Big Q

We asked readers to send in a 140-character reply to our big anniversary question. Here’s what we got. On Twitter, Facebook and on our website

Vijaylaxmi Sharma @Sharmaji09 
Yes. Exhibit: #EscapeVelocity (Rahul Gandhi speaking at the Dalit Adhikar Meet at Vigyan Bhavan)

Don Quixote
The subaltern reality of social media means more the information, lesser the knowledge and a fleeting wisdom driven by catchy news headlines

Shivam M @Observer68
aur ye to topic hi galat hai… hume to twitter pe aake hi Brahm-Gyaan praapt hua hai!

Lloyd Mathias @LloydMathias
not at all! Twitter gets them heard on important issues, gives curated news & helps them take a stand on issues

Anwaar
The dumbing down of the young was done by the parivar propaganda machinery long before the social media came along.

Kuldip Patel 
Social media has reduced our attention span to lowest levels. We find it so difficult to do creative,
analytical and adventurous stuff.

Pratim D. Gupta
Social media is your best friend or your worst enemy, depending on when you log on.

Gebi Padu
I can never be a victim of social media. I do grab the good stuff and ignore the irrelevant one. It has always been a source of information and knowledge too.

Lalit Chadha
Even in the virtual world, they are dealing with real people. This is honing their talents to be able to deal better with the real life!

Divita Mathur, US
Yes/No, we sit in the comfort of our dark bedrooms lit only by an electronic window to the world, learn a lot but type away without thinking.

R.V. Subramanian
Outsource your thinking, thanks to the internet. It’s free and easy. Enjoy being a Zombie!

D.L. Narayan
Egyptian youth were able to depose unpopular leaders by harnessing the reach and the power of the social media. QED.

V.N.K. Murti
Information is knowledge. Awareness. Atleast we know the difference between ‘chaff’ and ‘wheat’ now.

Santosh Gairola
Rather opposite, democratisation of opportunity. Only difference is, dumb ones too get equal chance to be heard.

Neerav @welloffcourse
#meta “@Outlookindia: Is The Social Media Dumbing Down The Young? How? Respond with hashtag #Outlook18--18 gifts up for grabs”

Anargal Pralap @svetlana25
the young are dumbing down the social media

R. Saroja
Dumbos (not all young) are discovering their nuisance value in the social media. It is for the wise to engage and defang them.

Deepak
The ill-effects of a dumbed down generation due to social media will be worse than the large-scale damage caused by fast food.