I read an interesting story: It was over 80 years ago when Orson Welles broadcasted the incredible ‘War of the Worlds’ about an alien invasion. Many people heard and totally believed the world was being invaded! This broadcast presented to the world a true mass hysteria. But 80 years ago, when panic ensued over this fictitious account of alien invasion, there were fewer media outlets. There was no news at your fingertips and no instant commentary from others who were part of the hysteria. Obviously, this was a case for not jumping to conclusions even if it seemed like the sky was falling! I wonder what would happen today if Orson Welles was broadcasting about everything going on in the world. Media outlets all over the world generally race to have people jump to conclusions as quickly as possible. They don’t check facts and then report but rather get the headline first as breaking news and clarify later. And we the people and the warriors on social media formulate our opinions based on half-baked facts. Based on our lines of ideology we have sided, we begin an unlimited War of Words on Social Media platforms. And these wars of words turn into abrasive discussions and influence many aspects of our social behaviors.
Currently, there is a war in distant Ukraine with the destiny of Indian students stuck there in the war is the nearest possible involvement of India. Yet the position taken by India to abstain and not take any side looking into its own interest was evaluated, opposed, and derided by media here and our own experts. People here of Indian Origin based on their positions in the context of Indian and US politics have gone ballistics on criticizing India for not taking side with the rest of the world. Humanity means the west which has its own interests. India is dependent on Russia for defense procurement. Russia has its own ambitions. China with all its intentions is lying low. Just as we spent bytes and bytes over the origin of Virus and the pandemic conspiracies, we have now shifted our focus on the war. Opinions here in the war of words remain divided between warring nations. There is also lip service paid to the humanitarian angle of dying people on streets and soldiers. Warriors continue to stride further across various topics of their interest. UP and other state elections have their own set of warriors. Maharashtra politics generate bytes locally. The people in responsible positions and those behind them are acting crazy and war or words have seen a new low. Celebrity fans have their own war of words. Cricket camps have their own loyalties. Strong words are used. Semantics and logic are the weapons used by the warriors. Victory is celebrated while those hurt exit one group to join the group of like-minded. Mainstream media and social media remain engaged in generating bytes which in the actual sense are meaningless and are apparently harmless. But then these words actually have impact.
When words are able to be tossed out arbitrarily and without any responsibility, minds can be controlled casually and if the intent is added they can be effective tools. Words can be harmful if they are demeaning and insulting but if they are simply used as an opinion or an expression of a belief the only harm is when you censor them so no one can hear them, read them, or think about them. Social Media and Big Tech are calling the shots and crying hoarse about the Freedom of Expression whether you realize it or not and it really is very much like Orson Welles but at a higher level. When you control access to various opinions or beliefs, you control a bit of someone’s mind. It is dangerous, sleazy, repulsive, and unbelievable but it is real and happening all around you.
Freedom of speech is essential. A human being doesn’t have to believe what he sees or hears, but he surely should not be denied the opportunity to access it. It’s very alarming. It may be happening in small bits of denial and large amounts of control by those in control. There is a great danger lurking ahead of us. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, news outlets, and even radio and TV broadcasts are going down a slippery slope when they feel they have the power to tell people WHO to believe, WHAT to believe and HOW to believe. As long as we the people permit them to do that and allow ourselves to support it, we are also complicit in agreeing with their philosophy.
If we have learned anything these past few months, we should have learned how NOT to trust those who give us information; journalists, reporters, announcers, and a variety of Social Media platforms. We should think of ourselves with a rational state of mind and observe it from our line of philosophy and opposing. We should question everything now. This really helps. Social Media has helped many people reach out and connect in ways we may have never dreamed of. Social media has also assisted those who own businesses in expanding their outlets to be able to market beyond their own backyards. But Social Media also has become invasive, insensitive, and irresponsible. The Big Tech companies want to track where we go, advertise to us constantly, and invade our privacy in ways that seem a bit uncomfortable and downright creepy. But then social media is just a modern tool, in past, we had wars of words at tea stalls, canteens, libraries, gardens, drawing rooms. When you are face to face, there are some basic civic senses which govern the concourse which is acceptable to all the parties but with an unregulated digital wall and behind the privacy of anonymous trolling there are no limits.
Have we let Social Media go beyond what we would have accepted back in 1938 when Orson chose to broadcast his infamous tale?
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