Nafees Alam, an assistant professor in the School of Social Work, published “Mic-Drop Moments” in Greenbelt Magazine.
Alam discusses the rise of mic-drop moments in conversations and how they have changed how we discuss things in modern society. These “are moments when something is said during a conversation so profound that after which, nothing further can be said. The proverbial ‘mic’ is dropped after such a statement with the deliverer declared victor,” he said.
Alam says when we seek these moments as we talk about controversial topics, we listen only to find a point to disagree with and disprove, rather than to learn and hear another perspective. He believes that this leads the way to cancel culture – and while mic-drop moments can be harmless in a small-scale context, they have larger impacts for how society engages in discussion. While these mic-drop moments can be satisfying and feel impactful, Alam questions if they are truly productive.
The full article can be read on the Greenbelt Magazine website.