Ranting in the era of social media

Talk to me about how the COVID pandemic has made us all Netflix addicts! And lo and behold - I watched The Social Dilemma directed by Jeff Orlowski released in January 2020. It was for a little over one and a half hours of disturbing information. It was about how the information served to us for free through social media and employ sophisticated bots to learn about us. I am not suggesting that this is new information - I know how social media functions, you are a product when you consume anything for free. Well, Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook's animosity laced media releases explain that. However, while watching the documentary I felt like a pawn. I kid you not, I found myself wondering if a bot is deciding who I date, thanks to the algorithm on dating apps, I ultimately deleted my profile from dating apps. I definitely do not discount the fact that I may have been manipulated into believing or acting a certain way, thanks to all the information rolled out towards me on my Facebook feed.

Getting back to the documentary, it mentioned that social media has made it easier to instigate people using misinformation and create social distress. The polarity has been instigating civil unrest, and can potentially cause mass scale riots. Images, videos, content - can be extremely triggering. I find myself correcting - tag the post as 'Hide This Post' - on my Facebook feed when I see a triggering piece of information. It does ruin my day sometimes. Don't we all see and experience it in our day to day lives. How information can be triggering, toxic or just unproductive. Often after finding a trending thread on Twitter, I need to switch off and rest my mind. Faceless people fighting behind computer screens (many bots) can make one feel low, even if I do not participate in the conversation. The most recent time I found myself triggered was when Umar Khalid was jailed.

Overall, in terms of the world order - what we are doing today will not be the best course of action. We are putting those people in trouble who belong to a certain section of society. Maybe if we pick a historical narrative, it is same as what was done in the past -

1975 Emergency
Indo-pak division
1857 mutiny
World wars
Holocaust
Apartheid
1984 Anti Sikh Riots, Delhi
2002 Godhra/Gujarat Riots
Killing of Native people by colonizers
Black Lives
Slavery
Labour Issues
Immigration
.... and definitely more. The list does not end, I picked what I know of and I am in the process of learning. We do look back and wonder what got in to humans?  

Some of us do look at the 'present time' and wonder what is wrong with the world. There is clear polarity. The historical narrative is picked up in bits and pieces and presented as facts, without any regard for the context.

What do we do when faced with triggering information? The good news is that it is not so much about the information that is been presented to us but our understanding of how we consume the information. Internet is a great technology and it has made our lives easier, but while regulators will act on the regulation aspect of social media, we must deliberately take steps to sensitize and educate ourselves.

In the process of learning to survive with bots, here’s what I am learning to do:

1. Does this help in creating an inclusive world order

2. If I have a feeling of hate, I ask myself - why am I driven to hate? Am I projecting my traumas on a social order?

3. Have I developed a hatred fueled by social media?

4. What sources do I find reliable and why are they reliable?

5. Human beings are characterized by qualities or bad characteristics. What does my mindset say about me as a human being. Not that I want people to like me, can I look at myself and find contentment- that I did not hurt an innocent person, that I did not have an intention (selfish) when I did a good deed?

I'd close by saying - don't just rant, make a positive change with what you consume or express. Please share what you'd like to add to this list.

Facebook Lessons (F on Day 6 of A to Z Challenge 2015).

Times of being busy
Being really really busy
Busy doing nothing
Busy killing time
Are the times to loathe.
So we make time to be on Facebook.

Source: Google Search

Debating, fighting trolls, bullies, cyber harassers while attempting hard to make sense out of our point. Perhaps trying to make people understand our point.

That's when I learnt a few things through Facebook, and here they are:

1. Tolerance while facing disagreements from friends. No two people think alike, how can friends? It is important to respect each other's opinions, not to get into a trail of updates that faintly demean your friends.

2. Standing up-to cyber harassers and bullies. Well yes, this is big one and I did stand up to one quite recently.

3. Satire while dealing with the trolls. When logic does not make sense, satire does!

4. Understanding what I just do not want to be. I live and let live, so I do not want to be a bigot, extremist and someone with an orthodox mindset.

5. Clarifying when being misunderstood. Not everyone will read what you meant with your words, in-fact they will dissect each of your words and come up with conspiracy theories. Arghh moments they are.

Author's Note: With Facebook and social media interactions, our ideas of life, philosophies and the way we view world is out in the open. Some of us are against this concept, I am not. I can put myself out there with my thoughts and things I truly believe in.

And yes, from time to time I do feel that there is an overdoes. I switch off, thanks to the deactivate Facebook account option!

P.S. Facebook Lessons for F - April 7, 2015. My sixth post for the A to Z April Challenge.

Emoticon Magic (E on Day 5 of A to Z Challenge 2015).

To some it is a cute little gesture
To some it is gross exaggeration
To some it is perils of technology
To some it is a soothing touch on mobile screen
To some.......

You like them, hate them but you cannot ignore them. Because yes, they have the power of flashing a smile on your face when you are low, or make you go mad at a friend who purposely sent you one for making you go in rage with angst.

Allow me to reinvent the old adage - Emoticons speak louder than words.

People don't use words anymore. From Whatsapp, Viber, Skype to BBM the struggle for finding the best emoticon to fit into our emotional state is on.

Feeling feature on Facebook allows a user to add a feeling accompanying an emoticon. For feelings that are not auto-listed, a user can put them up as status and use a suitable emoticon to express one's feeling.

Here is one of those Facebook experiences:

Drop in the comment box your funny, serious, not-so-funny, naive, boring, ...... Emoticon Moment. 

Author's Note: While emoticons are creative way of expressing how one feels, sad faced emoticons get my blood boiling. Just the look of it, no matter who sends it.. Arghh!

P.S.: Emoticon Magic for E - April 6, 2015. My fifth post for the A to Z April Challenge.

Image Source: Google Image Search

Bans, Boycotts and Bharat (India) (B on Day 2 of A to Z Challenge 2015)

It was somewhere in the midst of Ban and Boycotts for Bharat (India) - A facade my country has started to don lately.

Here is a quick recap of bans on creativity and choices we make as individuals.
(This is not comprehensive list and in no order of preference):

1. India's Daughter was banned because it projects bad image of India. BBC was sent a notice by the Indian authorities and the documentary was taken down from the internet.

Un-ban our choices, Un-ban our freedom
Source - Google 

2. It was in the midst of a Beef Ban (cow slaughter ban) imposed in Maharashtra as Cow is worshiped by Hindus (majority religion in India) and Indian authorities are presumably stepping towards Hindu theocracy (overshadowing India's secular constitution). Cows will receive legal protection and mug shots with identity proofs are being created. The ban is likely to be extended across the country.

3. It was a ban that Un-freedom Movie was subjected to for focusing on homosexuality as it can promote unnatural passion.

4. Kalki Koechlin's 'Margarita With A Straw' cleared by Censor Board with only one cut - of a 12-second kissing scene. It is a film about a woman with cerebral palsy coming to terms with her queer sexuality.

5. The word Bombay beeped out of Mihir Joshi's songtrack 'Sorry' because it is 'offensive' to use primitive nomenclature (Bombay) for Mumbai. The track is a conversation between a father and his daughter and I wrote it after the Nirbhaya Gang rape case in December 2012.ay

Here are the lyrics of the song:

I am sorry sweetheart

This is the world I am giving you today. 

It is the same thing no matter what you read… 

From Delhi to Bombay. I wish it was different darling...

Wish you could feel nice and safe. 

But the world’s gone crazy, I don't know what to say’
6. Amendments to Section 66 A of the Information Technology Act was aimed at banning my liberty to speak my mind online. Thankfully the Supreme Court of India rendered it unconstitutional. And I am relieved as my Facebook updates will not invite an arrest order from the authorities on grounds of offensive, while I attempt to show my dissent.

7. Creators of All India Bakchod Roost were forced to take down the video from Youtube as it breached Indian values. Outcry over creative cinematic ventures like Haider, PK are not alien to Indians. And even the infamous movie 50 Shades of Grey made to banned items in India.

As I write this post, I am enraged. I have a question for those who support these bans and promote boycotts in the name of our nation. So as individuals, what are we (we refers to those who are impacted by these bans)?  

Are we heading adolescence?
Are we rash bunch of brats who are to be disciplined?
Are we incapable of making decisions?
Do we have to project a regressive face of development to the world today?
Do we really in need of writing a oligarchy for generations to come?
Are we a nation where people need to be fed on the right idea of entertainment, food, religion and music?
Do we have hold years old values paramount and fail to walk with the times?
Do we really have to be controlled for the choices we make as individuals?

THE ANSWER TO EACH OF THE QUESTION LISTED ABOVE IS A BIG LOUD SHOUT OF A 'Damn NO'.

My nation Bharat (India) is becoming all about Bans, Boycott, Bigotry. We do not need this? We are able enough to make the right choices as individuals. And we are liberated enough to make the wrong choices. Do not make decisions for me. My soul suffocates and curse you.

Ban mongers - If you do not like it, choose to avoid it. Please do not make decisions for me. I do not need your wisdom!

Author's Note: Impose a blanket Ban on Injustice, Hypocrisy, Corrupt, Bigots, Small Thinkers, Shallow Minds, Sexists, Rapists, Crime, Violence...

Ban the wrong. Ban it today - you need not ban anything else! I detest those mindless bans that take away my freedom of making choices, my freedom of deriving solace or getting a high to bring out my creativity.

P.S. Bans, Boycotts and Bharat (India) on B - April 2, 2015. My second post for the A to Z April Challenge.

Before you share on Social Media

Source: Google Search

We carry the world in our palm and we know what is happening in the world within minutes of an act. The power of social is immense, but there is a grim line that gyrates between sensational, responsible and funny!

Think of FakingNews.com - purely funny. It presents unverified information for virality. Knowing that it is an outright lie, we laugh and even share some of the updates. Here are the recent ones>>

• BREAKING: SIT requests SC to allow it to hire Arnab to investigate black money offenders. SIT members are really impressed with the way Arnab is able to grill his guests every night on his show.

• BREAKING: Bangalore based IT company introduces “Work-from-Bus” as traffic takes a turn for the worse. A popular tech startup in the IT city has started a trendy way for employees to work, as most of them often fail to reach office on time.

Being bombarded with information in various social touch-points, we are often taken with the sensational aspect of it. We do not cross check it but start becoming a part of a spree that allows for mindless hooliganism.

Most recent example is mocking Pakistan over gender issue. Pakistan has emerged as the world's second-worst country in terms of gender equality, according to the annual Global Gender Gap Report published by the World Economic Forum. Detailed information brings forth additional shocker - India's ranking fell from 101 out of 136 countries last year to 114 out of 142 countries this year.

Read the full article here>>

I noticed people responsibly sharing their thoughts on the gender issue while using Pakistan gender ranking news to substantiate their point - which is a good strategy. However those who mocked Pakistan need to move beyond comparing apples to oranges philosophy. What should bother us more? In such a scenario, I think India deserves a bigger mocking for not being able to sustain its position forget scaling up the ranking. This was just one example, but there are instances where we join the herd - without thinking much about what we to say. There are times when you can stay quite, it doesn't hurt.

Author's Note: Do you #Google (cross-check) any information (presented as a fact) on social media ? And even if it is a valid information, do you share the thought to bring out a sensational aspect of it or responsible aspect of it?

P.S.: The point to ponder is whether we even realise if we are made to like seemingly responsible story for a sensational purpose.