Dark side of social media outweighs the benefits
Bullies, idiots and show-offs now have platforms to widen the divide between dominators and the dominated
Social media has transformed the human race into beings riven by narcissism when not eaten up by envy. The species, always prone to gossip, adulation and cruelty, has now become addicted to these in hyperbolic mode. This dark side of the digital world has received some attention, but some of these antisocial trends need to be spelt out. Bullies, idiots and show-offs now have platforms to widen the divide between dominators and the dominated. Now it’s not just playgrounds or boardrooms that are possible arenas for sociopaths. Miscreants publish the slightest mishaps on national and global scale. More serious infractions bring shame and stigmatisation more severe than prison sentences. Ridicule has become the new pastime. Social media, above all, are publishing platforms. They have the power to disseminate information globally. WhatsApp is a good place to start. One gets "invited" to join a group — a family group, a list of friends, a tenants’ association, a colleagues’ gathering — an...
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