Social media without norms

Undoubtedly, it has provided us with a substitute for newspapers and has become an easy means of access to the write ups of high intellectuals in various fields but its role as a social mirror, at times becomes disgusting when we see the deformed face of some of our so-called educated class. Be they the activists of a religious party, professing high moral values, possessing a degree from a religious seminary, a university graduate supporting a mainstream democratic party, supposedly believing in democratic principles or a secular liberal claiming to be the champion of human dignity, their crooked ways of expression have much to bewilder a sensitive reader. The ideological, political and religious debates based on schism smack of the foul smelling slum atmosphere rather than giving out the scent of the men of knowledge. Their words and language instead of being loaded with logical arguments are heavy with sensational, uncivilized and ignominious invectives. Norms and cultural rules are prominent by their absence in the world of face book. Ideologies may vary, political affiliations may also be different. As such ideas and opinions may differ but for the learners, beauty lies in agreements on disagreements. The educated person will express himself through logical arguments without hurting even his opponents. Taking for granted the differences of opinions, he deems them as a means of learning. But our omniscient Facebookish scholars consider the words at their disposal the last words. They leave no room for the differences of opinions. They think their thoughts worthwhile only. Their words must be weighed in gold. The leaders they support are the angels on earth. Their entire world is the world of perfection. Therefore, there is zero tolerance for imperfections of others, for the religious and political ideologies of others, for the dissenting factors of other sects. Resultantly, we see criticism for the sake of criticism, use of invectives, scandal mongering and abusive language in order to defame the opponents. In the words of Stephen R. Covey, the five moral metastasising cancers of complaining, comparing, competing at the cost of ones worth , contending and criticizing have become the hallmark of most of the face bookish debates. This attitude is definitely a question mark on the education of our educated class and our education system.  ]]>