How did idiots become opinion leaders?!
By Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli
Former Minister of Oil
HOW did idiots become opinion leaders? This question is articulately answered by Italian novelist and philosopher Umberto Eco — writer of the novel, “The Name of the Rose”, who died last February at the age of 85.
Umberto said in his research on the evolution of current societies: “Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak like scholars.”
My colleague, Mirza Al-Khuwailidy, wrote in the Middle East newspaper about this subject quoting Italian newspaper Il Messaggero on what Eco said: “Social media has given freedom of expression to legions of idiots. They never spoke before, except when they were drunk without causing any damage to society. They were forced to remain silent then, but today they have the same right to speak as Nobel Prize winners” … Finish.
We say to the late philosopher Umberto Eco: You are absolutely right! Our situation and your situation are the same. A lot of unknown people — half and a quarter of the educated — used to be brainwashed by opinions that God did not reveal in our diwaniyas. As the law prohibits bars and taverns in Kuwait, alcohol is available in the black market! Diwaniya owners or leaders of sedition opinions silenced them in order not to repeat triviality in a gathering or in other places … and it ends up with ‘inquisitiveness’ to that limit … Those present might end up telling their colleagues in workplaces or to those who are inquisitive, so the story continues.
Now, after the spread of latest social media platforms, those who were previously asked to refrain from repeating triviality have become the most famous and the richest!! This happened because whatever they utter is immediately made available to all
members of society by using those devices, up to the extent of surpassing the borders of the country where a comment is recorded until it reaches the whole world.
A statement can be personal, biased or full of stupidity, but that does not matter, because thousands will read it. People differ in understanding and comprehending! This is the Problem..
An artist, a model or promoter of goods or foodstuffs of a restaurant joint has become the ‘qibla’ — center of attention — for thousands of people. A lot of people might believe him and follow what he says just like animals without thinking and understanding.
A stupid statement from one of these famous persons might cause the end of the world and no one will save it.
Social media has become indignation and wrath in most cases, instead of being a blessing through the circulation of something good and beneficial … Unfortunately, this happens because most idiots in societies, who became stars, are the opinion leaders in our grey era!!!