17/01/2023
*BE CAREFUL HOW YOU INSULT PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA*
Social Media has made us not to know who our mates are any longer.
Because each of us is holding a smart phone and has data to post, we don't take a minute to reflect on the possible personality of the person at the other end communicating with us.
And I will share a personal experience.
Few days ago, I shared a content on a particular WhatsApp platform which attracted a few positive comments from members of the group.
But someone slid into my dm and made some observations on things I could improve on the project.
I didn't know him or her from anywhere (but from the way he spoke I could almost tell he or she is my junior). Well, for me, that doesn't really matter. I just said "thank you, I appreciate" and let him go.
The next day, I implemented about 90% of his or her recommendations.
Then I did something that only a few people would consider doing.
I went back to the person, submitted the latest version of the work and asked for further criticism (critics are one of the greatest assets you have on any project, unfortunately most people don't know this).
He or she looked at it and confessed that I have a near perfect work.
I thanked him or her.
But then, I went back again, introduced myself and requested to know more about whoever he or she is if he or she doesn't mind.
At that point, I was expecting to get just the name and maybe gender so as to enable me save the number accordingly.
But I was shocked what I got instead.
I received a detailed profile of a man whose first son is about my age mate.
As at the time the man started his career with UNICEF, I wasn't born yet. He had gone ahead to work as a consultant to United Nations for over 20 years.
He spends at least 9 months outside Nigeria each year with his children living in UK, US and Canada - but see me in the same WhatsApp group with him.
After my conversation with him, I sat back and reflected on the different dramas I have seen on social media.
I have watched people insult people they have no idea what their profile is, especially on a WhatsApp Group.
Sometimes you may share a post and someone drop a comment that is not too complimentary and the next thing that will follow will be loads of insult.
In fact, I have watched one C-suite exec exit a particular WhatsApp Group with tears because of the insult he received from a young girl in the group (obviously the girl had no idea of whom the person is while releasing her poison).
This is quite common on Alumni WhatsApp Group.
Imagine you are in an Alumni WhatsApp Group. On that platform, there are people that graduated in 1980 and there are people that graduated in 2021.
But they both have one thing in common - they are both alumni. And with that common factor they are both entitled to be on the same platform without any form of discrimination.
Now, you would imagine that the person that graduated in 1980 may have retired as a Director in CBN, he might be the owner of one of the best hospitals in US, he might be a Professor at Imperial College or a senior executive at Google.
Of course the person that graduated in 2021 might still be doing NYSC.
So imagine that on one of those occasions a controversial issue like why Peter Obi must not win 2023 election is raised on the platform and our NYSC guy start raining insults on the Imperial Professor for holding a different view.
I want you to just imagine that for a minute.
We also see this happen on Facebook comments.
Sometimes you just notice a comment on someone's post. Of course you don't know the person that dropped the comment neither do you care to know. But all you know is that the person must be "a bastard and a very useless person" for saying that and that is exactly what you drop as your own reply.
Friends,
I have an advice for you today.
Don't allow that device you are holding to deceive you. We are together on this blue App and on other social platforms, we share jokes and learn from each other, but we are not mates.
Resist the temptation of saying "who does he think he is, he should get out from here".
Respect for elders is not only for those in your village, it also applies on this Social Media street. Unfortunately you can't even recognise who an elder is here - so just respect everyone, respond to them with courtesy and deep respect.
Ezenwaka J E Casmir
Voice of Reasoning
