This has been on my mind for a while. We live in an era of increased communication with people of different climes. The advent of telecommunications has made it easier to interact and get instant feedbacks. This development has been amplified by the social media explosion. In all these, I have noticed an emerging trend. Individuals are increasingly unable to distinguish between ideas and persons.
It's becoming common for people to mistake disagreements based on ideas for hatred. Since the turn of the year, with intensified politicking and the elections over, this scenario has become more obvious. I have interacted with loads of people on various divides. My research covers GEJites/ GMBites, Muslims/Christians, Leaders/followers, and even extends to friends and couples.
A simple argument based on conflicting ideas sometimes transcends to hate. it's not strange to be asked whose side you are on these days, just for daring to have a different opinion. Offices and places of work are not immune to this trend. This is more surprising considering the fact that we are living in the information technology age. It makes me wonder if some of us are being left behind. Are some still living in the stone age?
Seriously, we all need to draw a line between ideas and persons. Politicking and discourse should be about ideas and not persons. This is what mostly obtains in the developed world. Africans cannot afford to continue living in the past when it comes to ideas. We need a total re-orientation to save ourselves from hate induced by poverty of thought.
It's becoming common for people to mistake disagreements based on ideas for hatred. Since the turn of the year, with intensified politicking and the elections over, this scenario has become more obvious. I have interacted with loads of people on various divides. My research covers GEJites/ GMBites, Muslims/Christians, Leaders/followers, and even extends to friends and couples.
A simple argument based on conflicting ideas sometimes transcends to hate. it's not strange to be asked whose side you are on these days, just for daring to have a different opinion. Offices and places of work are not immune to this trend. This is more surprising considering the fact that we are living in the information technology age. It makes me wonder if some of us are being left behind. Are some still living in the stone age?
Seriously, we all need to draw a line between ideas and persons. Politicking and discourse should be about ideas and not persons. This is what mostly obtains in the developed world. Africans cannot afford to continue living in the past when it comes to ideas. We need a total re-orientation to save ourselves from hate induced by poverty of thought.
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