I’m sure by now you are all familiar with the term ‘frostbitten todger’, due to the inescapable literary work of our very own Duke of Sussex. Harry has been perpetually slammed by the media and various A-listers for the detailed personal information within his autobiography ‘Spare’. Many have described Harry’s stories as an act of oversharing, a phenomenon universally experienced across the UK during Freshers’ Week. In honour of ‘Refreshers’, it’s time to unpack the art of oversharing and why first years and Princes alike feel the need to trauma dump.
Harry’s book delves into life as a royal, and the hardships he endured through the loss of his mother, constant chastisement from the British media, and conflict with his family members. The ‘tell all’ is a response to a life of silence within the royal family, however, the Prince steps into the realm of oversharing at various times within the 416 pages. The most shocking of which is Harry’s story of losing his virginity to a horse-loving older woman, which doesn’t feel like something the general public was dying to hear. Regardless of Harry being a public figure, the motivations for oversharing remain similar to Freshers playing a drunken game of ‘Never Have I Ever’.
Harry’s motivations have been widely debated. The most notable being a commercial incentive to sell the book, bringing attention to not only himself but also the failings of the establishment. In essence, this remains consistent with university students, as there is a social incentive to make friends and gain attention. However, the differences are exposed when the Duke’s undoubtedly meticulous planning is unveiled.
For the book to be published, it was not only drafted and written, but read, re-read, and edited, all under the watchful eye of Harry himself. If he did not want an anecdote to appear, it wouldn’t have made the final cut. This attention to detail is not applicable to an accidental blab about your body count during your first night at university. There is far more space for an ulterior motive.
Ultimately, the difference between the two instances of oversharing, is that a university student will not generate negative impacts apart from perhaps the creation of an awkward silence. Oversharing can be frowned upon and create social rifts, but in general, these instances are laughed off and embarrassingly recalled later. When Harry spilled the royal tea, he not only exposed his personal information but also that of his entire, high-profile family.
Regardless of your views on the Royal Family, it feels immoral for Harry to overshare on their behalf. Furthermore, although some of the stories are light-hearted, many are not so, namely his boast of killing 25 Taliban during his time in Afghanistan. This is not only a dangerous inclusion but also offensive to numerous army personnel, past and present.
Hence, the context of oversharing is of the utmost importance. I would argue that oversharing at university is nothing to be ashamed of and can make for some funny stories. However, when you are a former Prince, the stakes are slightly higher.
“Prince Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games opening ceremony” by E. J. Hersom is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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What do Prince Harry and Freshers have in common? Oversharing
I’m sure by now you are all familiar with the term ‘frostbitten todger’, due to the inescapable literary work of our very own Duke of Sussex. Harry has been perpetually slammed by the media and various A-listers for the detailed personal information within his autobiography ‘Spare’. Many have described Harry’s stories as an act of oversharing, a phenomenon universally experienced across the UK during Freshers’ Week. In honour of ‘Refreshers’, it’s time to unpack the art of oversharing and why first years and Princes alike feel the need to trauma dump.
Harry’s book delves into life as a royal, and the hardships he endured through the loss of his mother, constant chastisement from the British media, and conflict with his family members. The ‘tell all’ is a response to a life of silence within the royal family, however, the Prince steps into the realm of oversharing at various times within the 416 pages. The most shocking of which is Harry’s story of losing his virginity to a horse-loving older woman, which doesn’t feel like something the general public was dying to hear. Regardless of Harry being a public figure, the motivations for oversharing remain similar to Freshers playing a drunken game of ‘Never Have I Ever’.
Harry’s motivations have been widely debated. The most notable being a commercial incentive to sell the book, bringing attention to not only himself but also the failings of the establishment. In essence, this remains consistent with university students, as there is a social incentive to make friends and gain attention. However, the differences are exposed when the Duke’s undoubtedly meticulous planning is unveiled.
For the book to be published, it was not only drafted and written, but read, re-read, and edited, all under the watchful eye of Harry himself. If he did not want an anecdote to appear, it wouldn’t have made the final cut. This attention to detail is not applicable to an accidental blab about your body count during your first night at university. There is far more space for an ulterior motive.
Ultimately, the difference between the two instances of oversharing, is that a university student will not generate negative impacts apart from perhaps the creation of an awkward silence. Oversharing can be frowned upon and create social rifts, but in general, these instances are laughed off and embarrassingly recalled later. When Harry spilled the royal tea, he not only exposed his personal information but also that of his entire, high-profile family.
Regardless of your views on the Royal Family, it feels immoral for Harry to overshare on their behalf. Furthermore, although some of the stories are light-hearted, many are not so, namely his boast of killing 25 Taliban during his time in Afghanistan. This is not only a dangerous inclusion but also offensive to numerous army personnel, past and present.
Hence, the context of oversharing is of the utmost importance. I would argue that oversharing at university is nothing to be ashamed of and can make for some funny stories. However, when you are a former Prince, the stakes are slightly higher.
“Prince Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games opening ceremony” by E. J. Hersom is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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