Waging War Against Social Media

by Kevin C.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was new hope as the young Rebels were on the verge of infiltrating the heart of the Galactic Empire with its most powerful, yet primitive weapon – the Social Media.

Laugh not, my friends. We are not in Star Wars, but we are waging a different kind of war. While social media has been the craze for at least a few decades initially in the form of computers, its full potential was not unleashed until the invention of the now ubiquitous smartphone. With the birth of this portable, fully mobile device, new media platforms emerged. Here comes “Social Media 2.0” starring Mark Zuckerberg as Facebook Creator, Jon Kaum as WhatsApp Messenger and Jack Dorsey and friends as the Tweets.

I am sure the creators created these platforms with good intentions because now everyone gets connected to everyone else just by sending a message. At the click of the SEND button, the message is sent and gets delivered instantly. Later, more features were added. You could now buy and sell stuff at the Marketplace on Facebook, post pictures of your new glamorous look to be envied, and send crystal clear voice messages on the fly at any time of the day at the blink of an eye. It seems convenient to be in touch and getting to meet new friends of friends of more friends. Your circle of friends grow, and so do the circles around your eyes.

Darth InVader strikes back with his ever famous line: “Welcome to the Dark Side”.

From something as innocent as sending a greeting to a stranger, to being stalked and murdered, social media seems to have more bad than good. On a more serious note, how often do we read about the deaths of a Facebook user who was found hanged after she had decided to commit suicide when no one could understand the pain as a result of her online fiends (no, this is not a typo) who made fun of her new look? What about the lonesome soul who thought he had found a lover but end up being cheated of all his life’s savings? Indeed, there have been victims, and perpetrators who are always on a prowl for new victims just for the heck of it. No remorse, nothing.

Not forgetting, employees who are used to spending time with their loved ones at home on weekends and on vacations are not able to do so anymore because with the new social media platform, their bosses could knock on their virtual doors and they would have no choice but to reply. Don’t forget, bosses could see two blue ticks below the messages that they have sent, indicating that you have read the messages, so you have no grounds to say “I didn’t get any message, boss” unless you deliberately switch off your phone or you gave your boss the wrong number – deliberately, too. You will not be able to rest in peace, literally, because your enthusiastic boss wants to know if you have completed his coveted and exclusive project. In the west, there are laws that restrict bosses from disturbing their subordinates. In Malaysia, the phrase “Do Not Disturb After Office Hours” is as alien as a Klingon on Starship Enterprise NCC-1701. Therefore, many of us are essentially accessible close to 24-hours a day if we don’t switch off that phone. We have not learnt to be disconnected from work after work.

In the past few decades, the political dynamics changed rapidly. Due to more freedom of speech, people take advantage of it to blurt out insensitive issues, often untrue, to the media. The proliferation of propaganda is facilitated by social media platforms, and the effect has negative consequences especially when the masses take these messages lock, stock and barrel without thinking. Political parties and individuals affiliated to them take full advantage of social media to share their twisted views on certain issues. We see the birth of more keyboard warriors who are not X-Wing pilots but who have many things to say. Consequently, there will be confusion, misinterpretation and anger. People don’t know what or whom to believe anymore; there will be discord among friends, followed by disunity – something that enemies within would love to see happen.

I do not see the usage of social media slowing down; in fact, it will evolve into something more ominous. Remember the time when owning a mobile phone was like carrying a tonne of bricks which you have to lug around your shoulder? Ask your dad or granddad. This device quickly evolved into a handheld portable phone, and now you could even wear it on your wrist. As technology advances, so will the media. It is a scary thought, but one day, your phone would be implanted into your skin, so when you answer a call, you would appear to be fit enough to be admitted into the Institute of Mental Health.

Users will also evolve in terms of their attitude and lifestyle where everything has to be instantaneous with no, or little waiting time. They lose their minds (quite literally) and eventually their eyesight, too just by being glued for hours at the bright screen. The videos they watch turn them into Jekyll and Hyde in a jiffy. Their social habits would change further, and their relationship with others would likely suffer further damage. Their ability to write, think, analyse and communicate with other humans would deteriorate.

If we want to win this social media warfare, we have to destroy its source, but can we, now that every one is hooked to social media apps? Are we able to control our desire to refrain from looking at the phone although there is nothing to look at, missing the chance of looking up and meeting someone nice who is worth talking to instead? Indeed, most of us have turned to the Dark Side, whether we know it or not. Only a few will resist and turn back. To the others, “resistance is futile”.