We have reached a stage where in if you talk about protecting environment, criticise government policy, question the country’s security establishment and talk about the rights of farmers, you are labelled anti-development, traitor and naxalite. The self-proclaimed proprietors of nationalism will also brand you anti-national even if they find a hint of you being critical of them.
One can only pity at the narrow expressions of such people whose misinformed notions blinds them, making them unable to think rationally. We all are influenced by our perspectives in order to comprehend various things but our prejudices must not inhibit us from accepting the reality.
Social media with all its immense advantages has also become a platform for people to rant ceaselessly on each and every thing. People start frothing at their mouth at every issue. Being critical too soon deprives us of the opportunity to have an objective account of a person or an issue. People are so caught up in their need to outrage that they refuse to think rationally and hear the other side of the story before perpetuating broad-stroking and indulging in character assassinations.
A lot of trolls on social media are always on the edges of their seats eagerly waiting for the ‘outrage issue’ of the day and when it finally arrives, they pounce on it and fling themselves into trolling relentlessly all the day. Most of these trolls thrive under anonymity or by using whacky names for their profiles. A lot of people fall prey to the momentary thrill of joining the outraging crowd by adding their own slanted comments.
Everybody is free to exercise their right to freedom of speech but abusing, hounding and launching lengthy diatribes against others is not the way one puts his/her views forward. There must be a well-defined purpose of protesting that is based on sound reasoning and objective assessment.
Not all of us are the same; respect the differences, respect the opposing views of others. Engage in a reasoned debate. Shun hero worship. Substantiate your criticism with relevant arguments and facts. Do not equate one bad with the other in order to justify wrong-doings, it is foolishness to do so. Avoid being too extreme in espousing your ideals. Lastly I would say, be balanced in your outlook and tolerate dissent.
Blissful wilderness 