Social Media Didn't Make Us Worse. It Revealed What Kind of People We Really Are
Social Media is slowly taking over our lives bit by bit. And I expect more of the same in 2019. But will it be for the better?
Many who lived before the explosion of social media remembered a time where people would interact with each other in real life instead of on the phone. A time where people had to each other with respect. A time where relationships were real and authentic. A time where people overcame adversity. A time where people worked hard to earn their wealth. A time where humans were actually humans. The older generations lament our youth. They often asked themselves how did we go astray from the principals that made the world worth living in. Well I have some bad news...
They never existed. We have never changed who we are. Not then, not now, not ever. Social media is a tool, not a cancer. What made it cancerous are the people who abuse it. It has given people a platform to exploit others for personal gain. The ability to deliver judgement autonomously. The ability to type what ever you want without fear of retaliation. It is almost like living a double life.
"If you want to test a man's character, give him power" - Abraham Lincoln
Social media is power. When that power is put in the hands of individuals, the results have been disastrous; Over inflated egos, extreme narcissism, closeted racism, sexism, stalking, bullying etc. Hundreds if not thousands of people have had their lives ruined and/or lost.
But it wasn't social media that did this. It was people. Those same people that you probably greeted down the street, always smiling and being respectful of others. Those same people whose company you treasured so much. They have to act that way towards you because they do not have much of a choice if they want to survive in the real world. Social media removes the burden of being a decent human being. Some guys do not have to have manners and are free to stalk and ogle women to their heart's desire. Women do not have to be submissive and chaste as advertising her body increases potential suitors, and bring more money from advertisers. News outlets do not have to tell the truth, just the one they want you to see. Influencers can pay for followers, and sell people terrible products.
No way they would say or do these things in real life.
My view on social media is the same as other "dangerous" things in our society.
Guns do not hurt people
Knives do not hurt people
Cars do not hurt people
People hurt other people. Social media is no different from guns, knives, or other dangerous weapons. Social Media gave us power. It gave us a choice; to bring us closer together or tear us apart. Our choice is clear and it doesn't look like it was the right one. Social media doesn't need to better, WE must be better.
Thanks for reading!
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I just checked out your blog, @snoreball, and I must say you appear to be an incredibly undervalued writer and I also perceive a humbleness which is refreshing amidst the overwhelming narcissism on this platform and others.
Yes, social media is a tool and how people use the tool reveals their nature. Coupled with a immutability of the block chain, we all weave a lasting record of our person, flaws and all. It's an interesting time to be alive.
Thanks for your writings. I am looking forward to more.
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Thanks. Still trying to get my feet wet and understand the steemit platform.
Also, I agree that things will be very interesting if blockchain ends up becoming a main component of social media. It's becoming trendy to hunt people's social media history so knowing that those cheeky comments you made years ago could come back to haunt you.... man what a scary thought.
Nice, interesting and wonderful post.
I featured you in the #playitforward contest am sure people will surely appreciate your post.
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The older I get the more antisocial I see "social media."
It shows what a lot of people really want.
Appreciation from others and the feeling of beeing "admired and beeing special".
Just to cover their own problems they have with them selfes.
I agree with you to some extent but it does give us a medium with which to do this without fear of Reprisal. If it didn't exist we wouldn't have opportunity to behave so badly. A pity other social medias don't have a down voting system to discourage that kind of behaviour.
I guess there are so many other social factors involved as well. Mental health issues , poor parenting and education about technology etiquette and all sorts of things. Interestingly I was listening to a woman online who had done research about New Years resolutions. 150 years ago people would say things like I would like to be more charitable or to be more careful about how I treat others and what I say. Now people say I want to lose weight or buy a new car. What does this say say say about us as a society , culture , the human race? I am for the most part quite positive and love people but when I see what they are capable of I get a little bit despondent and negative.
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That is my point. How do you know that these people are good when they are forced to do good things in order to survive?
Maybe you're right that people wanted to be more charitable years ago. But we haven't lost that opportunity today. Social media would enhance our ability to be charitable. But we made a different choice.
Nice, interesting and wonderful post.
I think you've cited this to perfection. Social media is basically a useful tool and it depends on how people decide to use it for. It can great and informative tool as well as a weapon of destruction!
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Perhaps our most cruel weapon may be "words".
It can easily hurt people even if the distance is physically distant.
I agree with you, Social media is not evil, the problem is people who use it.
We have to aim for a better life, Thank you for sharing👍
I found your post because @oclinton featured you in a Pay it Forward Curation Contest! Your precise opinion is wonderful!
Thank you😊
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Wonderful post @snoreball. You are on point. The only thing that means of social media did, is to add anonymity in some cases, but it gave people a forum to air their dirty laundry and be ugly. In all cases, it is people who hurt people whether it's a gun, a car or words. Sadly, words to the most damage. Growing up we were told words can never hurt us. That as long as we know what the truth is that is all that matters. It plainly is not true, words are as damaging as they are uplifting.
Here on Steemit we're a test so to speak. Can society be decentralized? Be mindful of others? Speak their minds without being called names? For the most part yes. Are we any different from other forms of social media? Sure we are, that is why we're a test. If you don't like something, you just move on.
You were featured in week 39 of @pifc's Pay It Forward Curation Contest by @oclinton
Indeed. If humans fail this decentralization experiment, we will again become the slaves of the centralized elite for the foreseeable future.