A generation of poor communication.

Considering all the improvements and the sempiternal evolution of technology, one would be certain that even the general population's communication skills are as sharp as the spear that was utilized by King Shaka Zulu to eliminate his enemies.

We perceive how it has become simpler for long distance relatives to communicate daily, or even people from different continents to interact, but it becomes more difficult for people in the same vicinity to communicate. How odd! Notice how most public spaces are filled with people but only a few face-to-face conversations take place. Individuals who are glued to their smartphones and those who got their earphones on are ubiquitous in such vicinities. Every creature was created to communicate with others, in this world. We can hear different sounds made by animals of the same species whenever they're in the same place or trying to reach one another if separated, but humans would rather indulge in silence, not because that's what they want but their egos are a barrier that prevents communication.

If you could browse different people's timelines on social media, you'd swear they are good communicators and they have great connections, considering their networks but, in reality, those networks remain a matter of the cyber world and nothing more. Most relationships with close friends and relatives are ruined by the false belief that one owns the world by having a swollen head due to the number of likes and shares they get on their status updates or posts. Social networks have become a place where most people create their imaginary fans and haters, even if they have no careers. Those platforms were created for us to interact in a positive way and also promote our brands and whatever we're working on in order to get recognition, to connect with long distance relatives and also create new friends and connect the world, but the opposite is what actually takes place. Most people vocalize their opinions, some are generally accepted and others breed cyber cold wars. What's really an irony is the fact that most of the internet's Goliaths are the total opposite in real life. Social media is one of the major influences of our generation's lifestyle and it is also a predominant cause of most suicides, low self-esteems and people's thumbs also give social media the power to turn strangers into enemy...how odd! We live in the world of self-consciousness and excessive love of materials.

Other teens are battling depression, some have anxiety which deprives them a chance to be somebody in real life, therefore social media is the best place to be somebody, besides the druglord's door. Some girls, post semi-naked photos hoping to gain popularity and positive feedback, but the reality is that they end up getting negative comments from the cyberbullies. Others who are battling anxiety end up lowering their self-esteems further when they also don't get that social media fame, they had anticipated. To actually see that we're a generation of poor communication, irregardless of our better and improved communication tools, look at how most African women at the malls or any public places are always frowning when walking by themselves as a defensive mechanism to prevent a certain kind of men or people, in general from attempting to communicate with them. Look at how most young men frown whenever they walk past their fellow Africans, in order to symbolize toughness and strength. We're convinced that smiling at people and waving would make us appear puny. This generation is living a quite odd paradox, if you take a good look at it. We want new friends and large networks but we abhor people, or even something as simple as saying "Hi" to a stranger.

Our egos are precariously close to being obese, considering how much we feed them. Everyone wants to be important, these days. Should we blame these social networks for bringing us closer to our celebrities to a point whereby we end up feeling like them, we end up inducing ourselves that we're too important to greet others, and that people will come to us instead of us putting an effort to connect with them? Materialism is also a barricade that prevents most strangers from interacting, therefore chances of building rapport and a relationship, dwindle. Young women who live in townships, who barely make an income have set these imbecilic standards that are ruling their lives. Most of these young girls have devoted their lives to only interact with men who are in possession of materials that are appealing to them, and eschew those who have no source of income like them or those who are still climbing the ladder. Unfortunately, it's the reality of most townships.

This ridiculous culture of people who alter materials into their compandres, is one of the barricades that prevent communication from taking place. Every event that occurs each day, every successful business that has a higher percentage of customer satisfaction, every laws that rule states, countries and cities are all made possible by effective communication. In order for a company or any business to prosper, the server has to consider the complaints, suggestions and views of how they can ameliorate their products or services from their patrons, the process of teaching and learning is also the same-When the teacher talks, the student listens, when the student talks, the teacher listens. If both talk simultaneously or both mute their views and knowledge, do you think there'd be progress for both parties who are intending to exchange knowledge? The answer is pretty obvious... We may blame the new technology and free wi-fi for the poor communication skills that most individuals of this generation have but the truth is the problem lies in us, each of us who allow their egos to get a bigger portion of their souls, most of us who are devoted to this imbecilic belief that makes us interact with a selective group of people and most of us who are talking about people instead of talking to them, those are few factors we should scrutinize first before we lambast and offering other non-living objects the title of being the author of all this rife poor communication that engulfs our African communities.

Take a moment to think what we would have learned from each other and what we would've achieved as a collective had we were united and communicated effectively with each other... I bet your list is being augmented by each thought that strikes your calvaria tool. Now take a moment to ask yourself what is it that's hindering our emancipation, and mostly our success as an African race? Communication is the most important skill that every live human, including ancestors, should have. If we lack the most significant skill that makes it easier for humans to live together in peace and harmony, then how are going to progress as a nation? What will happen to other generations after us? The nation will be stagnant. Information and opportunities will not be exchanged, quarrel will supersede laughter and jubilation...it will be an utter calamity! Which is one of the reasons why social networks are dominated by hate, cyberbullying and everything that does nothing but damage or cause harm to the minds and self-esteem of most young black children in Azania and globally, today. We don't communicate at all, all we do is vocalize our opinions and then bludgeon everyone who opposes those opinions with all sorts of hate speeches or, even worse, have strangers throwing hateful comments that'll rob us our self-esteem-Others even commit suicide over cyberbullying.

What would we lose if we would develop a habit of asking our interlocutors to rephrase or repeat their statement if we did not comprehend, the first time? What would hurt us if we learn to be unequivocal when we're communicating? What would hurt us if we ask how others feel, how well they are without asking them about their current job or financial statuses? What would we lose if we learn to greet every African we come across at shopping complexes, the streets, at the passage that is used as a shortcut, at churches, actually, everywhere where an African is present? A preponderance of Africans, including I would be paralyzed by those questions yet we seek and find every reason to hate one another. What a calamity! We invest our energy in nurturing our fear, instead of escaping from those shells and walk through the path of love that's no longer overpopulated as it was back in the days of slavery, colonization and apartheid. That's it! Maybe, physical oppression is the only thing that can bring Africans together because Democracy seems to have bred a nation of archipelago.

We need to start expressing ourselves effectively, and we should also not be quick to react. Love is communication. Without communication we're a doomed nation.