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I hear these words often each day. After all, we are living in a technological age. Day after day, we see content being generated and posted on the world wide web for many to see. Sometimes, what is being put out is substandard. Some things are very interesting and challenge us to do more investigation on the topic as well as rediscover ourselves. Some content is sheer brilliance and makes us laugh. Others are just plain dunce.

One such case of idiotic behaviour is the Jump Challenge (created in 2020) which has claimed the lives of a few youngsters. It has also left a few others injured. If you haven’t heard of it, Google it. The Ministry of Education in Jamaica put out a bulletin, urging administrations to be aware of what was happening and advising students not to engage in this activity.

Now, maybe initially, the originators of the challenge thought it was light-hearted fun and trendy. However, the implications of this challenge were not thought through. Some of these challenges and trends come as trojan horses. They may look harmless and fun but are dangerous at the core. All things are permissible but not all things are beneficial.

It is important, therefore, to investigate these challenges that pop up, no matter who they come from. NASA, who started the Broom Challenge (created in 2020), concurs with this statement. The organization gave scientific evidence as to why a broom would stand by itself on February 10, 2020. After it trended on social media, they issued a statement that it was a harmless hoax which shows why it is important for all of us to do fact-checking and research. They also tweeted “Basic physics works every day of the year, not just February 10th”. The savagery…

Therefore, in the case of challenges and trends, examine the activity. Ask yourself the hard questions. Investigate its origins. Establish the pros and cons of participating. Filter out what you consume. Will your life be improved if you participate? It is okay if you do not follow everything propagated online. Some things are not worth your time or energy. Better yet, they are not worth your life or livelihood. The movement of the crowd in a direction does not mean they are going the right way.

I appeal to content creators and those who wish to start a challenge.  Please do something that will uplift people, not harm them. “Likes” and “Follows” will not make you a better person. It just exposes how shallow we are as humans. Therefore, educate the masses. Inspire people. Make them laugh. Leave an indelible make on them. Choose to contribute to the well-being of individuals. We are counting on you.

^{Photo by Ajala Kings (IG: @ajalakings)}