Many times, we've seen situations where social media influencers help people with a camera set up boldly, and people come for them, saying that if they want to help people, they should do so without setting up a camera while doing it. The truth is that humanity does not need a camera when helping someone, but another conflicting truth is that the age we live in now has nothing against such an act. Yes, no matter how you frown at it, you can't wipe off the manner from this age.
What do I mean by that?
We are in the social media era, and life in general has been revolving around social media. Social media has now become a platform where people earn their daily income, and people do all sorts of things to keep the flow going and gain more stable and solid ground. This is why people set up cameras to capture the help they offer to others because it will sell them more, earn them more, and also keep them steady in the flow.
But the question is, do I care if someone who wants to help me decides to set up a camera while doing so?
Hey, I won't lie. I don't mind the camera thing, as long as the help is going to be meaningful to my life. I don't mind; in fact, let them broadcast it in the sky for the whole world to see. I don't care.
This is just like the case of how the rich preach that money doesn't bring happiness. Even though the poor and average earners know this, they'll still prefer to get rich first before they finally agree that money doesn't bring happiness. Isn't that so? Lol.
So, if I'm the clout to be chased and it'll be ultimately beneficial to me, let me be the clout.
For example, there was a time when some top-profile people in the community where I reside were moving around to collect details of small business enterprises that they said the government was going to empower. I was approached, and my details were collected. Although I didn't put much hope in it, considering the fact that they were going to consider indigenes of the community before people like me, if that empowerment programme later materialised and I had to be snapped on camera while receiving the empowerment package, such as cash or working tools of any kind, should I refuse when I know very well that the pictures will be circulated on social media by the body responsible for the empowerment? Nope, I wouldn't do that. The only people who would shun that kind of thing are those who are already made.
Another angle is this:
If the clout chasers are the truly meaningless and desperate ones, like those I often come across on Facebook, where these chronic clout chasers go about offering all manner of help with their cameras set up, such as those moving around offering ₦5,000 under the label of a "poverty alleviation" scheme, you can never find me allowing myself to be used by these sets of people, especially politicians, and particularly at a time like this, when the election is around the corner.
Thanks for reading.
Photo: Chatgpt