It seems like some people do not like this particular series. I am yet to find out why. As media personnel, ours is not only to entertain but to inform and educate. Once that mission is accomplished, the audience will have to be the better judge of what they want. Anyway, someone needs this to know that once you have chosen the internet as your business grounds, it is not going to be easy.

You should be ready for criticism, backlash, and hate speech from all angles. It is almost like choosing to be a leader.

I must first of all submit to you that, there is already a culture of silence in every space or environment. This mostly applies to people in minority groups in a given society. And once you fall within that group, you may find yourself wanting when you open up on issues that are supposed to be “sacred”.

One of the core tools for propagating the culture of silence is Cyberbullying. It is however worthy to note that Cyberbullying doesn’t end with one person. It drags a whole community in. For instance, I recently chanced on a discussion on whether or not victims of sex tapes should come out and talk or not. People obviously had their own opinions but my shock was with those who think victims should just move on with their lives. This is a growing menace and people blackmail others for it just to keep them silent just because they pose as threat to them.

The same goes for Cyberbullying, we think victims should just sweep the hate speech and comments in their private chats and direct messages under the carpet. And Viola! Like magic, all the abuse and hurt will just wash away like clean slate. No! It doesn’t.

Personally, I have had all manner of threats and and name calling online and in my direct messages. At first I used to care less because these were people online. But these people can sometimes be very creative and find their way into your life, no matter what.

The things you learn in Journalism school seem not to be enough to send you to your early grave. Some people will do anything just to get you grappling with fear so they too can win at life. Take a seat darling, this is not your race.

The truth of the matter is that the people who do these things are people who have enough leverage and power at their disposal and think they can use that to bully younger people. When they cannot penetrate your walls, they send younger people your age to come and finish you like “mortal combat”. But in the scheme of things, it’s mostly because they “need” you as much as you “need” them. So why resort to cyber attacks?

I have comments that I do not approve on my blog. On social media, I choose whether or not to comment on certain posts. Whatever it may be, whether you reply to these comments or not, whoever sends them be it anonymously or directly, state their intentions clear: “I’m coming for you”.

In the end, all I’ve got to say is, no matter how sharp the sword is, the pen will always be mightier. I got a purpose to fulfill and that is changing narratives and provoking thoughts. And as usual, you got served.

The end!