Does social media drive everyone crazy, or is it just me?
I suspect social media might be harder for folks at retirement age than to those younger. It appears that kids in school were born with an innate ability toward technology of any kind..
This is like an epidemic! It has spread rapidly, affecting large numbers of people. And, not all of the changes social media has brought are positive.
What is social media? The Internet defines it as websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.
The population is creating and sharing constantly: posts, photos, videos, advertising… The huge volume can bring us to distraction and stress. Learning it can be a real struggle, and using it can be overwhelming! One wrong click can become expensive; or it can ruin a reputation.
What do people share about? Everything!
I tend to enjoy input about kids, pets, travel, happy moments, positive quotes, and helpful information. It was through Facebook I learned about the death of a dear church member; the details of a family member’s wedding; and I tracked a relative’s illness. If we hope to be ‘in the know,’ use of social media is imperative.
It’s amazing! With our iphone, we can contact thousands of friends, but only a small fraction of them are people we’ve met. We’re calling acquaintances our friends.
While we’re busy working social media, even if simply taking pictures and sending them, we’re giving up enjoyment of the present moment – we’re not experiencing quality ‘one-on-one’ communication.
Sometimes I like to take myself out to dinner. While there, I enjoy watching other people as they interact at their tables. What have I observed? People sitting at the same table without talking while working their iphones (including couples). The most time spent communicating was a short discussion about the menu, and what they might order. I’ve also observed teenagers interacting during selfie shots, only to return to the iphone to share those pictures.
That’s sad, isn’t it?
Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. Oh My!
I’ve found a few facts from Wikipedia, and I thought you may find it interesting:
Facebook is by far the largest. It began in 2004, as a platform for the Harvard students’ Community. Now, it’s one of the most influential networks in the world.
YouTube began in 2005, by 3 former Paypal employees and was bought by Google in 2006.
Twitter was Created in 2006 and launched that year. In 2012 more than 100 million users were posting 340 million tweets a day.
Instagram is owned by Facebook, Inc. It was created/ launched in 2010.
Linked in is actually the oldest of all, founded in 2002 and launched in 2003. It remains mainly for professional networking.
Although our way of life may have changed drastically, there are great advantages for people who may not have mobility. They can go to social media for their communication with others. When emergencies come, it is a valuable resource for getting help, bringing a sense of security. Research findings suggest that continual use of social media ignites our brain activity, resulting in improved memory (that’s great news for me, since I don’t enjoy crossword puzzles).
Social media demands our ability to adapt to change. Although there may be disadvantages and drawbacks, it’s here to stay. We can decide to accept it, learn more about it, and enjoy all the advantages it brings to us.