As I scroll through Facebook, I find myself questioning the importance of my presence online.
While I, like many other millennials, find myself sharing relevant posts regarding politics, justice, environmental and social problems I wonder if our shares truly matter.
I'd like to think that I have an online audience. There are a handful of people who like, comment and share posts that I share online, on a daily basis.
However, does this mean that the message is getting across?
Plastic use, equality, justice, and heartwarming-heroic videos I share on my platform, does it even matter?
The power of sharing I believe is somewhat limited. We can quote-tweet posts about Colin Kaepernick all day long. We can comment on how WE feel about Nike's choice of marketing materials and view on politics.
But I truly believe this act of sharing content on the internet is a very menial move by the people that has no lasting effect.
So, what does have a lasting effect on our country?
Movements, marches, changes in the White House. We the people have the ability of free speech, yet it is the people in power who have the ability to react to our wants and needs, to evoke change.
There is a power in sharing reliable quotes and videos online. The resurfacing of Kaepernick's meeting with former Army Green Beret Nate Boyer has brought to light some clarity to the public as to why kneeling began in the first place.
This meeting shows compromise and keen listening skills. It's important, and the fact that the public is so amped to share it shows that we too are listening.
Video footage and tangible evidence floating around the internet bring clarity to situations that can be smothered by fake news and bias. Our share-driven society needs to do two things, listen and choose.
Choose to share what fits one's personal agenda but also stay informed on what isn't apart of your personal agenda. Learning about the whole instead of the part of an issue will help change how we all think, not just one side of the aisle.
We also have to learn to listen. How can we be kind to our neighbor if we don't care to understand their beliefs because they don't match our own?
In order to change how society views the wide range of social, environmental and political issues escalating in our country, we must do more than share post to our own profiles.
We must act, be kind and understand we are living in a time that is entirely different than the past.
With the ability to click on a link and learn about the other side of the aisle, we must harness this information and use it respectfully. Society has been too quick to judge and not quick enough to learn, which has severely hurt our nation when history repeats itself in the worst way.
What Nike did was different, bold, and fit right in line for what they stand for. Regardless if you agree or not, they got your attention. Now that they have it realize that their intentions were to bring to light the harsh reality that is true: injustice is still present in our country.
Just like Nike is fighting with Kaepernick for the right of those who are underrepresented, misunderstood, and not respected, we as a society must fight to make things right for everyone.
What you say on the internet may not be worthy of praise. Most likely, you're not Chrissy Teigen or Donald Trump, your fan base and hate-base isn't strong enough for your words to be plastered on the front of CNN's home page.
It's true, my voice might not be loud enough to be heard.
But the internet is strong, those who want to be heard have a strong mentality, and we must work together to make things right.
It's not just Nike making an Ad or making one Odyssey article go live for a hot second.
It's getting people in power's attention, and working hard to right wrongs for those who have lost their lives innocently or unjustly. It's about sharing what's relevant in hope to catch the right person's attention to change their mind and get them to fight too. Social media can change how our world runs if we share the right posts.
