Internet Hot Take: So, What’s the Cost of Kindness in a World that Measure it Too Closely?

It was supposed to be a simple fan interaction. During a recent meet and greet event, a fan of Creamline Cool Smashers reached out to a line of players and tried to form a hand-heart fan gesture with them, except for one. The athlete, Denden Lazaro-Revilla, didn’t bother looking at her, remained expressionless, that then pushed the fan away to move to the next person. The moment lasted only seconds, but as soon as it reached social media, it became a topic that drew strong reactions from all sides.

Lazaro-Revilla is no stranger to attention, and equally, to controversy about her problems with fans. A former Ateneo Lady Eagle and now a libero for the the volleyball team in the Premier Volleyball league, she has built her name on discipline, quick reflexes, leadership on the court, and even her infamous off the court attitude to many nameless fans. She may have earned her teammate’s respect and still a devoted army of fans for her defensive skills and composure under pressure. But off the court, she has also been described by some fans as distant, aloof, and unfriendly. 

The short video once again reignited that long-running debate about her personality and behavior around fans. Some said she has always been and has admitted to being unapologetically “maldita.” Others argued she was simply misunderstood. But what began as a small online moment grew into a wider discussion about boundaries, kindness, and how much public figures owe the people who admire them.

Small gestures and what they mean

The reactions that followed showed how strongly people feel about the behavior of public figures. In sports, athletes do not just represent themselves. They also carry the image of their team, their school, and the sport itself. While they may not consider themselves celebrities, the attention they receive can feel just as intense.

Fans invest time, emotion, and money in the players they support. They line up for tickets, follow games, and celebrate victories. For many, meeting a player is not just about getting a picture or an autograph. It is a way of showing appreciation. That is why a small wave, a smile, or a few seconds of acknowledgment can matter so much.

A few people online expressed their disappointment clearly. 

“She earns from being a player. That event is part of her job. If you cannot be nice to fans, why go to a meet and greet?” one comment read. 

Another said, “Being a player is not only about what you do during the game. It is also about how you carry yourself off the court.”

But others defended Lazaro-Revilla. Some said she might have been tired or uncomfortable. Others believed she simply preferred to keep things professional. 

“She is good at what she does. She just does not enjoy the fame that comes with it,” one fan wrote. 

Another added, “Maybe she was required to attend the event, but she did not have to enjoy it. It is like when employees are asked to attend company events even if they do not want to.”

Both sides have their point. People deserve personal space and emotional rest. Yet kindness, even when not required, still has great value. It does not need to be grand or dramatic. A simple nod or a soft smile can go a long way. These small gestures help others feel seen, especially those who look up to you.

Kindness is not about pretending to be cheerful or forcing yourself to perform friendliness. It is about awareness. Every interaction, no matter how brief, can leave a lasting impression. For a fan, that short moment can be remembered for years. For the athlete, it may be just another event on the schedule. That difference in meaning is what makes kindness so powerful.

Small acts matter. They can inspire, comfort, or simply remind people that the distance between idol and admirer is not impossible to cross. In many ways, they are what keep the connection between fans and players alive.

What can we learn from this

The issue involving the infamous volleyball player will fade eventually, like most viral conversations do, the way most of the many times she was called out for a “false sense of entitlement” on her ideas of a “sense of space” and her lack of “basic human decency” is. But the lesson it carries will likely stay. It reminds people that kindness, no matter how small, continues to have an important place in how we treat one another.

Some fans said people were too harsh on her. Others said she should be more aware of how her actions look in public. But beyond the noise is a simpler truth. Kindness still matters, and it does not have to be loud or perfect to make a difference.

One comment summed it up well. “Never meet your heroes. I learned to just admire from afar because not everyone owes you the version you imagine.” 

It is a straightforward but honest reflection. Fans often expect the people they admire to be warm and gracious at all times. Yet public figures are human too. They get tired, they have moods, or they are just not good people that they will fail to meet expectations. That’s also fine. But maybe we should start to look at who we choose to put in a pedestal and give platforms to.

It goes without saying that being in the public eye comes with influence and for this, a responsibility that you may or may not have asked for. But still, a cost to a dream, even of unwanted celebrity. Athletes, artists, and personalities help shape how others see the communities they belong to. A smile or a friendly gesture can lift a team’s image. A cold response can easily do the opposite. That is why a little kindness can go further than people think. It builds connection, trust, and goodwill.

In a time when it’s all about whether you are about blaming or defending anyone. Maybe it’s time we practice how to dissolve the divide and learn how to meet halfway. Fans should remember that athletes are people with limits and boundaries. Athletes should remember that fans are people who power their careers. And in the case of the often-overlooked sport of volleyball, fueling what was once a collegiate sport into a professional league that launched careers for deserving players—something that now allows athletes of generations to come to set sights to, beyond just college scholarships and school adulation. Between those two truths is a space where understanding and humanity can grow.

In the end, everyone wants to be treated kindly. Fans want to be appreciated. Public figures want to be respected. Both can happen at the same time when people choose empathy over anger.

Kindness will always be the harder choice. It asks for effort even when it feels undeserved. Yet it remains the most lasting one. Because when the noise fades and the opinions die down, what stays is how we made others feel, and how we chose to respond when we could have turned away.