Maturity of discernment a powerful force in social media

I read with interest the commentary “How Britain became the Yemen of the West” (Aug 25) and the point that, with the power of social media today, “the only way to defeat a bad idea is with a better idea”.

There is much room for everyone, from governments to ordinary people, to practise this in our increasingly globalised world.

There are many factors that colour and drive people’s thoughts and eventual actions.

Self-preservation is a powerful motive, beyond which are a multitude of others such as social injustice, lack of perceived freedom, poverty and disenfranchisement.

One that is independent of social status or national boundaries is maturity of discernment, which is a powerful, self-driving force in the development of outward-looking mindsets — basically, the idea of looking at the bigger picture in every given scenario.

Thoughts and actions, as well as goods, people and services transcend borders today.

This is the modern trend and the new world, where competition is measured also on an international scale and nationalism equates to protectionism.