Dear Media,
Created originally to allow others to communicate, stay in tune with the world, and share fun memories, you seemed like the greatest idea in history. Now, long-distance friends could stay connected, families could see each other face-to-face from anywhere in the world, and people could discover videos that boasted new recipes, news headlines, and, of course, internet cats. But what you are is nothing like what you were intended, Media. You were designed to inform people, to give people a way to talk to each other, and another way to stay in contact with new friends. To say that you don't do this would be a lie. You absolutely, positively do.
However, Media, you were designed, to tell the truth.
You were designed to give people an insight to the world, to facts, and to new knowledge. Your social branch was designed to keep people connected with friends and allow them to meet new ones. And this isn't what's happening. Day after day, you hide within the caverns of your heart parts of the truth as you spew only what people don't want to hear in order to create something that will be talked about. You exist to show only one side of something, rarely both, and you cater to whoever is going to help you in the end, instead of doing your original job of helping everyone. You're focused on money, power, and swaying people to believe you because you think it's the only way that you'll stay around. Headlines boast of "tragedies", but what do you even consider a "tragedy" anymore? Articles on mass genocide share this word with articles about celebrity splits. Articles on inequality share this word with articles about running out of a new iPhone 7 color. Articles that display true tragedies only display the side that you think matters. There is always information that remains hidden within your mind because you don't want to be wrong. You no longer care about just informing people with the truth. You care about what's going to get you views, clicks, or gasps. You care about what's going to benefit you. Ignorance isn't bliss. Ignorance is arrogance, arrogance toward the people who can relate to your half-truthful articles and know the side of the story that you won't tell. The side of the story that matters just as much, if not more, than the one that gained you your fame on a topic. This isn't the truth. Media is still believed, but not without question. It's impossible to see you now, Media, without considering "is what I'm seeing true?". You're looked down upon, because, as successful as you are, you've failed to fulfill your intended purpose, and in that, you've failed us all.
Dear Media; you are tearing our society apart. Semi-true headlines go hand-in-hand with semi-true status updates, semi-true tweets, and semi-realistic arguments. Arguments cause yet a greater divide between us all, and you've made it all possible. You've blown yourself so out of proportion that you've taken over everything, every second of every day, and we are helpless pawns within your grasp. But if we as a society stop looking down at our phones, every little update, and every little headline, and look at each other for once - through our own eyes, the windows to the soul - we may see some things you've rarely allowed us to see, Media. A glimmer of hope.
The truth.
