They called the tune, did you dance?

I have been there several times during my interaction with different people and /or things. It all starts quite simple, and as time goes by, you gain momentum and at some many points, it's everything you ever wanted. We tend to couple the feeling with the explicit confession of the same, "this is the best thing that has ever happened to me," but is it? Unfortunately, we try to connect the dots to see where we lost it but fail to find something definite to point to.

Life is an adventure full of both amazing and awful events yet each comes with its lessons. It is entirely up to you to consider them or not to. Reactions to things we face in life is always a choice. Subsequently, the degree to which we react to them is the same to which they will affect us. Take, for instance, a person that is so mindful of other people's opinions about them. They will be impacted because to them, opinions are regarded as necessary to attend to. Now, to the one who never cares for opinion, there will be no reason to feel bothered by them. Two people, both affected differently because of how they esteem particular things. Also, with others, they esteem the same thing but at various levels, just as the President of Uganda would mind more about what the Queen of England says about him, and shun the opinion of the Boda rider in a certain place somewhere.

Recently, several things have had to evolve to conform to the new trends of existence. Workplaces have adopted remote working policies, and almost all businesses assumed an online presence. Gone are the days when it made sense if the meeting you were a part of was organized in some high-end place or within the confines of solid walls with good lighting. To many organisations, Zoom webinars have become a more rewarding consideration. Then the hotels, hosting limited numbers which to those flocking those spaces, there is an advantage of privacy, but fewer profits for the business owner had everything but client numbers remained constant. The longest to have been locked up, however, have been the most debated. More significant to the majority of the populace, have been schools and worship places, and bars to those who prefer expending their dimes in such a manner.

Back to where we started from, perception and reaction. If you came to realize, reactions are preceded by how you presently perceive whatever or whoever you react to. The reason that affection died off was nothing too farfetched. It was a familiarity that led you to compromise and eventually, you outgrew the fervency of affection. All that was introduced to your earlier affection for that thing or person was a counter perception that caused you to see things differently from how it all started.

Along the way, we got informed either by thoughts, or things we were told or had seen and all these had a source from where they sprung. When they came forth, we made conscious or subconscious choices on how to react to them. Usually, those that consider those effects become easier targets because against them, the source can determine how much to overwhelm or pardon them. Today, if you interacted with any news outlets regardless of form, there is always a story focused on the ravaging pandemic and how it is so serious. This narrative of living in fear is what has been pushed constantly and left many gullible persons in compromise of so many things.

Education and worship places, essential as they are have been the most compromised. A nation whose faith and education is disregarded is a broken and its recovery will be costly. The culture, values, and social state are greatly influenced by these and without them, a lot is always put at stake. Interestingly, information that in turn breeds conditioning is dispensed more effectively by two primary mediums, namely education and faith. It's harder to achieve consistent and uniform conditioning with these because different people subscribe to different faiths and likewise, education systems yet the common ground is always in existence.

The third medium which is the media is an easier but effective tool to make use of as well. Besides the news, and related content, media is an industry whose goal beyond informing is to earn and to earn, it will need a broader audience. The funders and advertisers target those the most, and it thus becomes easier to control them into pushing the wealthier funder's narrative. If all wealthy funders are in unison with the narrative, control becomes more effortless. By continually bombarding the audience with this narrative, perception is created and consequentially, compromise.

With all that's trending in the news today, it is obvious that a narrative is being pushed for and that the compromise for these other two mediums, the worship places and schools is intentional. The question should therefore be, what narrative have you settled for? Have you like before, lost the fervent love you once had for your faith?, and if yes, I hope you see how intentionally they crafted your reasons to compromise.

Written by Mukisa Bruno Malbie.
The writer is a Member of The National Christian Students Association (NCSA Youth)