New Jeans ‘ETA’ MV exploded on the internet with heated debates by netizens.
Criticism from fans highlighted that the concept could be linked to a terrorist organisation called ETA, and this was intentionally done by ADOR‘s CEO Min Hee Jin.
Fans believe that Min is the ‘mastermind’ of ETA. By including names like Eva, Maria, Mikel in the car teaser trailer, ADOR went under fire for allegedly inducing ‘ragebait’ and Min was accused of unethical promotion tactics.
Image taken from youtube: @hypelabels
The actual MV, although with a somewhat questionable ending, is far from what was debated online.
Image taken from Instagram: @newjeans_officitizens
So why was there such a great debate over an acronyme of 3 letters? New Jeans videos have always been thought provoking. And if that’s what they wanted, then New Jeans has certainly got us thinking.
Filtering the world through Schemas
Living in a highly complex world, our brains are build to simplify the things that we encounter through schemas.
Schemas describe a pattern of thoughts and actions that we use to understand what is happening around us. These entrenched thought patterns are either emphasized or dismissed based on our past experiences and values. Unless we deliberately think carefully about an issue, most thoughts are filtered through these schemas.
In the case of New Jeans ‘ETA’ trailer, fans who were suspected that the MV was linked to a Spanish terrorist group probably had personal experiences and exposure to that threat. However, those fans who thought ETA referred to ‘estimated time of arrival’ thought that the MV referred to travelling and the estimated arrival of a air-craft.
In the case of New Jeans video, it is infact about the estimated arrival of a fumming, jilted girfriend.
Image taken from Twitter: @miuawu
Confirmation bias
We are in no way disregarding the experiences and trauma of those who are affected by the terrorist group. We are not denying either side of the online debate either.
However, this online debate show how our minds can jump to a conclusions and fall into a preconcieved belief or confirmation bias. Confirmation bias refers to the tendency to search for and inaccurately interpret information that supports one’s prior beliefs or values.
When we choose to believe in what we have always wanted to believe in, without considering alternative explanations then we stand the chance of perpetuating misinformation. In this case New Jeans and in particular Min Hee Jin was misunderstood.
However, all that is cleared up, now that the MV is out.
The next debate however is… what’s in that trunk of that car? Hmmm…..
Read these to overcome your conscious or subconscious prejudices and biases:
How do I recognise my blind spots
Image taken from Instagram: @newjeans_official and Twitter: @newjeans_twt
