Razvin Namdarian

There is much to be said about social media, mostly good, some bad. But as it’s righty said, ‘Don’t blame the tool’ – a knife may be used to prepare a lovely meal or commit murder – who wields it and for what purpose, is no fault of the knife or its creator.

Our progressive community is pretty tech-savvy and even many senior citizens use smart phones that keep them connected and entertained.  Social media platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube etc have their fair share of Bawas and Bawis logging in. In fact, we have used these tools advantageously in a number of ways.

A Lifeline

During the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of Parsi baugs saw an unprecedented formation of WhatsApp groups. The need to connect and stay informed had at time, quite literally, become a matter of survival. Whether it was someone needing medical assistance, or sourcing of groceries or vegetables, or information about the society affairs – the colony grapevines went digital and communication remained the mainstay of getting through those dark days.

Tried and Tested

Advertising is a lot of gloss and little substance. Social media groups allow one to ask for recommendations for issues ranging from household help, tuition for kids, extracurricular classes, yoga and fitness instructors and even which doctor to consult. The fact that someone who has had a positive experience is making the recommendations gives a sense of assurance that you aren’t going into this completely unaware.

A Marketplace

So many Parsi-preneurs have created a market for themselves and found loyal customers on social media. Whether they are retailing food, clothing, home décor or religious items, those pictures they post on Insta or WhatsApp speak a thousand words and have a wider reach than would be ever possible with a brick-and-mortar store.

Career Launch

Zervaan Bunshah, Nauheed Cyrusi Natasha Desai, Shreyas Pardiwalla are just some of our influencers whose careers have been launched by social media. The world over, there are so many who have risen from ignominy to becoming recognized faces due to their presence on You Tube, Instagram or Tik Tok. Their brilliance lies in creating content that is relevant and has a connect with their target audience. Behind the glamour and humour is a lot of hard work and business acumen.

Then again, there is always a flip side to every coin. Social media is misused as well, as most of us have seen and experienced firsthand.

Mindless Forwards

There are those who tend to be trigger happy and click on the share/forward button a little too quickly. In the past, there have been inter-communal issues being conflagrated by such irresponsible and unverified forwards. In today’s age it is so easy to morph images and create videos that are anything but the truth. The speed with which people spread misinformation is shocking. Does no one stop to think that sometimes this is mindless propaganda? Does no one question the intent or agenda behind a particular video or text message? One is reminded of a quote by Mark Frost: “Dear Internet: You are very good at spreading rumours. Truth is more valuable and much harder to come by.”

If You Have Nothing Good To Say…

With the cloak of anonymity, social media and trolling have become synonymous. Even otherwise, it is easier to post something on-line which one would never say to a person’s face. Innuendos, name calling and the usual ‘tahri-mahri’ are unfortunately a part of our Parsi WhatsApp groups as well. Fights that were first limited to individuals now become part of a community narrative with some finding entertainment in the give and take and others putting in their two bits for good measure.

During heated exchanges, some forget that children and seniors are also part of such groups. The sensitive few who object, are ridiculed and cowed down or forced to leave the group – bullying in the digital world! There are so, so many other evils of social media that we have embraced – some of these include social media addiction leading to distraction and loss of productivity, compromised privacy and data vulnerabilities, exposure to age-inappropriate content, the promotion of superficial connections leading to social isolation, wastage of resources like time, money and good health, as also mental illnesses.

Research has shown that that those overusing social media tend to perform worse on cognitive tasks compared to moderate social media users. This is because social media competes for your attention, and those who use it heavily have a harder time ignoring the distraction. In fact, the relationship between social media and mental health is complicated. While it can help users grow community and explore creative expression, there are studies showing that heavy social media usage has been known to cause harm contributing to anxiety, body dysmorphia, disordered eating, self-harm and depression.

Social Media is a gift to the modern world. It is a powerful tool and can be used to harness the power of communication and information or when misused, it can be extremely destructive. It is entirely up to us to choose to use it for good.