Balance

The best and the worst

It’s time…

for the bubble to burst

In the early nineties, I worked in accounting with a very tech-savvy guy. Even though it wasn’t his responsibility, the company had a separate department to troubleshoot software problems, and he gladly assisted any who asked for his help. The LAN department manager who managed computer operations was grateful for his help, except for the day when he inadvertently screwed something up, and the manager went running to the VP to complain that he should not be involved in fixing computer problems because it was not his job. As the tech-savvy guy reported to me, the VP called me into his office to explain what was going on. I relayed his history of helping other staff because of his tech knowledge and concluded with ” he does fifty things right and is crucified for the one thing he gets wrong”. Where is the balance in this?

Fast forward thirty years and this isolated issue has reached its apex in cancel culture. One mistake in a lifetime of creativity, inventiveness, and doing good and you are condemned to the cross. You have to walk alone, persecuted, abused, scorned, and humiliated by the social media mob crying out for blood. Where is the balance in this?

We fixate on certain high-profile individuals in this game of life as if they were the devil incarnate, or the messiah come to earth. In reality, they are just human beings with triumphs and failures, and yet we spend so much energy defending or berating them. Where is the balance in this?

And now we come to my favorite topic, Free Speech. Where the bubble of censorship and restricted speech through legacy and social media is about to burst. Take Canada for example where the legacy media has been subsidized by the government to the tune of $600 million, and they are still asking for more. They are paid to dance to the government’s tune. This is not free speech. Media should not be subsidized by the government. They defend the government and hold the opposition to account. Where is the balance in this?

There is some hope on the social media front. I know it’s early days, but Elon Musk wants to transform Twitter from a despised and distrusted social media platform to one widely trusted. To be a digital town square where all ideas can be heard and the best win out. The old Twitter was akin to a non-profit organization, not pursuing earnings but an activist agenda. It was quick to cancel views it didn’t like and mute people who did not share its ideology. Where was the balance in this?

We are presently living in a culture that’s been suffering from a lack of open, transparent, informed public debate. Everyone has battened down in their own ideological bubble. This bubble needs to burst so we can speak freely and respectfully to each other, without fear of intimidation. Express your viewpoint in a civilized and respectful manner, forget the ad hominem, stick to the subject at hand, and we can all learn a great deal from each other. Let’s achieve some balance in our thinking and actions, the world will be a better place for this.