Social Media Divide

 

Social media is meant to be an outlet that connects people from like and unlike backgrounds; culturally, socially, religiously, economically, and otherwise. It was designed as a bridge, a meeting point of ideas and experiences. Information is sourced and shared on these platforms, stories are told, voices are amplified, and, ideally, understanding is built.

Yet, it is quite disappointing to see the dragging that thrives in this space. At times, it becomes so toxic that one even contemplates logging out for good. But like alcohol addicts, many of us are so hooked that we can’t seem to do without it anymore. We complain about the chaos, yet we keep scrolling, engaging, reacting, and we are just trapped in a cycle we pretend not to notice.

What is even more disheartening is the intensity of these draggings when they are fueled by differences in religion. You begin to wonder: are these not the same people I live with, relate with, and transact with in my everyday environment? Life on social media is often a stark contrast to our lived reality. Behind screens, civility disappears, and empathy takes a back seat.

Then there are the tribal champions, those who denigrate people of other races because of ancestral and ethnic differences. They forget that none of us chose our parents, bargained to be born into any ethnicity, or signed a contract to inherit a particular lineage. Life simply happened, and we found ourselves where we are. Yet, people turn accidents of birth into weapons of division.

Even more troubling is that adults, who are supposed to guide the Gen Zs, are often guilty of propagating, instigating, and promoting this ethnic dichotomy. Instead of modeling maturity, they normalize hostility.

I hope to see us grow beyond our ethnic-circle mindset to mature into people who value shared humanity over inherited labels. Only then can we become truly productive and compete positively with our peers from other parts of the world.

®Ahmed Salim Jn ✍️ 

#Uloko