One of the best things the 21st century did for us was the smartphone. As we were basking in the euphoria of being able to connect with people miles away with a wireless equipment, the smartphone came along with the social media by its side. With the smartphone, you have the world in your palms; you could do virtually everything and anything.
You connect with millions of people simultaneously, check up vital information about anything and still have the ability to send Short Message Service (SMS) and make calls, all at the same time. The social media itself even seemed more magical and made impossibilities possible, businesses flourished, marriages were established, lost connections were restored, distance was no longer a barrier and we could literally “touch” the world.
However, the “magical” smartphone and its “daughter” the social media has brought with it a whole lot of ills which seem really difficult to combat these days.
Everywhere in Nigeria, youths are seen clinging passionately to their communication gadgets, some laughing, others having this business-like look on their faces, they all have one thing in common: They are networking, building strong and long lasting relationships that transcends any bias, be it religious, political, or ethnical. We all seem to be busy looking down at our phones that we don’t look up to see the little beauties of life, we don’t admire beautiful flowers anymore, we hardly take note of lowly beggars reaching out to us on the streets, nor do we respond to “hellos” from “familiar strangers”.
We are becoming more concerned with Facebook “friends” than we are with the people we interact with face-to-face in our daily lives.
When last did we make new friends just by saying hello and talking about random stuff till we felt a connection? Social media platforms have lent a voice to the voiceless but has destroyed the throats of those who had voices. We no longer talk to strangers in the bus while travelling or give people our undivided attention.
Our family time, slumber parties, get-togethers and many more have been replaced by group chats, Skype, video conferencing, etc.
Many live for Facebook and Instagram likes, everyone wants to be Facebook famous, very few people want to write a motivational book or start up a movement for inspiration and youth empowerment.
This is a clarion call for the youths to stop the gadget madness. There’s more to life than that gadget! The frivolous things of life would always come and go. Many social media platforms are dead and buried, but the important virtues of life will always stand strong. Friendship, loyalty, companionship, marriage would always be here and when you miss out on them, you’re missing out on the goodness of life.
