So we all know what social media is. If you are reading this you better know what it is. But do we know why its so attractive to the new millennial generation? Of course not, who knows that? But personally I have a few guesses as to why and I believe them to be quite accurate.
First and foremost we are in the business of sharing. We share what we eat, what we do, who we are with. We share most of our business with the rest of the world or if you are like me you just share it with people you know. I especially like flaunting the things I eat. I do this because I want to boast about the great food I have but more importantly my Instagram shows just how much I enjoy food. Which leads me to another explanation as to why we dabble in so much social media. Self expression is one of the primary reasons social media sites were created in the first place. Some sites like Pinterest or tumblr host bloggers that express who they are to the world. And lets face it, some of us truly just want the world to know that we are here. We want to climb to the top of skyscrapers and yell out our names, our favorite foods and colors to solidify our very own existence.
Sometimes we explore these social sites on a quest to be nosy. This is not always a bad nosy but just a hint of curiosity. I must confess that I enjoy looking at peoples' photos that show the places they've been and the things they've done. It motivates me to want to do more. As humans we constantly take in images, sounds, tastes and ideas. This taking in all the time makes us like canvases filled with traces of what we've seen and who has influences us. With today's global access to social media we must look like some pretty wild and colorful paintings.
I've often stopped and asked myself: is the power of social media a good or a bad thing? But I whole heartedly believe it is neither. Every now and then I have to take a break from Instagram and I don't use snapchat anymore but this isn't because they are bad but because of my individual usage. Social media can be very effective when used for things like networking, advertising events, or keeping in touch with old friends. However, we tend to use it for other lesser pleasures that don't necessarily benefit us as better social beings. This is where the need for personal discipline and discernment come in. I know I just look to look so I have to keep myself from taking time out of my day to see what others are doing and focus on what I need to do. Remember, everything in moderation can be good and anything in excess can be dangerous. So use your social media to develop your brand, business, creative thinking, writing, political views, but nevertheless use social media don't let it use you.
