Toxicity

"Toxicity" was a 2001 chartbuster from the band "System of a Down", while it is supposed to have focused on the other forms of toxicity prevalent in the society then, drugs, religion, corruption and so on. Today the additional form of toxicity which is way more pernicious and has effected all and sundry is the 'social media' variant. Sometimes I think it ought to be labelled Anti social media, because that is precisely what this medium of communication has turned out to be. A true Frankenstein, it has transformed perfectly sane and sensible people into 'Digital Devils'  who drive perverse pleasure in spreading all kinds of falsehood without batting an eyelid or considering the consequences of their irresponsible acts. The phone has become smart but it has turned its owners into dumb fools.  On line Trolling has assumed gigantic proportions, since the phone is ubiquitous, the access to this medium to hurl invectives in an anonymous manner has given such a tool to the goons that they have simply gone berserk. Everything is fair game here, there are no holy cows; in a strange way it has democratised trolling! 

While people in public life, celebrities learn to live with the constant glare and scrutiny, probably they even relish it, but of late the levels  of abusive language has reached its nadir. Amazingly, the media platforms seem to be encouraging these activities rather than curbing them in the name of a misplaced perception of freedom of expression. This freedom comes at a huge cost, that of human decency, common sense and sensibilities. These days religion has come to the fore I am appalled  at the what's app posts which I often encounter in many of the groups that I have been part of. Shockingly these friends of ours have been our best buddies through thick and thin;  but even they have undergone a change. I am not sure any longer whether these views have emerged now from some deep recess of their hearts where this hatred lay buried or it is this constant social media barrage which has made them review their own beliefs. Unfortunately there is a huge distrust between the two sides, and one must belong to either of them, else you are branded as the 'other'. Sane voices who could accept genuine criticism have suddenly become extinct.

The latest 'hatemongers' have unleashed "Bulli Bai" supposedly an app developed for auctioning Muslim women on GitHub, a provider for internet hosting owned by Microsoft. While the culprits have been arrested, the app has been taken down, the malaise is much deeper and needs serious introspection by everyone. We knew propaganda is a powerful tool, Joseph Goebbles proved it in Nazi Germany, it indoctrinated millions into believing in Aryan supremacy. We have also witnessed the rise of fanaticism in the name of Islam being in danger and Jihad. India mercifully was spared although one can't deny the existence of fringe elements. Then why is the largely peaceful democratic society of ours turning vicious and itching for a civil war. Some would blame the present dispensation for the ills facing the society, others would find fault with the opposition, some others would lay the blame squarely on the fanatic religious leaders, to an extent all these reasons have contributed to the mess. 

The digital Czars Microsoft, Google etc too have assumed larger than life proportions and in their greed for profits have forsaken common sense and decency in their business models, else how can you explain apps such Bulli Bai being approved for hosting or even tool kits for spreading discontent in any society. They have been raking in the moolah with no responsibilities whatsoever on the consequences. They need to be reigned in, I know this may be anathema to the liberals but liberty is only possible when accompanied by responsibility, else measures need to be instituted to correct that.Print and electronic media too need to take a lesson in objectivity rather than the highly partisan reporting which they have been indulging in over the last couple of years.

Each one of us is responsible for his own beliefs and behaviour, collectively these should contribute to the cause of society and nation building and if that is not the case we need to look within!