How (Anti) Social Media may damage your real life
In today’s world, it is nearly impossible to navigate through life without any social media account. Many of us use multiple sites for various purposes. There are over 2.2 billion active Facebook accounts, more than 100 million people use Instagram every month and LinkedIn claims 500 million users and 10 million job postings. On top of personal accounts, there are groups accounts or pages on most of the platforms. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Snap Chat, and Periscope (to name a few) became an integral part of our lives.
For a reason we refer to all these as “social media” and surely, we must be right. Sites of this character were designed to unlock the possibility to be in touch with friends and family at all times. Catch up with colleagues, share photos and play games together over the internet. A fast expansion added live video streaming, calls via messengers and colorful backgrounds for our posts. It has slowly stopped being THAT Social, hasn’t it?
There are few facts to consider here, which may change the way we look at above sites.
Over the last decade, we have started observing a trend, especially in the youngest generation, of getting “withdrawn” from real life. For them, the reality is the internet. When I was growing up, all we had was our imagination which we needed to keep ourselves busy. Many games, play pretend and hide and seek took place on a daily basis. Today, kids are glued to the screen watching the latest Kim Kardashian feed.
This may have a long-term result in not being able to find solutions “outside of the box” as the imagination part of your brain was not stimulated at youth. I am already seeing (in my own family) children declaring “boredom” and expecting to find the answer to it on the iPad. Countless hours spent browsing unnecessary articles, viewing photos of an unknown friend of a friend, or reading newest gossip can hardly be of much value for their adult life.
Another problem is the inability to communicate in social situations. I see people lurking on my profile from “behind the screen”, sometimes even typing a short message… When asked directly for a meeting or phone call – they tend to panic. We have started using social media as a comfortable way to see the world from our own sofa. If we do not engage in outside world activities, we will be able to avoid any judgment or rejection. The fear of those can be paralyzing. We have slowly built a social media mechanism which shades us from exposure. But is it worth it? I hear on the news sad stories of teenagers who could not deal with real life and committed suicide. Was that because they were not learning from childhood that rejection is an integral part of life? Have they been shading themselves from it by creating a virtual world full of acceptance and chosen bystanders?
Lastly, one more thing which bothers me about social media is the overall disappearance of the ability to actually be social. Entering a room full of people in a real life requires you to know the simplest behavioral truths: Don’t stand too close to the person you speak to, Say “good evening”, leave your phone in your pocket at the table, listen attentively to the speaking person while you have a conversation and by all means smile a lot to appear approachable. These are just a few elements which make any social appearance much easier and more fruitful both in private and business life. When I am seeing today's youth many people seem to be scared of such situations simply because they have not had enough experience with these much. It is easier to organize an online hangout where we can all hide and not be noticed.
To sum this up I would like to say that there are many social factors of social media and nobody can take it away from them. Unfortunately, these create and promote often anti-social behaviors.
If you are a social media heavy user or have children who are just entering the digital world – please make sure that there is a balance between the real and online life for the benefit of yourself and potentially the entire humankind.
Izabela Khan
Strategic Executive Coaching (SEC)
User Experience Designer | No-code Developer | I transform concepts into real solutions.
6 年I do agree with you... Yes I would agree that the Internet and Social Media has played a huge part in making the world a global community and has help start-up companies get international recognition. But the craze of seeking endorsements and likes from millions of people around the world has altered the psyche of the average human being hence resulting to a distortion our inter communal relationship. Dinner with family and friends are no longer enjoyed because the perfect picture of the meal in front of you should be snapped and shared on Instagram to generate likes. Well this just one of the many instances people face today in the world of so much information. I know one thing about boredom, it’s made me write some of my best scripts and poems and hence developed my creative mind. Personally, I’ve discontinued Facebook and Instagram as a way to manage my time, and I don’t recommend it for anyone else except you feel like doing so. Honestly, Social Media is an addiction we might never admit. But If you doubt it try staying of for just a week. The thought alone will give you a cringe. One you never thought was there. Just keep it in check that way, you might have your life back :)