LET'S TALK
The Macaca Incident
In August 2006, a career-ending incident occurred. Sen. George Allen was on his campaign trail in Virginia, USA, almost about to win a re-election bid, when he casually said the following words:
“Let’s give a welcome to ‘Macaca’ here,” he said pointing towards the camera. “Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia.”
Behind the camera was S. R. Sidarth, a 20-year-old volunteer for Allen’s opponent, who had taken to filming Allen’s events. An Indian-American and the only brown face in a crowd full of white people, Sidrath posted the video of Sen. George Allen on YouTube. YouTube was barely a year old then.
Previously, when a Politician or a celebrity said something so outrageous and offensive as the word "Macaca," it required journalists to report on it. Then it would be shared on TV, radio, and Newspapers for it be seen. Then it will take about a day or two for a corresponding response to begin to surface.
But few hours after Sidrath posted the video on YouTube, the video gathered thousands of views and it immediately became a downward slope for the senator.
Sen. George Allen advisors and strategists, skilled the age-long tactics of campaigning, shifted the goal posts. At first, they denied the senator ever said such word. Then, they said he didn't use the word as a slur. Then, they said he said "Mohawk" referring to Sidrath's hair. All the while, the YouTube video gathered more views.
The problem with the Allen's team manipulations was that immediately Allen's poll plummeted. What was supposed to be a smooth ride for him became a failure. Allen lost at the election eventually. Sidrath, the Macaca, was named Salon’s person of the year. He was referred to as a
symbol of politics in the 21st century, a brave new world in which any video clip can be broadcast instantly everywhere and any 20-year-old with a camera can change the world.
Macaca is a Portuguese word which translates to mean “Monkey.”
Allen never ran for political position again.
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What the Macaca Incident showed the world as far back as 2006 was that with a click of camera, and a simple upload, the whole world can watch a video. A video you may not want the world to see.
Sidrath's camera was a lonely, low quality camera. However, the number of digital devices with cameras that exists this 2020 is estimated to be 50 billion. Most importantly, most of them are connected to the internet. We are at the cusp of an era where nothing is private, there are cameras everywhere.
These devices are linked together in an interconnection on the web. While the camera is obvious, there are other sensors lurking in the background. The GPS which provides information about direction and location is an example.
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Insta-Face
All the models look the same.
When Instagram launched in October 2010, it was clear that the best images were going to be those that banged. Watch how all those you follow look-alike, photos edited in such a way that they popped on the screen. You're in awe. Silenced by the sheer brilliance of the photography. Peppered by the manipulation of the photos.
With Instagram, there was a need to face-lift. The floodgate of Botox was unleashed with even the poorest countries preferring a quick enlargement than an happy meal.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Americans received more than seven million neurotoxin injections in 2018, and more than two and a half million filler injections. That year, Americans spent $16.5 billion on cosmetic surgery; ninety-two per cent of these procedures were performed on women.
What happened? A requirement of standard. There's a way you must look to please the fans. Everyone is going all out for it. Beauty models and an ever growing industry of perfection surged.
We began to look at the body the way we examine investment: potential fall and rise in the stock market and the possibility of a gain in the market cap. What are the investors looking for? What questions would they ask upon physical examinations of the facilities? Will they see the loss of profits or an history of deficient credit? What sides needed to patched before the facility inspection? The business says discard what doesn't bring profit and pivot to what does.
At the end, everyone began to look like the profit.
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Tweet-wars
To visit twitter regularly is to be relieved or plunged into a world of people most comfortable behind their keyboards. Then, in-between, you're left angry or in laughter. The community is vibrant and always talking. There's so much going on in the world. These days, twitter is an official news media.
People have risked their lives tweeting. MARÍA DEL ROSARIO FUENTES RUBIO comes to mind. She tweeted against the Mexican cartels and they tweeted her sad end.
People became the next best thing since sliced bread by tweeting.
Although, we might not be aware that each tweet posted on Twitter carries with it more than sixty-five different elements of metadata. These metadata can be used to track the origin and the movement of each tweet.
Everyone picks up their phone to say something. There's always an opinion, a thought, a negativity, a piece of advice, comic relief, savagery, a brilliance shared. We share our lives. We meet strangers, learn from them or fight them, then go to bed thinking about how none of our original tweets went viral.
What we have failed to ask are: How much of those tweets did we intend to share?
Whenever we pick up the phone, there's a problem, someone is getting savaged, something private is about to be said. What's the main gain? To generate engagement?
We know, anger remains the most potent emotion on social media. We sabotage this in our favour, we use it to generate new pieces of content that are propelled through the same system, setting off additional cascades of fury.
I know we find laughter in the most deadly situations.
Notwithstanding this, there's a large range of tweets that assume the shape of Botox, they look alike. They're modelled as a joke, standards, relationship advice, a lie, a savagery, fake news, disrespect, 18+. What happens is a modelling of a digital track. Which, most times, we are not conscious of.
P.W Singer noted in his book, Likewar,
Twitter, popularity is a function of followers, “likes,” and retweets. Attract lots of attention in a short period of time and you’ll soon find yourself, and any views you push, going viral…
Every social media platform is regulated by such an algorithm. It represents the beating heart of the platform’s business, its most closely guarded treasure. But as the world has come to be ruled by the whims of virality and the attention economy…
There's a need for us to be more intentional about our internet footprints. Who we follow and who follows us. What tweet we like and retweet. What those we follow like and retweet. The algorithm is a large interweb of harshtags, “let's gain followers together,” fff, and kfb.
A Macaca situation is always at your doorstep. How long before it manifest? I don't know.
On Desk
Hit 15 rejections in a jiffy. It surged quickly because February decided to be January. But we are still on it. We move.
Writing out the review of the book I mentioned in my last newsletter. I am of the believe that some white people feel they have licence to write us the way they want because they control the means of publication to a large extent. Girl by Edna O'Brien is a barrage of inaccuracies, misrepresentations, and a product of an author who's fading out, performing the story of the Boko Haram girls for her white readers. Try to be close. This book wasn't even trying.
If you have links or ideas on where I can materials on Bashorun Gaha and the Old Oyo Empire, holla.
Musa's Gate
There are people saying that Coronavirus, with another name, appeared in a Novel as far back as 1981. Well, make of it what you want.
2. 8th wonder of the world. I really think this smuggler made them find these as a kind of diversion for a bigger contraband. If not, I can't wrap my head around this desperation. Well, when you don't wire, there's little footprint. That too.
3. It's true that God does wonderful things when you least expect them. But, I don't really know, did God do this? You tell me.
Public service announcement:
Coronavirus is now in Nigeria, keep you, your family and friends safe.
Final words
Apologies that this edition came late. Had a little issue with my Substack and work generally.
So, that wraps up this episode. What do you think? Drop it in the comment section.
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Thank you!
Did you see the post about our generation being the stupidest and weakest(physically). Were like zombies, following trends as they come and go. Anyways.... good work is an understatement. Don't be late again, we might not be so forgiving next time☻