PARTLY FACETIOUS: The best way forward is to show the rattler that you are not rattled

“Social media attacks can rattle anyone.” “Indeed, but isn’t it important not to let the rattler know that you are rattled?”

“Well depends on your personality, your training, your job description, your…”

“Of course, but tell me what is the percentage of the world’s population that has never been subjected to a rattler?”

“I reckon around 30 to 40 percent of the world’s poor do not access social media – maybe because they don’t have a smartphone, maybe because they don’t have the education to use……”

“OK, and then of course there are an increasing number of governments around the world that have tried to sever the head of the rattler from the rest of its body.”

“What violent imagery! But I guess what you say is accurate. The worst offender is India and the United States is joining the ranks of, how can I put it, intolerant administrations…”

“The US is following us I reckon: from instituting the concept of First Daughter, allegation of rigging by the losing candidate, taking a former president to court as elections near…”

“But…but that was legitimate, in order to preserve the system and…”

“OK, but your basic premise can’t be that whatever you do to preserve your system is good and when any other country takes actions to preserve its system, you condemn it!”

“Your system is bad and mine isn’t!”

“Don’t be facetious, and what about the system of your allies?”

“Enough about Israel, a regional power with massive and sustained US military and financial support. The US is losing its moral high ground and need I add she is facing challenges from the general public of allied governments on its foreign policy failures, and irrespective of who wins the elections, he will further undermine the geopolitical system in place for half a century at least.”

“Losing or lost it completely?”

“I would rate Blinken’s post 7 October performance a lot worse than the Samdhi Greedy for Appointments (GSA).”

“Yep, and I thought no one could be more of a liability than SGA.”

“Anyway the response of the rattled varies according to his/her personality, I mean you can exit a social media network if you are being trolled, you can lodge a complaint with a law enforcement agency, and you can…”

“Ban it though the rattler is a Hydra, with many, many, heads.”

“None to be exact in Greek mythology.”

“Like a cat which has nine lives, right?”

“There is the nine factor, so perhaps don’t show the rattler has rattled you.”

“But if you work in any agency that protects its citizens from lawlessness – be it emanating from within or outside the country – then I reckon the best way forward is to show the rattler that you are not rattled.”

“To err is human to forgive divine, and we are short on divinities in this country.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024