We now have more than pseudointellectuals to deal with.
More than ever, I have seen arrogant
intellectualism play out across the Arts, from music to books to films.
People will banter and loudly or subtly insult the choices that others make. They will pick a genre, place it on a high pedestal, and decide that every other person who does not share that taste, or does not share it with equal passion, has chosen unworthier paths.
For example, we find on the social media space, that alte music fans clash with fans of other genres, and both parties never fail to disrespect the subjectiveness of taste. Some members of the alte fans will call the others loud, followers of noisy music lacking content in lyrics, the others will retaliate by inviting them to a game of numbers and popularity.
I remember reading through a book thread on Twitter where people were listing “overrated books/authors”. A reader was agreeing with all until their favorite was mentionned, then the others suddenly were unintelligent for daring the inclusion.
Films? Lets not go there, reviews now carry statements like ‘anyone who enjoyed that movie is brainless’. We find a movie that didn’t quite tick it for us, and project our anger on people who found it thrilling in entirety.
Art doesn’t deserve criticism? It does. Criticism is good.
But you will take an unconstructive swipe at the work, then take a nastier swipe at the consumers who like the work, na so rofo rofo dey take start.
Art is life.
We find our joy, our entertainment, our inspirations, our learning points, our coping mechanisms, a lot more, in it.
Choices are great, all choices are valid.
Nobody is above or beneath others by virtue of their tastes. Nobody deserves to have a swipe take at their choices, nobody deserves spiteful/careless adjectives over what they have liked enough and found connection to.
I repeat, na so rofo rofo dey start.
Make no mistake, sometimes it is unintentional. You find a person innocently explaining how a thing doesn’t work for them, but the thing is when the words have left, the interpretation of it is barely in our hands.
Then some people will read, if they hate the walk-away option, the how-dare-you demon whispers in their ears, screaming at them to scream ‘Your Fada!’ at the other person, the assuring beginning of more expletives.
The how-dare-you demon is a multitasker -with the ability to possess persons at the same time, so an insult given becomes an insult replied. Everybody’s Fada sits in their homes, chopping bullets from battlefields they know nothing about.
Our people said that the Eagle and the Kite should fly, and the one that says the other should not, may their wings break.
So we know the wash-rinse-repeat keeps happening, we know what is provocative. Why won’t we stop? Why won’t we have respectful exchanges and dialogues?
Maybe, we like the squabbles.
Achalugo.
ACHALUGO'S 