OBUNGA: Please share positive messages during pandemic

That Covid-19 has forever changed the world is not in question. The mental and economic challenges it has brought forth will be felt for a long, long time.

With calls to stay at home, many people are finding it challenging to cope with the new order taking over—not only with the difficulty of having to go to work (and exposing themselves in the process) for the daily bread but also for those working from home, most of whom have to deal with anxieties, concentration at work and distractions.

For almost two weeks now, a popular quote has been doing rounds on social media. The note whose original creator is difficult to establish just as it happens with memes points out that “if you don’t come out of this quarantine with a new skill, your side hustle or more knowledge, you never lacked time, you lacked discipline”.

Now there is something about peer pressure and society conditioning people to conform to the standards that best fit its sustenance. It is very reasonable that people should be multi-skilled to best fit in this age, which validates the reminder that people should utilise this period to learn something new. But is that possible for everyone?

HEIGHTENED PEER PRESSURE

Social media has heightened peer pressure. People have used it not only for entertainment but also to portray how perfect and easy their lives are. A good example, Instagram which is basically photo based, has been used to post pictures depicting some individuals in lush gardens and with very fit bodies. The latter trend grew so much that some scholars* did an analysis of a selection of the images only to conclude that fitspiration had a negative impact on how people viewed their body image.

With easy access to social media people have had exposure to these idealistic display of lifestyles. While they may or may not drive someone into distress, viewing these ideals posted on social media elicits a sense of insecurity as the viewer tries to make a comparison with their own lifestyle.

The risk of depression is especially high in this age when most people have been conditioned into being busy all the time. Even when we sit down to rest from a hard day’s work, it is difficult to keep one’s eyes off a few memes and tiktok videos. The closer we are to these gadgets and such forms of entertainment, the more vulnerable we become to falling into depression. We get so used to it that when we move away, we begin to feel uncomfortable. Unfortunately, social media is the same platform where conspiracy theories and misinformation about the COVID-19 are circulated. With the challenge of verification, most people find themselves at crossroads, wondering at what to or not take as gospel truth. The confusion makes people uneasy.

The irritation and fear with which almost everyone is waking up with at the news of new cases of infection and stringent measures by the government to curb the spread of the virus has caused many sleepless nights. Back to the post that implies indiscipline at the lack of new skill or more knowledge after the pandemic. The message in the quote is a thought provoking one; that I do not dispute. However, I find it inconsiderate to say such a thing when people are battling with fears of how they will feed themselves and their families should the virus persist and lead to even more severe measures that will block many from work.

BEST TIME FOR RESEARCH

This is actually the best time to do research and publish a paper; take an online course, train self on a new skill and even learn a new way to earn. However, this cannot happen when one is not settled or when the environment in which one leaves cannot permit. There are worries of job losses, pay cuts and survival that the last thing many need is to be told that they will have proved that they are undisciplined. It is like adding salt and pepper to a fresh wound. One of the ways of dealing with anxieties is keeping oneself busy but you cannot do such things when you share a small room with an entire family. You cannot take an online course when electricity and water supplies are irregular.

CDC recommends that people should connect with others as a way of dealing with stress and anxieties that might arise. However, it will be harmful to connect with people who keep reminding you about their progress in something they are learning. Individuals cannot be equal and cannot end up with the same opportunities and that we must learn to accept. At the end of the pandemic perhaps, one might then look for those side hustles or learn new skills. If you are in a position to do these things, go ahead and do them but don’t impose verdicts on those who cannot. It is important to use the social media wisely. Everyone is dealing with or will soon have to deal with the distress and we must not worsen the situation by sharing quotes or making memes that might sink others deeper. Let us help each other and remain positive.

*Marika Tiggemann and Mia Zaccardo analysed 600 images from Instagram ad found that there was a clear over-representation of the ideal body shape and that in a way they were detrimental to viewer’s body image. The research was published under the title Strong is the new skinny’: A content analysis of #fitspiration images on Instagram in the Journal of Health Psychology.