Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi Calls for End to Insults on Social Media

Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi has called on Ghanaians, particularly young people, to stop using insults and abusive comments when engaging with issues on social media.

In a message titled “Stop These Stupid Comments. Insults Don’t Make You a Wise and Intelligent Person,” Ras Caleb said the growing culture of insults on platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and news pages was undermining constructive public discourse.

He argued that many social media users resort to personal attacks when discussing national issues, politics, religion and public figures, believing that the ability to insult others demonstrates intelligence or courage.

According to him, insults do not make a person wise or intelligent but rather expose a lack of meaningful ideas.

He urged people to distinguish between genuine criticism and personal attacks, stressing that disagreement should be based on facts, ideas and possible solutions.

Ras Caleb said hiding behind a phone to insult another person should not be mistaken for courage.

He maintained that true bravery involves confronting issues honestly and respectfully, while wisdom is demonstrated through the ability to correct others without resorting to abuse.

He also challenged young people who frequently insult successful individuals online to examine their own achievements rather than use social media as a platform for personal attacks.

He further warned that abusive online comments could have consequences beyond social media.

According to him, potential employers, business partners, future spouses and other important people may come across a person’s social media activity and form opinions based on what they see.

He described social media comments as a reflection of an individual’s character, cautioning that constant negativity, insults and bitterness could damage future opportunities.

Ras Caleb also urged people to focus on ideas when they disagree with public officials or other individuals.

Using Ghana’s independence struggle as an example, he cited Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, arguing that meaningful change comes from advancing stronger ideas rather than simply attacking opponents with insults.

He said people should be able to identify what they believe is wrong and explain how it can be improved.

For him, criticism without facts, ideas or solutions amounts to “noise” and does little to contribute to national development.

Ras Caleb further appealed to Ghanaians and Africans to maintain respect in their interactions, particularly when disagreeing with elders, leaders and other public figures.

He said being outspoken or “woke” should not be confused with being rude or disrespectful.

He encouraged people to remain critical while maintaining civility, stressing that it is possible to be firm, radical and passionate without becoming abusive.

Addressing young people directly, Ras Caleb urged them to think carefully before commenting on social media.

He encouraged those who disagree with an issue to use facts, those who are angry to channel their anger into solutions, and those who have nothing constructive to contribute to consider remaining silent.

He said people should strive to make their contributions bring “light, not darkness” to public discussions.

Ras Caleb concluded his message with a call for people to focus less on winning arguments through insults and more on building, planting, improving and contributing positively to society.

His central message was that wisdom should be demonstrated through constructive ideas and meaningful action, rather than through insults and abusive social media comments.