What Ethiopian King Menelik II Teaches Us About Using Social Media Today

Leveraging Social Media Without Losing Agency

Can you harness a powerful force without becoming its puppet? History says yes—and so does your potential with social media.

In the late 19th century, Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia turned Italian support into a weapon for independence, outsmarting a colonial giant. Today, we wrestle with a modern colonizer: social media. These platforms offer incredible opportunities but often demand our time, data, and control in return.

What if we could use them strategically, like Menelik II, to gain benefits without losing ourselves? Let’s explore his story, connect it to our digital lives, and uncover actionable ways to stay empowered.

Menelik II’s Brilliant Tactics to Prevent Colonization

Picture this: it’s 1884, and European powers gather at the Congress of Berlin. They’re slicing up Africa like a pie, kicking off the “Scramble for Africa.” Italy, late to the colonial party, grabs Eritrea and eyes Ethiopia—a fiercely independent nation.

Menelik II steps onto the scene in 1889 as Ethiopia’s new emperor. He’s got internal rivals nipping at his heels and a foreign power knocking at his door. Italy offers a deal: modern weapons, artillery, and training for his army. They think they’ve found a pawn to control Ethiopia. Menelik II sees something else—a chance to level up.

He takes the weapons. He trains his troops. He builds alliances across Ethiopia’s fractured regions. All the while, he’s playing a long game. Italy assumes he’ll bow to their will, but Menelik II has a different plan brewing.

By 1896 when Italians got fed up and attacked Ethiopia, he’s ready. At the Battle of Adwa, his army—armed with Italian rifles and artillery—crushes the invaders. Ethiopia stays as the only free Afrian country during that time, and Menelik II hands Europe a rare defeat in the age of colonization. His genius? He used a powerful ally’s resources without handing over his agency. It’s a move worth remembering.

Social Media is a Double Edged Sword

Now, let’s fast forward to today. Social media platforms are the new giants. They connect us to the world, spark ideas, and open doors. But there’s a catch. Algorithms hook us into endless scrolling. Ads track our every click. Notifications hijack our attention. Sound familiar? Many of us grumble about wasted hours or feeling like pawns in a digital game. I’ve been there too—until a random Facebook ad changed my perspective.

In March 2016, I stumbled across an ad about affiliate marketing. Curiosity piqued, I dove into the rabbit hole. It wasn’t just about some quick bucks—it led me to study communication, connect with others, and share my own ideas online. Social media didn’t control me; I used it as a platform to share my ideas. That shift made all the difference. It’s not about rejecting these platforms—it’s about approaching them with intent. Menelik II didn’t shun Italy’s help; he wielded it. We can do the same with our feeds.

Here’s the deal: to use social media properly, you’ve got to take the wheel. First, figure out your why. Are you scrolling to pick up a new skill? Grow a network? Get your ideas out there? Knowing your purpose keeps you on track. For me, it was about sharpening my communication game—every move I made online tied back to that.

Curate what you see. Follow accounts that actually add something—stuff that teaches you, inspires you, or makes you think. Ditch the noise: mute the petty arguments or the posts that just make you feel lousy. I cut out a ton of pages that weren’t serving me and built a feed that’s worth my time. Engage when it matters, not just because it’s there.

And don’t let it mess with your head. Social media can kick up all kinds of feelings—anger, envy, stress. Pay attention to how they are triggering you—anger from outrage bait, envy from perfect lives—and ask why. Prepare your defenses. I learned a ton about myself decoding those reactions; it’s like emotional boot camp.

The Bigger Picture

At the end of the day, social media’s a tool. You can use it to grow, connect, or create, as long as you stay in charge. Think of it like a resource you tap into strategically—kind of like how a smart leader might use what’s available without getting played. Set your goals, manage your time, shape your feed, and guard your focus. That’s how you make it work for you instead of becoming a slave of them.