So It Came (part XI) (day 3183)

(part X)

When people smiled
They were unsure if it was safe to smile
When people gathered
They were unsure if it was safe to gather
When people talked
They were unsure whether it was safe
To hear the very words
Their neighbour was saying.
They started to look for ways
That their neighbour wasn’t being safe
And they started to police themselves
Based on the latest fake news source.
And fake news there was
Rooted in Fear
Based on misleading facts
Taken out of context.
Social Media, online and web based platforms
Began policing specific keywords
Not allowing people to speak openly
About more and more topics.
It became an act of pride
To tell the viewing eyes
The listening ears
What sorts of methods of filtering
Of curating
Fear driven World was using
And people actually looked for this
Because they had learned
From the Fear
That thinking for oneself
Wasn’t safe any more.

(part XII)