In a world full of trolls and cyberbullying, there are so many terrible things that come along with social media. With 20% of young adults cyber bullied, one out of ten will attempt suicide (cyberbullyhotline) . Anything a person posts on the internet will come with some form of scrutiny.
Other than cyberbullying, social media in general truly isolates the millennial generation from one another. Some may argue that social media allows further connection by meeting friends through direct messaging or maybe significant others. But along with these relationships comes true disconnect between your surroundings. How many times have you been talking with your friend and they reach for their phone and begin texting someone else or scrolling on social media? How many times have you done that?
But through all of the hatred and severed society, there is a true spark of genuine humanity that lives through social media.
Websites such as GoFundMe YouCaring and FundAnything are sites where the generosity of a random stranger can help you achieve your dreams, pay for hospital bills that you cannot afford (human or pet) and many different charities. Whether the cause is local, national or international, the good will of man is shown through the fundraising website. An example of one of the thousands of good causes on GoFundMe is the medical bills of Bowser, a loving dog of a local family right here in Cincinnati, OH.
This lovely little guy was having the time of his life at a park in St. Paul, MN when he ran a bit too far and was hit by a passing vehicle. After amputating his back left leg, his mom and dad were left with bills ranging from $5,000-$10,000 and as a young married couple they weren’t prepared to take on this financial burden. With the help of Facebook friends and random strangers, they have now raised up to $2,170 dollars to help out their family’s lovely little tripawd. The love and act of kindness that strangers provide is a bright side to this generation’s obsession with the portrayal of themselves on social media.
Sometimes there are trends on social media that actually benefit society, such as the success of the A.L.S. bucket challenge. Two years ago, the A.L.S. bucket challenge would appear on your feed after every few posts or so, maybe you were nominated yourself. At the time it was a big fad, but the publicity it drew in for the A.L.S. Association raised over $115 million dollars. The association has released information on the specific use of the donation ranging from research funding, patient and community service, public education and more. Due to more donations, researchers have recently discovered the NEK1 gene that is associated with three percent of A.L.S. cases. While this finding has not largely impacted the whole study, there have already been 30 other genes identified with A.L.S., so the association is getting closer to figuring out the root causes.
Whether it’s just a hashtag, a $5 donation or a trendy video, you can help to spread awareness and be a part of something bigger then yourself. Make social media more about updating your Snapchat with videos of being out with your friends, but a way that we as humans can continue to help each other because we can. Don’t isolate yourself from the world, but help make it better, social media can have a true positive impact.
