfeed keeps it short and sweet and gives an abundance of information to ponder about.
Some of the topics the documentary focuses on are light and fun, like autonomous sensory meridian response.
If that still does not make sense, the Urban Dictionary describes it as, “The sole purpose of ASMR is to relax people… Ideally, ASMR videos are meant to give the viewer a relaxing tingle at the back of their head and/or spine.”
A seemly interesting way to combat anxiety and depression, it seems to have a large following on YouTube, according to Buzzfeed.
While other topics are heavier, such as intersex and sex workers fighting for their right to continue their work, Buzzfeed shines a light on the topics without going overboard.
Most of the topics discussed in the documentary aren’t foreign subjects to most of us, although the safe injection space is a new topic.
Safe injection spaces are locations where people can safely inject themselves with illegal drugs.
The space is to provide those people with assistance if they need so, for example if they overdose.
Spaces like this exist around the world, with the exception of the United States.
Although, it may become reality in the U.S. late 2018, since the city of Seattle is testing out the idea of a safe injection space, according to Buzzfeed.
Other issues like are discussed such as, being a doomsday prepper and men’s rights activist.
“Afrovivalist,” the doomsday prepper, gives us an insight on how unprepared low-income people of color are for a disaster.
Which can apply to most of Americans of color or not, most of us are unprepared for a catastrophe.
MRA is lead mostly by white males and even white females.
Although, most of society dismisses men’s emotions and feelings, they too can be vulnerable and victims of domestic violence.
This episode highlights that although men and women can be supportive of men’s rights, you cannot strip away or attack the rights of women while doing so.
Buzzfeed developed a documentary that isn’t comprised of jokes and gags and prove that they too can be a serious publication.
Overall, “Follow This,” shines a light on topics that are being avoided in mainstream media and gives us a glance at the issues we can further educate ourselves in.
