It is no secret that social media has done some great things and some bad things. I’ve written an entire blog post on the negative effects of social media. But I do ultimately believe that social media’s pros outweigh the cons. Social media gives voice to the voiceless, it starts movements and trends, it creates awareness and action. Social media is a place where minute to minute news coverage happiness, where fandoms thrive, and people connect. Social media is social, otherwise, it wouldn’t be called social media. It’s just a new form of socializing and that doesn’t mean it’s the wrong form.
Three Cheers for Social Media
Social media is apart of our lives. In 2005, 5% of Americans used social media. In 2017, that number jumped to 69% (Lipshultz, Ch.12).
I’m aware that I spend a lot of time on social media, sometimes probably too much. But I think social media has done a lot of things right. It allows us to stay connected to people that we otherwise would lose touch with. My best friend since childhood moved to California last summer, and thanks to social media, I can keep up with her between phone calls and facetimes.
There is more to social media than just status updates and pictures of your food. There are great things about social media. Social media can do so much, and this is just a little piece of it. Not only is communication so much easier, but so are many other things.
- A study conducted by Griffith University and the University of Queensland in Australia discovered that teens feel closer to their friends and are less lonely as a result of their social media use
- Social media allows us to receive new alerts instantly allowing people to seek safety in the are in the affected area
- It increases teen awareness. They keep informed and feel like they are a apart of something
- Social media can be used as a form of expression
- You can find support through social media
- Social media gives the opportunity of making connections you otherwise wouldn’t be able to make
Empathy and Connection? Yeah, I’ve Heard of Her.
In Sherry Turkle’s “Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age”, she says because of cell phones and the distractions that they cause, people are less likely to want to have face to face or phone call conversations, instead opting for electronic messaging. When we find ourselves uninterested, we look at our phones to find something interesting. And because of this, we as humans are starting to lack empathy.
While I agree that new technology has led to more use of electronic messaging because of its ease and convenience, this has no way led to a lack of empathy. If anything, technology has made communication easier than ever. And social media is just one huge example of that. Sure, social media can be superficial, but I do not believe that it creates superficial connections.
It is because of social media, so many good things have happened, which would not have happened if users were not empathetic. The March For Our Lives was born out of the Parkland student survivors’ use of social media connection to create nationwide support for gun control. And it was hugely successful thanks to hundreds of thousands of people that showed empathy. And there are so many more examples of this.
Social Media creates a connection. Humans have empathy, and if they don’t, I don’t think its because they like to stare at their phones while waiting to check out in the grocery store line.
Social Media: The Ultimate Frontier
The power of social media is mind-blowing. It helps us do so much. Social Media is a great tool in, literally, the palm of our hands. But that doesn’t mean it is right for everyone. It can get to be too much, and that is completely okay. Limit yourself to one screen and instead of turning to social media to relieve boredom, exercise or spend time in nature.
Social media isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. So embrace it when you can. The power you can wield from a single tweet or a couple of pictures is something to think about. Social media brings us and the world together. Communication is key for a reason. And social media knows how to unlock it. Who knows where social media will lead us next…..
Caro's Corner 