But wait first, why do so many Nigerians, including the highly educated ones, find it more convenient resorting to ad hominem as against counter or superior argument each time their position is challenged or their favorite political or religious leader or even a concept or ideology they support is challenged??
Why do we easily become INTELLECTUAL TALIBANS and e-TERRORISTS over simple online argument?
Most of those guilty of this do so out of ignorance or intellectual emptiness. And such behavioural pattern is strongly associated with people with very low emotional intelligence and IQ. So to make up for their intellectual kwashiorkor, they resort to insult and personal attacks. And this is according to Sociologists. Sadly, it is becoming the new normal amongst our youths.
If you doubt me, just go to your wall and say something about religion, it doesn’t matter how constructive or objective you are, some very educated people will still leave the issue you raised to attack your person. And this is not limited to religious issues. It is the same when you discuss politics, feminism or even Biafra issue. People simply let their emotion take the front wheel
Check the just ended #BBN (Big Brother Naija) and you’d see people showing so much hate, bitterness and toxicity on their fellow suffering countrymen/women simply for supporting a house mate they dislike for no just reason.
If 21st century humans who lay claim to education cannot hold a conversation and disagree and agree without verbal violence, is it not a grave indictment on our education?? I thought we go to school to be equipped with CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS??
Some days ago on my page, I made a post where I described U.S President, Donald Trump as unpresidential, rash, brash, impulsive and selfish. In that same post, I said his opponent,. Joe Biden doesn’t seem mentally agile enough for the job and that the Democrats are bitter, toxic and hypocritical bunch, more like our APC pre-2015. I ended by saying the Americans have a tough choice to make between the two candidates.
Surprisingly, more than 80% of Nigerian Trump supporters came to attack me. But even more surprising is the fact that most of those who left the post to start attacking my persons ARE IGBOS WHO CURRENTLY LIVE IN IGBO-LAND AND LAGOS. So I’m left wondering, what is the connection? Has Donald Trump suddenly become Odumegwu Ojukwu??? I mean, why this so much bitterness and hate and toxicity over a mere adjective directed at a PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDER being paid with tax payers money?
Bikonu, if this is the new normal, why then do we blame Islamic fundamentalist for resorting to violence each time they feel their favorite religious figure has been insulted? What is the difference between e-violence and physical violence if not the physical opportunity to execute that violence??
If you could call someone a goat and other unprintable name simply for saying what you all know to be true about a PUBLIC SERVANT, what would you do to Critics if you became a President??
To be honest, our manner of online engagement is getting increasingly very primitive. Indeed, the death knell of any argument is emotion. A shame, really.
Charles Ogbu
