George Kakouris
The Olympics have concluded, and while there is much to celebrate regarding the achievements of Cypriot athletes, there is also a lingering dissatisfaction with those misled by far-right campaigns that falsely claim to see "woke agendas" everywhere. This discontent highlights how susceptible our society can be to conservative viewpoints.
Cypriots, like many others, are also vulnerable to false and misleading information on social media. This misinformation divides us, fueling extreme positions based on borrowed views from conflicts abroad or internal group conflicts. Recently, misleading news about the Gaza conflict has overshadowed genuine discussions about our relationship with an Israeli government accused of war crimes.
The debate surrounding the Olympic opening ceremony was fueled by anger and fear. A segment of the show featured drag queens among other performers reenacting figures from ancient Greek and Roman mythology. A video segment on French literature, noted for its playful reference to "ménage à trois," also sparked controversy.
Some conspiracy theories emerged, alleging sinister meanings in the representation of the Gallo-Roman goddess Sekuana and claims of satanic symbols. However, the most widespread reaction in Cyprus centered on the inclusion of non-mainstream figures, such as drag performers, and misinterpretations like the supposed blasphemous depiction of The Last Supper. The extreme hostility directed at Algerian boxer Imane Khelif was particularly notable.
Many fell into the trap of inflating social media comments, falsely accusing Khelif of being transgender. In a week where we were experts in Olympism and art history, we also became experts in sports biology. Initially, I too was misled by the narrative, but I realized that when unsure, it is better to refrain from comment. Hatred and derision are always morally wrong, especially against marginalized individuals, including the small trans community.
The real issue is how social media algorithms drive us towards content that provokes outrage to increase engagement and generate advertising revenue. Political forces exploit this mechanism to spread extreme lies.
Social media platforms need to develop mechanisms to combat these issues. However, we as users must also become more discerning, questioning and verifying the information we encounter. We should approach each other with empathy, recognizing that people are often driven by fear, misunderstanding, and good intentions.
Our focus should remain on the athletes who deserve our attention for their hard work and achievements. This includes Khelif, Cypriot athletes, and all those who have inspired us during the Games. Despite the lack of substantial support from the state in countries like ours, let us not be pawns in manufactured scandals propagated by the global far right. Our support should be unwavering, if only for the athletes' sake.
[This article was translated from its Greek original]
