The Good And The Bad Of Social Media
"Social media is changing the way we communicate and the way we are perceived, both positively and negatively. Every time you post a photo or update your status, you are contributing to your own digital footprints and personal brand."
The Good And The Bad Of Social Media
There is so much to love about social media and so much to hate about social media. Most people spend at least a little time daily on social media. And then, some consume large amounts of time on social media.
Social media has become the platform from which we communicate with others. And we communicate not just with friends and family but with complete strangers from all over the world. Pretty damn impressive when you stop and think about it.
Many of us started using social media to interact with family and friends and share current events and photos. But in a short time, we have become connected to total strangers and their opinions and thoughts. And that is when social media becomes a bit challenging.
"We all have things in common, social network make it globalized."
As impressive as social media may be, it can also be pretty intimidating. Sooner or later, we will be on the receiving end of a stranger's wrath. A differing opinion or sentiment can quickly send this unknown person into full-blown rage.
Of course, we also meet some mighty friendly strangers who will become friends that we will communicate with regularly.
So we all have to figure out how to navigate through the maze of social media. We have to determine what works for us and what we want to avoid. Embrace and enjoy the good positive aspects of social media, and reject and block the negative stuff that does nothing to better your life and attitude.
Below are my thoughts on the good and the bad of social media.
The Good Things About Social Media You Should Enjoy-
Connecting with family and friends is undoubtedly at the top of the list of good things about social media. Most of us started with social media so we could share family news and photos. We can keep in touch with family and friends who may not live near us. Plan and organize family events. Social media is perfect for keeping up with the family.
Meeting new people with the same interests is also one of the good things about social media. Whether you are into fitness, cooking, blogging, or whatever, there is a group of like-minded people out there just waiting to interact with you. Share tips and tricks of blogging
With the help of social media, you can improve your habits and get healthy. The chances are good that you will come across posts on Facebook or Twitter about getting fit and healthy. Suddenly you are motivated and encouraged by what others on social media are doing. Finding ways to improve yourself is always. And that's one of the great things about social media.
We have unlimited access to so much information. It's pretty much a fact that we always know what's going on in the whole world. 24-7 news is always available. Sometimes I am not sure I would call that a plus of social media. But we are informed. And sometimes it's good news.
The Bad Things About Social Media You Will Want To Avoid-
"Facebook gives people an illusory sense of being LIKED."
Nothing can beat the actual face-to-face exchange of ideas and thoughts. Seriously, how can typing a response to someone you have never met make up for the ability to watch their expressions, see them smile, or laugh. I don't think it can. Human contact is critical. Not many social skills are needed if you are hiding behind a keyboard. So limit your time with those hiding behind a keyboard and monitor. And always be sure to get some in-person socializing.
Social media can be addicting. Sounds crazy, huh? But, I will bet that you or someone you know spends almost all their free time jumping back and forth between the various social media platforms. And they probably don't even know why they do it. It's most likely just become a bad habit. A bad habit that, if the truth is known, is not even all that enjoyable. The addiction to social media, believe it or not, is almost as hard to break as kicking the smoking habit of trying to lose weight.
And what a time-waster it is. Instead of scrolling endlessly through Twitter or Facebook, you could be doing something productive. Something with friends or family.
Social media can be the cause of stress and depression. If you spend all your time on social media platforms, you are most likely spending less time in what I call the 'real world.' Sure, you are making lots of friends online. You may have hundreds or even thousands of online friends. And it's all good when someone agrees with you or is praising you in their posts. It makes you feel good about yourself. But when someone calls you out on something you said, maybe even belittles you, or calls you names, your good feelings are dashed. You feel angry, insulted, and belittled. Social media causes highs and lows. Some people can roll with that flow better than others. Be careful.
"Distracted from distraction by distraction."
― T.S. Eliot
Feelings of inadequacy can be another result of too much social media. Have you noticed that a large number of people posting on social media have everything? The perfect life, the perfect family. They go on perfect vacations and live in perfect homes. They are constantly posting their extraordinary photos. Who can compete with all that flawless perfection? Suddenly you feel like you don't measure up. You can't compete with these almost God-like people. And now you're feeling down.
But you shouldn't feel down. After all, you are the one living in the real world, not a fantasy land. Share your awesome photos of your happy but maybe imperfect life. You will be surprised by the number of people who will relate to your posts.
So my advice is to take advantage of the good things about social media that contribute some happiness to your daily life and avoid anything that brings you down or makes you feel bad about yourself. Make social media work for you.
