(161): Social media fame: A quick take

Too many people desperately seek cheap popularity on social media (SM). They include socialites, self-identified religious scholars and ordinary people. The first category, such as Murja Ibrahim, doesn't surprise me. Their followers astonish me. But the second and third categories astound me.

The "religious scholars" mindlessly chase fame (and fortune) on SM today. It's common to see a benighted person countering an established scholar over what he barely understands. I came across one a while ago trying to debunk a theological discourse using baseless claims. He struggled to recite the Qur'an before him.

The third category hides behind "catching cruise", whatever that means. Someone shared that viral tweet by parody accounts of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg yesterday. People called his attention to the fact that they were parody accounts. He admitted knowing that but added that he was only "catching cruise". What is that, for God's sake?

Fame can be a heavy load to carry, but it can also be a powerful tool for good. It can equally deceive you into believing that "you made it" in life while you are, in fact, still a neophyte, a nobody. Thus, don't chase or catch it if you are not ready or capable of handling it skillfully.

And, yes, remember that famous or not, it doesn't matter in the end. You may lose your popularity while still alive, which hurts so much, according to many people.

Also, remember death. Try to leave good digital footprints, traces your loved ones will be proud of after you are gone. It's difficult to do that if you only care about fame and nothing but fame.

Let's focus more on creating meaningful connections instead. The number, large or small, should not bother you. May we be guided, amin.

Muhsin