What’s the motivation?

Over the years it has become a trend for people to aim digs at public figures on the social media.

It is not uncommon to see our celebrities on the receiving end of some endless slurs and at times even having damaging allegations levelled against them. Some have been called Satanists, some drug users and some prostitutes.

The agitators of this conduct appear to enjoy every bit of this slandering and they seem to have no regrets in throwing these punches at these personalities. Surprisingly, most of such comments on social media are met with encouraging reactions from their like-minded individuals.

For many, this conduct passes as normal in their eyes. I believe no amount of consideration is paid to the feelings of the people being targeted not least a thought about their extended relations such as their children, spouses, brothers and sisters.

Hell only breaks loose when these celebrities react to such vitriol. That’s now when we see mobs descending on them calling them all sorts of names.

They are labelled as insensitive, lacking respect for their fans, not befitting of the status of a celebrity and all sorts.

Just last week, the social media was awash with a screenshot of a response that musician Namadingo gave to one of his aggressors. People had a field day discrediting his character based on his reaction.

That’s just one example out of a number of many other known personalities who have been fried in the pan of this malicious slander.

Some of the regular targets for this conduct are legendary musician ‘Soldier’ Lucius Banda, hip hop artist Gwamba, socialite Dorothy Kingston and her partner Zeze Kingston and Kell Kay. These people are battered from days on end with no ounce of remorse from their bullies.

It is amazing that the majority seem inclined on the thought that these people are not entitled to any sort of response in the face of all this victimisation. Don’t they have feelings?

For starters these people are just humans like the rest of us. Their only sin probably is that courtesy of their craft and trade they achieved a status which many of us don’t have. Again, does that warrant them to be subjected to all these whips at any turn?

Granted, people have natural preferences and that is the same when it comes to choosing which artist to align with. It is normal for one to like or dislike someone’s art.

It therefore becomes easier for one just to ignore the particular personalities you don’t like. It doesn’t make sense for one to take the trouble of going all the way to like someone’s Facebook page and follow them all for purposes that you can be castigating them at your whim and expect to get nothing back.

Likewise one cannot lose anything if they can confine themselves to a lane which they feel comfortable in. Identify yourself with the artists you adore and pamper them in any way you can.  That would make everyone feel better I believe.

Some of the conduct displayed by many on social media just points at lack of responsibility upon oneself. It is important to remember that every single we spill on that platform has a bearing and there will always be a day when you will be called to account for it.

Maybe hitting back is not even enough. These celebrities need to evoke the cyber bullying laws and get authorities act on these trolls. Maybe then, some will start taking responsibility for their actions.