The Olodo Uprising: Are We Rewarding Ignorance or Authenticity?

Seveentin! Yeah like she couldn’t spell it.It’s SEVENTEEN I know how to spell, before you group me with the olodos. I went to get a ring light last week after all the back and forth, we agreed on a price time to write receipt nau , babygirl couldn’t spell 17. Before we all start pointing fingers, there’s a saying that say learning never stops. That olodo may know something that you dont *clapping*Hello oooBut I’m not here to support any partySomeone turns on a ring light, says something completely outrageous or proudly admits they don't know the simplest things and suddenly they're trending. Brands notice them. They gain followers. They make money.That's when I paused and asked myself:This reward we keep talking about, exactly what is it?The recent conversations around the Olodo Uprising keep asking one question: Are we rewarding ignorance or authenticity?At first, I thought the answer was obvious.Now, I'm not so sure.Because the more I think about it, the less I believe this conversation is really about "Olodos."I think it's about money.Let's be honest.Life is expensive.People are looking for opportunities wherever they can find them, and social media has become one of the fastest ways to earn an income. Don’t get me wrong o, I’m not judging anyone for wanting to escape being broke because it's not easy.But somewhere along the line, we discovered something else.Ignorance sells.Or at least, what I like to call authentic ignorance.Sometimes it's genuine. Sometimes it's exaggerated. Sometimes it's carefully performed because people have realised that acting clueless can generate more engagement than being informed ever could.Whether it's intentional or not it almost doesn't matter anymore.If it gets attention, it gets rewarded.And social media is more than willing to do the rewarding.Algorithms don't ask whether something is thoughtful.They ask whether people stopped scrolling.Whether people commented.Shared.Argued.Mocked.Engagement has become the currency, and outrage often spends better than intelligence.Now, before anyone points fingers...I'm not a saint either.Lately, I've doomscrolling myself.I've laughed at content I knew wasn't adding anything to my life.I've watched videos simply because everyone else was watching them.Which made me realise something uncomfortable:We are not just consumers.We're participants.Every view, every comment, every repost helps decide what succeeds online.<blockquote>It’s not just a Gen Z issue anymore,It's all of us.</blockquote>Somewhere along the way, we lost patience.We don't always want detailed explanations anymore.We want quick answers.Quick laughs.Quick opinions.If an idea takes too long to explain, many people move on before it even has the chance to make sense.<blockquote>And when patience disappears, so does the space for depth.</blockquote>The easiest content wins.The loudest voice wins.The simplest narrative wins.So, are we rewarding ignorance?Sometimes.Are we rewarding authenticity?Sometimes.But I think we're mostly rewarding whatever keeps us watching.I spoke about it in one of my articles but that relates to Nigeria. The "Olodo Uprising" didn't happen in isolation.It grew in an environment where attention is profIt grew in an environment where attention is profitable, authenticity is marketable, controversy is clickable, and money is often the prize waiting at the end.Maybe the better question isn't whether we're rewarding ignorance or authenticity.Maybe we should ask ourselves:What kind of society are we creating when the quickest route to success is often the one that asks the least of us?

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