Tahsen Alqatawni
3 min readJun 21, 2023

The Age of Triviality

The Age of Triviality is a term used to describe the current era we are living in, which is marked by an overwhelming amount of shallow, superficial, and trivial content. This age of triviality was prophesized by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who warned us of the dangers of immorality, oversimplification, and decadence. Alain Deneult’s book, “Banality System,” also highlights the same concerns and presents the idea that we are living in a unique period of human history where leadership is detached from those with true leadership qualities and instead has fallen into the hands of trivial individuals.

The impact of this age of triviality on society is profound. The world is becoming a crowded abyss, where the masses are pulled towards triviality and debasement. The disintegration of ethical and moral frameworks is leading to a society that is devoid of values and principles. The triviality that prevails is donning the garb of immorality, degradation, oversimplification, and frivolousness, leading to the disintegration of ethical systems.

One of the main drivers of this age of triviality is media and social media. These platforms are flooded with banal content that perpetuates a culture of shallowness and superficiality. Social media algorithms are designed to promote content that generates the most engagement, which often means trivial content that appeals to the lowest common denominator. This has resulted in a race to the bottom, where the most outrageous and sensational content rises to the top, while genuine expertise and qualifications are overlooked.

To redirect attention towards individuals with true qualifications and genuine expertise who can make a positive impact on society, we need to start by recognizing the problem. We need to acknowledge that the current system is broken and is not serving the best interests of society. We need to start valuing expertise and knowledge over triviality and sensationalism.

One way to achieve this is by promoting critical thinking and media literacy. We need to teach people how to distinguish between genuine expertise and superficiality. We need to teach people how to recognize bias and propaganda and how to evaluate sources of information critically. By empowering people with these skills, we can create a more informed and engaged society that values expertise and knowledge.

Another way to redirect attention towards individuals with true qualifications and genuine expertise is by creating platforms that promote quality content. We need to create platforms that prioritize expertise and knowledge over triviality and sensationalism. We need to create platforms that reward quality content and genuine expertise, rather than the most outrageous and sensational content.

In conclusion, the Age of Triviality is a real concern that is impacting society in profound ways. Media and social media are perpetuating banality and triviality, leading to the disintegration of ethical and moral frameworks. To redirect attention towards individuals with true qualifications and genuine expertise, we need to promote critical thinking and media literacy and create platforms that prioritize quality content and genuine expertise. By doing so, we can create a more informed and engaged society that values expertise and knowledge and works towards a better future.

Banality System