It seems there is an insatiable need for quite a few people to live their lives for hype instead of lives of substance. Unfortunately, it is a trend that can be observed especially among the younger generation. This need of always wanting to be in the spotlight is not only unhealthy, but also very destructive. With the advent of social media, the ability to share, like and love posts, pictures and a host of other information has somehow seemed to have given birth to a new wave of narcissism. Just a few days ago I came across a post a young lady with some amount attitude asking why no one liked the picture she had posted on facebook about an hour before. At first glance, this may seem an elementary reaction to something posted, but I found it somewhat disturbing because it was a symptom of a bigger problem. It seems to me that this young lady’s self-worth was directly linked to how many persons like her photograph, this for me was cause for concern.
Recording artiste Chronixx recently did a song in which he points out that “mi dweet fi di luv, mi dweet fi di likes” is entirely appropriate for this discussion. Though he mostly speaks to his profound passion for music as a vocation, I find that his words can be applied to so many other areas of life. Life is more than the hype if we intend to indulge in lives of self-gratification without substance or positive contribution, then humanity is doomed. Unfortunately, the world is sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss of pleasing self above all things. It is therefore not surprising to see individuals young and old alike more concerned about living in the moment of temporary fame and fortune rather than making any meaningful contribution to life. There is a me, myself and I attitude towards in every other person that we meet whether in the boardroom, school, church or on the streets. No one wonder we are plagued by so many social problems, where we see people only live for themselves it is difficult to find the value in others existence.
The hype is where it’s nothing else matters so long as I can indulge pleasure there is little need to feel responsible for anyone or anything. We witness it on the various social media platforms each day there is selfie-syndrome, selfie-infection, selfie-titis, selfie- sleep deprivation and many other by-products of the selfie virus which has resulted in a chronic deficiency of common sense. It’s all about being famous for the moment, being the flavour of the day or shining in the spotlight until the next trendy thing appears o the scene. Where does it end? Why is it so difficult for people to realise that there is so much to life than living for the hype? No one who has ever lived for the hype has been able to sustain it forever. Even if we had all the money in the world to maintain the hype lifestyle, we would eventually become old, tired and worn out.
The hype is deceptive it creates false ideas, fake friends, unrealistic expectations and a myriad of other things that are just too good to be true. The hype will have many people dressed confidently in the emperor’s new clothes convince they are walking hand in hand with puss in boots. The hype takes no prisoners when it is done with us it merely disposes us like old rags and yet, so many allow themselves to be caught in its web. The hype never stops when we are dead and gone from this with our bones rotting away in the graveyard the hype will be around to captivate unsuspecting souls.
There is more to life than the hype, in the words of Chronixx “mi seh substance ova hype”. The measure of our lives must be seen in the contributions we make to humanity, not the hyped lives we live. Those who live to serve others will be remembered long after they have departed their works on even in death. The hype though enjoyable does not supply long-term fulfilment, it will hold our attention a while, but most times ends in disappointment and distress. Choose substance over hype, make living mean more than just passing through, whatever we do we must “dweet fi di luv an nuh dweet fi di likes”.
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