An Erudite Discussion: Social Media Scholars

Where did you get your degree again?

Y’all Gotta Chill With These Social Media Buzzwords

Bruh, I swear every time I hop online in 2025, somebody throwing around “love bombing,” “gaslighting,” “narcissist” like it’s candy. Folks acting like TikTok is a degree. Ain’t cracked open one psychology book, ain’t sat on nobody’s couch, but suddenly everybody a therapist. Y’all just parroting words with no context, and it’s messing up real connections out here.

What Is Love Bombing?

Let’s set it straight. Love bombing is when somebody floods you with attention, affection, and gifts on purpose—not ‘cause they rock with you heavy, but because they tryna control you, trap you, or get you to let your guard down. That’s manipulation.

But here’s where y’all losing me: every time somebody shows you love, you screaming “love bombing.” Nah, fam—sometimes they just like you. Sometimes they just solid. Sometimes they was raised to show love. Y’all so scared of being played that you can’t even accept genuine kindness. That’s trauma talking, not reality.

The Social Media Diagnosis Era

Now it’s like nobody deals with people anymore—they deal with labels. Dude texts you good morning every day? “He love bombing.” Shorty cooks you a plate? “She tryna trap me.” Somebody buys you a thoughtful gift? “They being manipulative.”

Stop it. Everything ain’t a conspiracy. Sometimes people are just being…people. But social media got y’all seeing demons where there ain’t none.

In the Black Community, This Hits Different

Let’s keep it real. Black love already fragile. We carrying generational trauma, broken homes, daddy issues, mama scars, systemic BS—you name it. So when somebody finally shows up with good intentions, too many of us can’t even receive it.

You side-eye it. You waiting for the other shoe to drop. You’d rather call it “love bombing” than admit you don’t know how to sit with somebody actually treating you right. That ain’t protecting yourself—that’s self-sabotage.

And half the time, let’s be honest—it ain’t even about them. It’s about you not forgiving yourself for the dirt you did, so you think karma gotta be on the way. That’s why it feels off when somebody loves on you too hard—you don’t think you deserve it.

The Real Root: Intention & Communication

Forget the buzzwords. The only two things that matter in any relationship are intention and communication.

• If somebody’s blowing up your phone and you don’t like it? Say something.

• If their “nice” feels like too much? Check their intention.

• If you think they running game? Ask straight up.

  
  

It’s not rocket science. Most of these situations ain’t toxic, they just unspoken. Closed mouths don’t get fed, but closed hearts don’t get loved either.

Accountability: The Part Nobody Wanna Talk About

Everybody wanna scream “red flags” but nobody wanna admit, “Maybe I ain’t ready for this.” Y’all dodge accountability by slapping a label on everything. Truth is, maybe you pushed away a good one ‘cause you too busy projecting your old pain. Maybe you’re not scared of “love bombing”—you just scared of love, period.

It’s easy to ghost. Easy to blame. Easy to post a meme. But it’s harder to look in the mirror and say, “Damn, maybe I messed this up.” Growth is uncomfortable.

Bottom Line: Keep It Real

Stop letting TikTok and Instagram dictate how you love. Stop Googling “is he love bombing me?” every time somebody acts like they care. You grown—open your mouth, ask questions, and pay attention to intentions.

Everything else? Noise. Hashtags. Social media therapy sessions that don’t fix nothing.

At the end of the day, it’s simple: intention and communication. That’s the whole game.

Love bombing ain’t the problem. Fear is. Ego is. Lack of communication is. So stop labeling, stop ducking responsibility, and start giving people a fair shot.

Real talk—there’s good people out here. Don’t let trendy words make you miss yours.