Sometimes I wonder what people stand to gain when they spread lies and untrue stories. Do they even know the side effect of the lies they put out there? I guess no, if they do they wouldn't have gone that far to put out those untrue stories.
No doubt,the internet is really a blessing to humanity, if you're living in this present day world you would agree with me on this. But then so many people have now seen it as a tool to spread rumours and lies about people.
It is very easy to use the internet to destroy people lives in split seconds, anything that goes out there spreads like wide fire. Those who are victims are still trying to wash themselves clean from the mess they have been dragged into.
It's also important I mention that the internet is not the only medium through which fake news is aired. People also spread fake new via calls, text, direct conversation and the likes. I have an experience along this line and am going to be sharing right away.
My experience.
I came back from school one afternoon even as a very young boy then and as usual I was very tired and famished just like every other student whose school seems to be very far from home.
After eating and relaxing, I decided to check on one of our neighbors who we regarded as a big brother then because of the way he took us and the way he related with us. We called him bros, you know that usual street title we give to those older than us... smiles.
I greeted him that afternoon and we got talking and then he was like... Do you know your Daddy has just bought a new car? I was like really? I couldn't believe my ears. I started processing the information in my mind. Could this be true.
He then continued by saying he even drove it to the house this afternoon, he left few hours before your arrivals. This got me. Oh my! bros painted the stories and made it so real. In my little mind I couldn't hold it to myself, I had to tell people around me about it in excitement.
I really wanted my Dad to buy a car then, I mean who wouldn't want to live a comfortable life. I wanted to be among those who who go out there and talk about their Dad's car. I started imagining how he would drive us to church, schools and other functions.
After the long discussion with Bros. I left feeling happy even as a young boy as at then. I know he must have laughed at me for being so naive and gullible but what would you have a little boy like me do. I then began to expect my dad's arrival in his car, or should I say our car that evening because my dad always come back in the evening around 8 or 9pm.
I sat outside the house looking at every car coming towards my direction. I sat there for hours just to hear a honk or a car zooming in, none of that happen until I saw a huge large figure walking down towards the house on foot.
"This is my dad", I said to myself.
Where is his car? Is anything wrong...
I couldn't hide my shock and surprise. I had to wait for him to shower and eat the food prepared for him before asking him the question that was now a time bomb in my mind,waiting to explode. "Where is your car dad?
I was told you bought a car..."
"Who said so"?, my dad replied and then I said bros, in that same breath, I recounted to him all bros said and then he smiled. At this point I knew it was all lies. I felt foolish even as a young boy.
How could I have believed in the first place. This affected me emotionally.
Since then I had never swallowed stories hook,line and sinker. There is always this reservation I have for stories that I have not truly verified just for the sake of sanity. I learnt it the hard way though because it wasn't soft.
Everything bros told me was a big lie afterall.
Thanks for your time. Gracias!