Our generation of people have grown up in a time where we have seen technology and social media grow and evolve before us. Because the world of social media is still evolving and is still a relatively new concept, there is a divide between those who grew up with social media (our generation and younger generations) and those who grew up without it (older generations). Depending on the generation, social media and technology use seems to have some sort of positive or negative connotation. We have grown up in a time where we use technology so much, that we feel ashamed when someone who has not grown up with this tells us to put our phone away. Something I have always thought about, however, is, "Is social media a bad thing?"

It's clear that social media can have its huge downsides. Frankly, the internet can be a dangerous place. Anyone can send a hurtful tweet to someone else, anyone can put up a Snapchat story of you that could get you into trouble, and anyone can look at your Facebook profile picture and know part of your identity. The bullying that has come with social media has also been alarming; because of the fact that some people make hurtful comments online, this causes severe emotional distress to the victims and sometimes results in a devastating situation.

In addition to the bullying, social media can bring out some tough emotions in people. People often post what they want other people to see of their lives on social media, and most often, this is when they are having fun or doing something exciting. Rarely do you find someone posting a picture of themselves after they have had a rough day, or are going through a hard time period? You always see someone putting their best selves out for the world to see, looking their best. This brings out a lot of insecurities in people because people start to compare themselves to the pictures of people that they see, which then leads them to compare their lives to the other person's. This is a big issue that social media has caused because it is so visual that people can never tell what is truly going on. While it is unfortunate that technology has caused this change in thinking, it is simply a way that our world is evolving. If this is just a part of the way humans are evolving and thinking, is social media necessarily a "bad" thing?

Even if social media has its downsides, it clearly has many positives if it has been this successful and popular in our society. Even if everyone complains about it, no one can seem to quit it. This is because it is a new way humans are communicating. Social media makes it easy to see what a friend is up to without physically seeing them. It makes it easy to advertise a fundraising campaign you're holding to register for a marathon. It makes it easy to post a picture of your new dog and ask what the name should be. While social media may not be traditional, it is convenient. You can essentially talk to anyone you would like, all in the convenience of your own cell phone or laptop.

I think social media is simply a powerful way to communicate in our society. While it has its downsides, there will always be downsides to every aspect of life. What matters most is how you react to these downsides. Humans have the ability to evolve and adapt, which is what I believe is happening in the field of social media. If we continue to make improvements in the field, we can use it in more powerful ways. So if you get asked to take a break from your phone, do that, but do not feel ashamed. You're simply trying to figure out this new trend along with the rest of the world.