In the Deep Dark Age of social media meanness, Plato’s words are more needed than ever

Over 2000 years ago, wise Athenian philosopher Plato urged people to ‘Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.’

Never were his words more needed than in today’s ‘deep dark age’ of social media.

As in life, we see the best and worst of society on social media and in the media.

Yet it seems that there is a chronic culture of bullying, condemnation and judgement that prevails on social media platforms.

Recent tragic events, often consequences of hate-fuelled posts are surely the last straw, and now action is beyond urgent.

Anonymous messages of hatred are unacceptable. We will look back on this time in history and think we were insane to allow it to happen.

The mental health effects worldwide are deeply worrying.

A ban on anonymity is something the optimistic and energetic Boris Johnson could help with.

But it is also a wider cultural problem we can all do our bit to help with.

Kindness is simple.

Media celebrities, footballers, politicians and those in the public eye could make a monumental difference if they were demonstrating kindness and encouraging others to do so. 

Perhaps there needs to be a mass boycott of social media until things are rectified.

Any benefits are surely hugely outweighed by the negatives.

Plato’s work gave rise to what became of the world’s first university. Yet perhaps his simple statement on kindness could be his greatest legacy to mankind.