Mass Social Dysfunction

Mass Social Dysfunction

dysfunctional junction

This post has been percolating away for a while and I have been in two minds whether I should write it and actually post it or not. The reason for this is because it is not marketing focussed at all – although there is a tie back to the social media industry (which you will have to wait until the end of this post for). So here goes…

Johannesburg residents have always had this attitude of having to take care of themselves first and stuff anyone who gets in their way… And it’s getting worse… I am not saying that this attitude is the root cause of the Dysfunction; but it certainly isn’t helping…

Let me first set the scene by listing a selection of the behavior on the road which used to be the exception (reserved for BMW & taxi drivers):

  • Not stopping at a red traffic light
  • Using the yellow lane as a personal playground in rich hour
  • Using the above and then crossing from the far left all the way to the right hand lane to turn right
  • Skipping past the 20 some cars sitting in the turning lane and then using the straight only land to make ANOTHER turning lane
  • Using hazard flashers as the “get out of jail card” for stopping anywhere and everywhere

What has caused this attitude to become the norm? Are we really that self-absorbed that we think that the rules don’t apply to us?
I am not saying that I am above reproach on this, we have all been guilty of bending a few rules when it suits us… But there is bending and then there is breaking and blatantly disregarding!

To a degree this behavior can be traced back to how we act on social networks – there’s the link! Everyone online has an opinion and we give that opinion freely – sometime this opinion can be reflected by the hordes of countless minions trolling the social networks and they agree and follow you… Is it this mindless following that automatically converts people into thinking that they are cool demigods. A demigod above the law because @susisweetcheeks27 “Lolled” at my scathing opinion on jellybean vs iOS7… I mean seriously, is that where we get out over-inflated egos from today? Meaningless follower counts that make us seem cool and act as an external source of approval?!

I am not sure whether we can blame our always on lifestyle; our need for constant external approval or our need to belong… What if this is not just a generational phenomenon centered around Johannesburg… What if this is a consequence of the times we are living in where we are uncertain where our futures are going – politically and economically! Maybe this is nothing more than a period of teenage angst in our country from which we will hopefully emerge as a far more mature and stable community – not just individuals…

Whatever the cause and whatever the time frame… We all need to stand together to ensure that we all come out of this in one piece!

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