IT is not easy to wear the hat of a social scientist, and I, for sure, am not one. However, there is something called critical thinking, which, when applied in the right measure and sprinkled with common sense, allows one to deduce certain things. For instance, these days, social media has become the frontrunner in shaping people’s opinions and, of course, providing half-baked information. Its strength and overreach are so phenomenal that I must use social media itself to make a case — ironically — against it.

Lately, mainstream print and electronic journalism is being labelled as ‘legacy media’. This ‘legacy’ media is still far better than social media in terms of the quality of information it provides. There is no argument that mainstream media has its own biases and shortcomings.

Still, it is run by professionals with editorial policies, from language usage to determining what qualifies as frivolous or pertinent to publish, ensuring the highest standards of journalism.

On the other hand, social media lacks journalistic ethics, does not carry verified information, and is not managed by professionals, such as journalists, social scientists, or intellectuals. Anyone can distribute, or even ‘create’ a story — whether true, false, or outright hoax. This unchecked spread of unverified infor-mation is wreaking havoc on the public psyche.

People today feel more ‘informed’ simply because they are constantly exposed to an endless stream of information. However, in reality, they are often misled or presented with fragmented truths devoid of context. Consequently, those who are more vocal, better at presentation, or able to hire people to push their narratives can penetrate more minds, creating a hypnotic effect. The result? A mind filled with noise but devoid of clarity.

This phenomenon is fuelling populism, far-right movements, supremacist tendencies, and a decline in cognitive abilities. Critical thinking is the biggest casualty, and as its absence grows, so does our inability to rationalise issues logically.

In simple terms, we are all getting dumber, while simultaneously becoming more narcissistic. Why narcissistic? Because we live under the growing illusion that we know everything. And, therefore, feel entitled to dismiss any reality check.

Bahadar Ali Khan
Toronto, Canada

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2025