Sir: As the General Elections draw nearer, political debates are becoming more and more widespread on social media. Whether it is Facebook, Twitter or Instagram; people everywhere are discussing which parties are deserving of the vote and which aren’t.
To me, these debates have revealed that while humans have been able to create highly sophisticated technologies, they themselves are still the tribal animals they have always been. The conduct people put on display in these ‘debates’ is completely appalling. Everyone seems obsessed with painting the other side as terrorists, traitors or sub-humans. Conduct towards women has been the most disappointing, people frequently target women activists with opposing views to them for character assassination.
Emotions are always heightened when elections are close, but we must always remain civil. Because if we don’t, it won’t matter which party wins the elections. We will still be doomed.
ZAFAR QURESHI
Lahore
Published in Daily Times, June 13th 2018.