A Clap for a Clap Makes the Whole Community Dumb
Medium’s untold consequences
This story is useless for most of the writers here, as Medium is a community of highly talented and genuine writers.
It is also a wonderful platform for beginners to start their journey.
But yesterday, while browsing YouTube on my large screen, I came to know that there are some Facebook groups that are providing views and claps for your story.
And I was like: Why?!
What is the need for those social media communities?
A fictional story of yours
Think of a scenario where you and your friend Jack are working with the same firm at the same rank. You both are working hard, and you are smarter than Jack, as per the feedback from the higher management.
You are the most dedicated person in your work domain. You don’t believe in wasting your time on office politics and gossip.
On the contrary, Jack is a people person who prioritizes spending time with office colleagues. He believes that networking is the only way to go up the office hierarchy.
One fateful day, while having your coffee and drafting an email, you heard a noise of celebration outside your cabin. There you saw people celebrating the promotion of Jack and there it was: a smile of the devil on Jack’s face.
You congratulated him and, at the same time, felt a shrinkage in your heart. It felt like the entire world was unfair, but you somehow braced yourself to face reality.
Three months later
There was a meeting with foreign delegates where Jack was leading your team. You were a part of that team. You were the most important intellectual asset, and everyone knows that, including Jack.
However, during the meeting, the client inquired about inconsistencies in recent product delivery. And everyone, including Jack, appeared clueless.
It looked like Jack’s reputation was at stake as a team leader. But for you, working for that company is your dream job.
So, you chose to explain to the client in the most efficient way, and they seemed to be satisfied with your explanation.
At the end of the day, Jack came to you and thanked you for saving his a*s with a humble smile on his face.
It was not a significant event in your life, but you still felt a sense of pride in yourself.
The next day, you observed a positive, refreshing difference in your team’s approach towards you. You commanded respect from your peers in the most deserving way.
Now ask yourself, “Do you really want to be another Jack?”
If your answer is YES, then congratulations! I have no message to convey to you.
But if your answer is NO. Then you are a person of integrity who radiates your sincerity. There is no doubt that you will succeed in both your work and your personal life.
People will be attracted to you for the very reason of your existence, and you will not need to spend time networking personally to lure them towards your den.
Final thoughts
Before you become rationally defensive about the importance of networking, let me assure you that I am not against it.
I believe it is an essential tool for moving forward in your career.
But when you join a social media group solely to validate your work, you ought to think twice.
There is a high chance that you will start clapping for other stories and respond mindlessly, just for the sake of reciprocation.
This will have an adverse impact on your thinking and creativity. You may lose your identity as a writer. After a while, you’ll find yourself caught up in the rat race of writers, where fame and fortune are the only things that matter.
So, joining any social media group for validation has its dark and ugly side, which cannot be ignored.
You need to be alert while networking through these groups.
Thank you for reading.
Feel free to clap, respond, and follow.
Have a nice day!
