When Silence Speaks!?

Author: أحمد صيام

When silence speaks, letters crowd to form irregular crosswords, whispers resonate against the walls of hearts that can no longer accommodate the noise of a life lived for ages in a prolonged manner over the days. Hearts have hardened to the fate of a people that has become a herd, lost between a stalled public matter and a scattered private affair!! Silence, when it speaks, thunders its voice in hopes of penetrating deaf ears, but to no avail, as these lost sheep endure their suffering without being heard. This silence has been inscribed in phrases written with blood that bleeds daily without stopping, hoping to find someone who can stop this bleeding!!

So is silence the end of the road after many attempts to inform them of what they do not understand when silence broke its silence? Or will it be followed by an awakening for treatment? Or will silence remain the master of the situation in the face of indifference towards public affairs?

These are questions exchanged daily among social media users, especially in WhatsApp and Instagram groups, where most members complain about the circumstances and data within the same circle. Will these groups manage to effectively utilize social media, which is just a silence that speaks, to bring about the required change and break free from the brainstorming circle towards igniting public opinion and urging it to move, allowing these groups to pierce deaf ears with their voice? Or will they remain entrenched in the brainstorming framework and merely exchange ideas among themselves, perhaps intertwined with lamentation and a plethora of sighs, making them nothing more than a tempest in a teapot!!
Unquestionably, social media alone does not constitute the main factor for change in society, but it can become an important factor in perceiving painful truths and creating another reality that aligns with the life demands sought by the masses, by first building and forming awareness, leading to a significant contribution to the desired change.
Previous experiences in our surroundings have confirmed the importance of social media, some of which have even succeeded to an extent in affecting the heart of ruling systems in several countries, by providing a platform for expressing opinions, organizing protests, increasing political awareness, and mobilizing crowds to resist injustice and overturn it, no matter how oppressive the tyrant may be. This was achieved after social media succeeded in transcending traditional frameworks, especially conventional official media, enabling citizens to participate in mapping out a new roadmap indicative of the positive new atmospheres they seek.
Social media has consistently brought about a fundamental transformation in the political environment, and its role has not been limited to interaction among active national and political figures or accessing information. It has also been used to tip the scales in favor of whoever will occupy the helm.
The truth that everyone must realize is that to bring about the desired change, there must first be a change in mindsets and mentalities, to strengthen a hesitant will that fears the repercussions following it since the will is capable of effecting change. The internet revolution and its resulting branches, including social media, are merely a stimulus for enhancement, but only if employed positively leading to practical steps that go beyond brainstorming and emotional emptying.
Social media has proven when it emerges from the sphere of silence, its effectiveness in addressing the neglect of those in power, forcing them to find solutions, even if partial, that alleviate the severity of suffering after public engagement and raising issues important to their daily lives, turning them into a public opinion matter.
Therefore, opinion leaders and social media magnates are called upon to employ their intellect and seek mechanisms to convey it to the minds of others, stepping out of the realm of chatter into the realm of impactful action, applying experiences from those who came before us to our decaying conditions, and initiating an intensive awareness campaign to awaken the broad populace from slumber, even if necessary, supporting this with direct communications, pushing and pressuring for demands to improve the rhythm of life in all its political, economic, and social aspects, to fill a void that existing tools are unable or reluctant to fill, and to raise awareness on how to deal with potential issues that may arise with those resisting change and counter-movements, as well as beneficiaries of the perishing current situation, which serves only a small and exposed group. However, due to the absence of the silent majority, they dominate decision-making and reap benefits, most of which are illegitimate, unearned, and far from the moans and groans of the masses.