Dear Society,
I repeatedly hear people talking about how all the current social media platforms and even the internet in general are too addictive and a waste a time. That we're all too consumed in our Facebook timelines to understand what's going on in "the real world." That it's just a way to clog up our lives with even more brain candy by glancing over generic details from other people's lives that we wouldn't otherwise care about, and forcing others to glance at our otherwise uneventful everyday lives.
And for some people, that might be true. We all know that one person who gets their news and weather and politics off of their equally uninformed friends' Facebook statuses. We all know that one person who Instagrams every meal they eat, snapchats every breath they take, and so on.
But for others, social media and expanding technology has actually made us smarter. If I'm scrolling through Tumblr and see a news story or happen to notice a trending topic on Facebook, I'll often do outside research to stay in the know. Stuff I never would have imagined doing before I immersed myself into the digital world. Google has enabled us to find the answers to absolutely anything within seconds. Although critics are saying this has ruined the human ability to memorize, it shouldn't even matter at this point because everything is so accessible.
Online business and social media marketing has also grown in popularity. We all might groan a little when we see someone trying to sell "the latest and greatest" products on our feed, but we can't ignore the fact that these businesses are successful. People are obviously still making money.
Personally, I enjoy seeing updates from people I went to high school with that I haven't spoken a word to since our graduation night. You're getting married? That's wonderful. Pregnant? Congrats. Lost all that weight? Good for you! I love seeing little victories and huge life events. What's wrong with being able to compliment and praise people for things you wouldn't otherwise know about?
Social media has connected me with friends from out-of-state and even from other countries. I may have met them through school or through work, and we may have only been in touch temporarily, but social media has allowed me to keep up-to-date on their lives and accomplishments well into the future. A like here and there and the occasional comment let's people know we still care about what's going on. We don't have to feel pressured to reach out and communicate as often. Social media does it for us.
Social media and the world wide web have eliminated so many boundaries and promoted global communication. I have Facebook friends from France, China, England. Friends who've lived in Japan, Brazil and probably a few other countries. I've received tidbits of information on differing lifestyles and cultures and I find it all so exciting.
You don't have to agree with it, but don't hate on those of us who truly believe it has done a good thing.
Sincerely,
Just a girl living her life in front of a screen
