e-literate

In Mumbai, protestors turned violent, their indignation triggered by information posted on the internet… morphed photos and doctored videos that disproportionately portrayed the clashes between communities in Assam. Rogues had a justification to attack and abuse peace, yet again!

So often, we accept things posted on the internet as the ultimate truth without putting it to the test of basic common sense. A close look at the fake visuals should be enough to discern the reality but it is a fact that we perceive things based on the prejudice located in our mind. Hence we believe the worst things about those who are tainted by our doubts.

Those who created the false visuals are enemies of humanity, but fear and odium was fuelled by others who carelessly forwarded the manipulated fiction leading to a reciprocal irresponsible posting of hate triggers by many more reckless persons. Those who claim ownership of the ability to discern, so easily, succumb to the guile of malicious propaganda. The situation is worsened by their careless forwarding of spiteful rubbish.

My father (who would have celebrated 95 years today) motivated me to read everything that I could lay my hands on. However, he cautioned me that literacy is not only about being able to read and write. He insisted that literacy was when one could read between and beyond the words and lines, lest one be mired in gullible tales of the imaginative or the wicked.

Obviously, we who straddle the internet may not be truly e-literate. We need to read online content critically. Fact manipulation is here to stay, but it is possible to cross check or ‘track-back’ any content on the web. We can be better at e-literacy by stopping the blind acceptance (and forwarding) of everything that is posted on the web. We must investigate every e-word or e-visual to find where it came from. After all, humanity is at stake!

In the web of deceit, do not presume to be e-literate…

BE BETTER at restraint and enquiry of propagated hate!

- Pravin K. Sabnis