Virtual Nerds and Herds
Virtual nerds and herds
Somehow I am not comfortable with the herd mentality gaining ground. Especially in the cyberspace where virtual bullying is becoming a norm. Everybody latching on to any opportunity to tell the other what to do. Kind of pressure groups, the troll armies are there engaged in vitriolic sabre rattling in their attempts to impose a particular kind of regimentation. However one needs to be wary of these tendencies ......as they militate against the very concept of freedom. Why are such tendencies increasing? Is there a larger deliberate attempt or design? Apparently it appears so and the intention and agenda is to capture the virtual world.
The one who controls the cyberspace is likely to control and run a narrative and capture and captivate the individual minds. So as quickly as possible there is a hurry to scare away any counter view. That the war in this sphere apparently is quite cheap, bloodless and doesn't require much skill other than being adept with yelling, abusing and intimidating the other. There is no requirement of having any literary background or of being grammatically correct only mastery in filthiest of expressions in any language is a necessary hallmark.
All of a sudden something starts trending. It is all like a street show and everyone stick out their necks to have a look and the ruckus begins . The group less in number either chickens out or gets more aggressive. The disturbing facts is that it also spills over into the real world. The smart ones play it will bots - the anonymous robots employed for chats - with one person engaging in the virtual duel as multiple entities. The anonymity provides all the more courage to be enter into no holds barred kind of approach.
But often the gullible online crowd falls prey to their game and end up annoying their friends or ending long relationships over trivial issues that are blown out of proportion to a level that pits persons against one another. It is all algorithms driven. If you respond to something you get flooded with similar or associated information capable of clogging your mind to a particular mindset and there is no way out. It can be followed up by real violence too.
This kind of hype or orchestration suit both the politicians and the marketing agencies. It is a repetitive provocation that nudges you into the act of either politically involving you into something or act into buying something without having the actual need of it. May be to demonstrate something to the like-minded online peer group.
For example you may not be a regular movie going types...but you would be glutted with the proposal to either boycott a movie or perforce watch it. An act that you seldom contemplated is electronically pushed into your existence not because you want or don't want that stuff but because the group you get online aligned intends to see you engaged in the same. Strangely in a land where majority are non vegetarians you find vegetarianism being imposed. Diets and exercises associated with sedentary lifestyles get promoted much at the cost of other vigorous regimens. The other obvious advantage is that even if one is otherwise small in number the same can be compensated by building a huge online troll army. Here there is an obvious beginner's advantage. Those who started it trying to mould the entire cyberspace as per their world view with others in tow as mere instinctive minions in a crowd.
The vested interests in society are seeking to assert in an objectionable manner when the mandate of modern times is individualism - free from the dictates of any religion, caste or such man made restricting limitations.
But a herd is more convenient to the marketing shenanigans and political satraps and unfortunately, we have entrusted them the task of shaping up our future....We are likely to become victims of our own victimhood.