The Age of Intelligence, The Era of Foolishness

As an educator who engages daily with young minds and observes the evolving patterns of digital behavior, I often wonder about the kind of content that is shaping our thinking today.

I watched a video that made me question how ruthlessly people chase attention, going to any extent for applause, often at the cost of their own dignity, and in the process, reducing themselves to mere performers, clowns for the sake of fleeting public amusement.

The digital world is no longer a distant space; it is an immediate influence, silently forming attitudes, values, and perceptions. What we consume is gradually becoming what we accept. And what we accept, over time, defines who we become.

We live in what we proudly call the digital age. An era defined by artificial intelligence, rapid innovation, and limitless access to knowledge. Humanity has never been more connected, more informed, or more technologically advanced. And yet, scroll for a few minutes on platforms like Instagram or YouTube, and a different reality unfolds.

You will see people turning their personal lives into public spectacles. Husbands and wives insulting each other for entertainment. Mock fights, staged humiliation, and sometimes even disturbing portrayals of violence, all packaged as “content.” What should remain private is performed openly. What should be treated with dignity is reduced to a tool for engagement.

It is not creativity. It is not expression. It is performance without purpose. In otherway its nothing but foolishness.  At the heart of this lies a simple but uncomfortable truth: attention has become a currency. And for many, it is worth more than self-respect.

In the race for views, likes, and followers, people are willingly making a clown of themselves. They exaggerate, they provoke, they degrade, because it works. The algorithm rewards reaction, not integrity. The louder and more controversial the content, the wider its reach.

But the picture is not entirely bleak. Amid this noise, there are creators who choose a different path. There are videos that educate, uplift, and genuinely add value. There are moments of clean humor that make us laugh without crossing the line of dignity. There are voices that inform, inspire, and remind us that technology, when used wisely, can still be a powerful force for good.

These creators prove an important point: you do not have to lose your self-respect to gain attention. You do not have to degrade relationships to entertain. True influence does not come from noise, but from substance.

This contrast makes the issue even clearer. The problem is not the platform. It is the choice of content and the intent behind it.

Technology has advanced, but human discernment must rise with it. We have smarter tools, but we must make wiser choices. Because every view we give is a vote. Every like is an endorsement. Every share is a form of participation.

The question is no longer what the world is becoming. The question is what we are choosing to promote within it. Because no amount of intelligence can compensate for the loss of dignity.

And no era, however advanced, can truly progress if its people are willing to trade their self-respect for a moment of attention.

Don’t applaud when dignity is traded for a moment of attention.
Don’t promote what thrives on the erosion of self-respect.
Don’t uphold content that turns relationships into spectacles.
Don’t normalize behavior that quietly degrades human values.
Don’t celebrate noise that drowns truth and integrity.
Don’t engage with what feeds on humiliation for amusement.
Don’t reward what weakens character in the name of popularity.
Don’t become a silent supporter of what you would never accept in reality.

Dr. Jayaram Paul
Educator, Thinker
Digital Learning Advocate
Certified Cyber Awareness Advocate

ISEA Certified in Cyber Awareness & Responsible Digital Behavior (Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Govt. of India)

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