Is Social Media Making You Stupid?

There are different types of people on social media. There are the ones who use it to catch up with old friends that they can no longer meet up with as much. There are the ones who will tell you how they spent every little second of the day. Some will use it to brag about how good their life seems to everyone, and conveniently ignore the not so great parts. Some will post details that no one else truly cares to read about. People will post about getting drunk at some party. There are people who make rude jokes about skin color, mental illness, and many other insensitive comments. Comments are made like "Oh, I guess I'll just go kill myself" or other phrases about self-harm, with no intention of pursuing the act but only use it for dramatic effect.

Then there are the ones that sit back, don't post much of anything and read everything that others put out there for all to see. Some will just read about old friends they no longer see much, and some will seek out the ones they wish harm against. Some will sit back and be amazed at the dumb things people will post on social media. Others will genuinely seek out and look for good posts about a life event of a friend.

Unfortunately, not all the people who read a post, see a tweet, or look at your pictures are wishing to see good news for you.The sad part is that not everyone wants to see you do well.

I tend to be one of the ones to not post as much on social media, besides my articles or blog posts. I sometimes will post a picture or two every once in a while, but other than that I don't care. I've learned to think about something before I post it for the world to see. Some things should be kept just for you. Being connected to everyone else all the time isn't exactly healthy.

It's 2018 and it's time to slow down on the social media.

Or you might make yourself look like a fool down the road. Just look back at some old posts you made as a kid. I know I cringed and you probably will too.

If you took a month off from social media, see how your daily routine will change. After that, just take a month off from posting anything. Simply look at what others post and don't focus on putting your own status out there. You would be amazed at what your followers and "friends" put out there. It can get quite ridiculous.

Slowing down on social media may cause you to make the most of 2018. Instead of looking at things from a computer screen or phone screen, you can see the actual world around you.

Regina Britt says it best.

"Sometimes you have to disconnect to stay connected. Remember the old days when you had eye contact during a conversation? When everyone wasn't looking down at a device in their hands? We've become so focused on that tiny screen that we forget the big picture, the people right in front of us."

Social media isn't all bad. There are some good perks, but it can be taken too far. It becomes an addiction for some people. So, after you finish reading this article, it won't hurt to actually have a conversation about the dangers of social media with the person across the room. Face to face, not over text.