Are you just squawking?

There have been a lot of posts recently about stories about people in the Olympics. Some of them are even based on facts. But most have been from who I call Squawkers, people who post because they are emotionally triggered by the first line and act based on an emotional knee-jerk response.

This is not storytelling: typically, we call this gossip, brain-dead responses or just squawking. Squawking is just that, making noise based on emotion with little to no intelligence, research or thought. Sadly, these types of posts ignite other squawkers, and the noise gets bigger, and all the social media algorithms react similarly. Squawking creates more squawkers, and the noise escalates exponentially.

The right response is to use what we have that is different to other species: intelligence. Intelligence and the ability to emotionally pause before we respond. We have this unique ability, yet most seem to have lost the keys to this door. We all can pause when triggered. Assess the situation. Use our imagination to develop multiple scenarios. Then select the correct one based on our desired outcome. Then act accordingly. If only.

But until then the meme posted by Graeme Codrington this week that stated “Be a Voice, not an Echo” will mostly fall on deaf ears and the squawking will continue.

A voice has the power to educate, enhance, and edify facts of uniqueness into the abyss of ignorance and help to spark new insight.

May your voice today be strong, educated and well-researched, not just an echo of a squawk.