I have always loved the concept of social media. As someone that has family members and friends living abroad, it is a wonderful way for me to keep in touch with them and see their everyday lives. Before the true rise of Instagram and Snapchat, all we had was Facebook messenger and the low-quality pictures from flip phones. Now, with hundreds of different messaging apps like GroupMe and Whatsapp, it has become substantially easier to communicate with people from all around the country and globe. However, it is only brilliant when it is used in the right way.
Recently, there was an incident in Argentina where a dolphin died while being passed around on land for selfies. The dolphin is a La Plata (also know as a Franciscana), which is an endangered species. Most of these dolphins are considered extremely fragile, and are dying due to being killed in fishing nets. After the tragic news of the dolphin's death broke out, Argentina Wildlife Foundation spoke, saying "It is fundamental that people help to rescue these animals, because every Franciscana counts now."
There is a fine line that needs to be walked in regards to social media. As great as social media is, there are consequences that are drastic if not used correctly or used excessively. There are times when I am trying to have an important conversation with someone, and they constantly keep checking their phone. It seems as if I am talking to a brick wall. There is no end, and it's extremely frustrating.The nights that are not documented and are ridiculously spontaneous are the best nights.
Social media cost this dolphin its life. There are reports that he was being passed around even after he died. If those exact beachgoers lived in the moment and chose to respect nature and watch it from afar, there would have been no harm done to this poor dolphin. It is tragic what a phone can do to us. As wonderful and as helpful as they are, there are times when one needs to experience life without a piece of technology in our hands.
When I recently visited Europe, I wanted to walk a really fine line between documenting my journey but also giving my phone little attention. This line is difficult, especially when we are constantly engaged in conversations with people we meet in person once a month. But it is manageable.
I read the heartbreaking story of the dolphin only recently, and it solidified my belief that social media, when used in excess, is no good to any of us. Animals are not there for us to gawk at and take selfies with to send people so that they believe you're an "exotic nature enthusiast." Animals have little communication with humans and, therefore, they cannot express to us when they are in pain or when they are uncomfortable. We must put their needs before ours.
