Shooting yourself in your own foot

Fri June 20, 2013

Editor: On Friday May 31, 2013, I wrote an article in The News newspaper with the caption “Disturbing”, and then on June 4, it was in the Searchlight, under the caption “Have we become insensitive to other people’s feelings?” Lo and behold on June 14, there was the headline “Ganja Toddler”. While going through that article, I realized that those persons who committed that offence and then posted it on Facebook were very insensitive, not to other people, but to themselves.{{more}} In other words, they shot themselves in their own feet. It shows us that when we use something that is meant to be used for good for the wrong reason, it can have dangerous repercussions.

I remember also that the editor of The News newspaper also commented on that in the same “Disturbing” article. He alluded to the fact that the NTRC had a programme where they were teaching people to sign on to Facebook. He also pointed to the fact that LIME had a survey with secondary school students which revealed that “children were proud of using the most disgusting and sexiest names and photos to attract the most friends on Facebook, but hardly used their computer for school work”. I hope that those of you who are continuing to practice this lifestyle would stop and think that by doing this the damage it can cause to others, or as in the case of the “Ganja Toddler”, to yourself.

I know that some of you might be saying that’s them not me; I do my thing and I do it well and nobody can find out. A word of warning, what goes on in the darkness will someday come to light. It gives me a sense of satisfaction that these persons were caught and are being dealt with by the law. I am not saying I told you so, but just stating that lessons can be learnt from other people’s mistakes. Fireman Hooper, in one of his 2013 calypsos, sings “You look better on Facebook”. It goes to show the extent to which people go to change their image so that they look more attractive and appealing on Facebook, but in real life they look completely different.

You do not need to change your image to get friends. Just be yourself. People would like you anyway. There are a lot of liars on Facebook; do not be one of them! Parents, there are a lot of goings on that take place on that social network involving our children. When these things come to the surface, we will be so shocked that it would knock the wind out of our sails; so, when your neighbour’s house is on fire, please, please, I beg you, wet yours.

Clifford E. Gould