You don't need to have a say

A traffic jam of events

Activity on Social Media can easily make you lose focus. I am most active on Twitter, unusually prolific on my blog, with at least a blog a day for 90 days. I do not do as much on Facebook, though The Nigerian Nostalgia 1960 -1980 Project which is a private group is quite a resource of personal, community, and national histories. Instagram requires my capturing something of interest on my phone camera and adding a caption to it.

There is a lot going on around us, the Coronavirus pandemic still rages with all the restrictions keeping us all in our huts even in this global village. Police impunity in Minneapolis has kindled civil unrests all over America with sympathetic activities around the world. Racism remains a pox on our humanity, accepting occasional palliatives but somewhat impossible to eradicate.

In Nigeria, we are counting with horror gender-based violence girls, ladies, women shot, raped, and murdered. Everything is coming in like a torrent and this is by no means an exhaustive list of things too concerning to ignore.

Discriminate and select

The world seeks a different kind of leadership that there are no men to step up to and provide it. Egos colliding with machismo leaving needless deaths in their wake.

One can be tempted to pitch in here and contribute there, lending a voice or opinion, doing the minimum to appear engaged whilst not committing to much, the ease of being a keyboard warrior is a salve to the conscience, giving a sense of satisfaction on the basis of good intentions.

I have tried not to attempt to spread myself thin on any of these issues, the matters on which I could offer a useful viewpoint I do my best. Not everything needs my contribution, there are other flagbearers with better thought out perspectives, it is not a competition to find relevance or validation. There is a modicum of sophistication avoiding the ‘Rent-a-view’ bandwagon.

Manage what you take in

The wisdom to it all is to have a filter, some discernment exercising caution with healthy scepticism, trusting your judgement and testing every assertion with reliable and reputable sources. It is critical not to be swallowed up in the miasma of the unrelenting news cycle or be dangerously led astray with bizarre conspiracy theories as there are many seeking the gullible to deceive.

“They who can make you believe absurdities; will make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire. Be alert and be on guard.