A ticking time bomb in your home?

I DON'T wish to sound alarmist but parents should beware of early signs of addiction to social media among younger members of the family. We all saw what happened in faraway Nepal just two weeks ago, and it could happen just about anywhere, even here in our own country.

You see, Nepal was once an oasis of tranquility. The birthplace of Lord Buddha, it was recently rated the second most peaceful nation in south Asia. That image now lies in tatters after deadly protests toppled the government, with parliament houses ablaze and widespread rioting through the streets leaving over 70 people killed.

Who set Nepal on fire?

While many commentators place the blame on high unemployment and rampant corruption, others point fingers at the so-called Gen Z youth in the country (those born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s) because the authorities had snatched away their "favourite toy" - social media. Now, the question is being asked whether this could happen in other countries as well.

As journalist Rohith Chakrateertha put it: "When that toy is snatched away, how does a pampered child behave? The child screams, throws tantrums, rolls on the floor, kicks and cries... Nothing matters until the toy is back in his hands."

He places the blame solely at the hands of the parents - for pampering their children. Ruthless in his criticism of this slavish addiction to social media, Chakrateertha asks: "Do you see Gen Z with books in their hands? No. You only see them with phones, buried in reels, in endless comedy clips, body shaming, brainless stand-ups, and shallow content."

Thousands of hours of their lives wasted in consuming garbage, making celebrities out of nobodies.

And he warns: "Nepal is not far away. Nepal is here, inside your home, inside your family, inside your child. The time bomb is ticking."

Does the journalist have a point or is he just being alarmist? You be the judge.

Confession time for Cyril

When I last looked, the DA's John Steenhuisen was smiling smugly like some cat that had just swallowed the canary. His good fortune arrived when, quite out of the blue, his political rival, President Cyril Ramaphosa stood up at an ANC gathering last week to make a confession his supporters would not have wanted to hear - that their party had much to learn from the DA opposition.

You could hardly hear a pin drop as the president waved an admonishing finger at those ANC-controlled municipalities and their councillors who failed to deliver even the most basic services to people. And he went further, admitting the municipalities that did best in the country were not ANC-controlled, but their GNU rivals, the DA.

"We need to ask ourselves, what is it that they are doing that we are not doing."

Some ANC heavyweights tried hard to shift the narrative, saying Ramaphosa's words had been taken out of context. A few ANC councillors, who were present at the gathering, while accepting the president's criticism, were miffed that he appeared to be promoting the DA. But the damage was done.

I bet Steenhuisen and the federal chairperson of the DA, Helen Zille must be licking their lips with glee at this surprise bonanza, delivering as it does welcome ammunition to their campaign for next year's municipal polls. No, there is absolutely no truth to any rumours that Ramaphosa is about to party hop.

Last stop

Okay, it's now official - that old tradition of wives taking their husband's surname has been revised. Husbands in South Africa can now legally use their wives' family name if they so wished. It all comes far too late for me. Had I chosen to act on the change in the law, I would become Dennis Reddy in future. Would that perhaps enhance my chances of inheriting some small change from Vivian's treasure trove? Just asking...

Dennis Pather is a retired newspaper editor, author and columnist. Email him at [email protected]

From newsroom gofer to award-winning editor, join South African media legend Dennis Pather on a fascinating trip down memory lane in his captivating memoir, Copy Boy. This heartwarming journey takes you inside the newsroom, filled with laughter, hard-earned wisdom, and the power of family. As a special offer, readers of POST can now get a copy of CopyBoy, for just R100. WhatsApp 078 593 0585 for delivery details or 083 452 2831 for direct collection.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. 

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