When you’re on a computer (screen) you’re more likely to be consuming than creating. So much of what’s online isn’t valuable — it’s just clutter. And if you’re reading too much of it you don’t have space for creativity and original thought. ~Tero Isokauppila
As I’ve come to understand it, cruise is the local parlance Nigerians use to describe ‘having fun’ online. It can be anything really and for clarity let me say here that it is not trolling. The former is usually to elicit a response while the latter is usually a response. Most people troll others for attention, revenge, and in my case sadism. It can be part of cruise but it is actually worse. It is idiocy. Yes, you read right, idiocy, that’s what it is. After reading Gary Bishop’s Unf*ck Yourself I decided to communicate in a more relatable manner.
Now back to cruise.
You wake up and see nothing better to do and you decide to post some bullsh*t for traction..cruise!
You see a caption and post your warped opinion without reading through the details..cruise!
You post nonsense to malign a person, group, or tribe…cruise!
You post a pornographic thread to attract attention to the rubbish you intend to market..cruise!
You post a claim that contradicts studies and well-researched positions from authorities…cruise!
The examples are endless and most of us are guilty of this. We post nonsense that can’t be rationally defended and we call it cruise. It is not. It is silly and unproductive and it’s time to curtail your cruise. We have a responsibility to make cyberspace and by extension society a better place by putting out useful, positive content. I know our online activities are often reflex actions as we practically live on the internet these days. Still, that doesn’t mean they can’t be controlled gradually and with time eliminated entirely if we so desire.
Consider the time and words you waste in catching cruise. If you spend over 3 hours daily arguing over trivial issues on social media like the average African, it means you likely waste about 1–2k words daily. Those words can be put to better use for a story, an article, or even a novel. Hemmingway wrote only 500 words daily and that is when he has a project. Guess what? It usually takes him about 4 hours!
Think about the time we waste too. Time is the most valuable and irreplaceable resource that can be used to learn something new and helpful. Choose a skill and start learning it. Learn a second language or learn graphic design, video editing etc. Just start learning something that will help you create rather than consume. No knowledge gained is lost and many online resources offer free and affordable knowledge acquisition.
I always use myself as an example. Now check this out.
If you write 1500 words weekly you would have written a 200-page draft in one year. In January 2022, I started writing this series to churn out enough to publish a book by the end of the year. If you aim for the sky and hit an eagle that is considered bullseye in every measure. I’ll be damned if I don’t have at least a draft by the end of 2023. So you see, it’s achievable.
Also, in the last month or so that I left Facebook, I started the Adobe Indesign course. It’s a 16-week online course but I’m already halfway through. I attribute this to having more time and it’s likely the course designers considered time wasted online in setting the course duration. Either way, it’s a win-win for me. I should add that certification to my portfolio in a month.
I am not saying you quit entirely but I said curtail. Moreover, we can’t possibly drop habits like this entirely. It’s just like asking me to stop elbow bending. Impossible! I will drink but moderation will always be the key. There are no shortcuts to these things as old habits die hard but with gradual additions, we can considerably replace them with new ones. It won’t be easy but it’s doable. After all, anything that comes easy is usually not worthwhile. So come on, give it a shot. Not later, not tomorrow but now.
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