In my high school, other than the first rules I learnt that I should not pocket, eat while walking among other rules ;that were aimed at making us gentlemen, I was taught that if I wanted to say anything, I had to be bold and let myself known. Whether it was praise or criticism, I had to reveal my identity. In fact, in situations where an anonymous letter or note was found, I was shredded to pieces or burnt. There is no need of reading something that you cannot trace the author for comments later on. It is a rule still applicable.
Most of us have perfected the art of hiding under the anonymity tag then picking on people. It is the same thing with acting in a mob. We hid in the group, shout the most indecent words, throw the largest stones and complain the most. In the event that we are singled out, we chicken out and lose that tongue, our tails between our legs. I draw admiration from people who come out with their real identity and put their complaints and critics forward because in such a situation, it is easy to judge and correct appropriately.
A reader steps into a blog about some beauty pageant post under the mask of anonymity. He then goes ahead to claim that the winner is his Ex, goes ahead to say nasty things then brands the other competitors as gay or something.(Beefing with JKUAT girl students) If I was the admin of the blog, such comments won’t even see the light of day because there is no validity to your statements. We do not know you. For all we know, you could be some psychological disturbed old woman in a mental institution deriving pleasure from hating. Hating and more hating.
A reader who comments as anonymous is no different from the mob in Kibera that uprooted the Rail line, the villagers in Kisii ( my backyard) who lynch old women in the name of eradicating witches(which could be true anyway), or masked robbers who pee in front of the CCTV cameras.
We all have an identity. We all have some boldness in us. It does not take Goliath’s strength to come out and say and speak our mind out. In fact, it is more appropriate if you come clean with your identity and heap genuine critics and praises or complaints to people. We are Wachira’s, Momanyi, Akinyi’s for a reason.
Identity is bold. Anonymity is the ultimate mark of cowardice and as one Major Fels would put it, you are a woman if hide your identity. (Femininity is a mark of timidity according to Fels’ gospel though I beg to disagree)
