Social media is everywhere; almost everyone spends countless hours during the day scrolling through news feeds, watching videos, and clicking through pictures. We do this so often that it has spurred numerous studies about how much screen time is appropriate and suggestions for how to “unplug” from your phone.
Because of these recommendations, social media can get a bad rap. And don’t get me wrong; you need to take precautions while you’re using social media in order to protect your identity and keep yourself from physical and emotional harm. You also need to know when enough is enough.
But with social media constantly being painted in a bad light, it can be easy to forget that there are many positive aspects as well. One of my favorite things about social media is that we can connect with friends and family members that live far away or those you haven’t seen in a long time. It doesn’t matter if someone lives down the street or halfway across the world; you can send him or her a message and start a conversation within minutes. It makes the distance gap feel a little less wide.
Another great thing about social media is that you can easily plan events. When you create an event on Facebook, you can invite as many people as you want and don’t have to worry about finding addresses or paying postage. Inviting people this way also allows you get immediate RSVPs and conversations started about the event. The invitees can talk to each other and get more excited about the event than they would if the invitations were mailed.
One other thing that is valuable about social media is that it serves as a fantastic platform to start meaningful discussions about topics that matter. I’m not talking about the heated debates that take place in comment sections. I’m talking about the kinds of things that connect people together with love and compassion and give people the desire to act. Social media has helped to raise money for people and organizations in need, has helped to find lost pets and people, and has recruited people to get out in their communities, speak up for what they believe in, and make a difference in the lives of others. When everyone is so well connected, there’s no limit to the amount of beautiful things that can happen.