Everything is absolutely hectic! What we have seen on Twitter during these days of strike, vandalism and protest is overwhelming. There is no pause! We read in thousandths of seconds messages against Iván Duque, the Police, the guerrillas, the vandals and the indigenous people! We retweet, criticize, insult and fight! And after the publication of a video that leaves us breathless comes a worse one; and thus also appear the offenses, the catharsis, the social outburst. From digital activism to digital civil war! To the fight! Everyone to fight for a better country! It’s just that we can’t go on like this! No more!
How can you not set yourself on fire against the world when you see people die just like that in the streets? How not to be enraged if there is evidence that young people who go peacefully to protest return home without an eye because of a rubber bullet or something similar? How not to curse if it is seen that some degenerates tried to burn some policemen alive inside a CAI? How can we not worry if we notice that paramilitaries are strutting around Cali in luxurious trucks, defending their convictions with weapons in hand? No one can be saved here! The ‘people of good’ and of evil are immersed in these struggles. Twitter is the network of revenge, of relief, of shouting! You pass by in moments of collective euphoria and it seems that the world is going to end right there and not tomorrow, as so many might hope.
The network of the tweet has become a digital bonfire during these days of national strike. There the war of expletives is suffered. Although it is very apt to make complaints, a very dangerous fire burns on Twitter, not only because it burns the analysis, but because it gives off smoke that makes it difficult to see things clearly. At the same time that this network is talking about possible massacres, desperate aid “live”, there are videos of physical attacks, shootings and even murders. Seeing only what it publishes, for example, the Anonymous account per se can leave anyone perplexed or half indoctrinated. In this context, with what criteria do we act in the face of everything that is happening? Do we take a moment to think, to understand that this disorder is the consequence of many years of injustices of all kinds and not just a despicable tax reform?
Following the events that affect Colombia today exclusively on Twitter is quite insufficient. To all our ills we must add the manipulation that we are suffering on social networks. There are few videos or photos that supposedly have just happened and are actually from another less unworthy past. Do you check who tells you what they read? Wondering where the information comes from? You have to be critical of everything in these times. The images – not all of them, of course – are being manipulated, quotes that were spoken for other purposes are brought up, or simply lies so that others spread falsehoods. People are paid to trash cities and influencers are paid to say anything outrageous. On Twitter we see fragments of reality. In the game of anything goes, few things are immune from risk.
The above, I want to emphasize, does not mean that the truth never appears on Twitter. Moreover, fortunately there is this network, to see what is not published elsewhere by editorial decision or particular interests. This is an option where – it is assumed – we can express ourselves at will, although with limits. The point is that if we are only following on Twitter those who reaffirm our thoughts, we do not learn anything, and we leave aside the possibility of knowing the other people’s version. Let’s at least challenge our credulity. At the very least, we should understand that it is useless to feed violence shielded by our right to express ourselves. The digital civil war on Twitter is at the height of the violent ones we are criticizing.
JAVIER BORDA DÍAZ
On Twitter: @javieraborda
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