I had an English teacher in high school who taught a course called “Theater of the Absurd.” That was an influential class for me, reading plays by Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionesco and others. It got me to look at the world differently, and it helped me find words for strong, but often unexpressed thoughts and feelings. Not many years ago I found that teacher on Facebook and was able to tell him how important his class was to me. As it turned out, not long after we reconnected, he died suddenly. Unexpectedly. But I’ve been grateful ever since that I had the opportunity to let him know how meaningful his work had been.
Facebook has allowed me to stay connected with old friends I’ve made around the world. Twitter has made it possible to make quite a few new and interesting ones, including some of you. Most of these remain in the virtual world, but very occasionally it has led to a real-world meeting and an opportunity to work together. Without social media, we likely never would have known each other or discovered that we had so much in common.
There’s plenty of talk about how social media has amplified our differences, given a platform to voices determined to spread hate and do our society harm, and given rise to personal attacks that can destroy individual lives. I certainly concur. In its addictive power, it also can distract us from those closest to us, affect our moods, make it harder to get enough sleep and cause us to miss the real world right outside our front door. I confess that I’ve been affected in all these ways. (Yes, I need to stop staring at my phone so much.) But I’ve also seen its power to share knowledge, build community and expand understanding.
What about you? How has social media affected your life, for good or ill? Do you have a story to tell or an insight to share? As always, I look forward to hearing about your experiences—and our opportunity to learn from each other. And please do remember that this comment section is not a place for personal attack.
Social media has helped me become more mindful of what I say when I post or reply to anything. The vitriol on social media of the last few years has influenced my responses. I’m less reactive. I try to read and listen more and say less.
I agree that social media is indeed a double edged sword. I used to spend too much time getting worked up over posts on FB and have abandoned that platform for several years now and am glad I did. I'd probably have had a stroke with all of the vitriol during 45's term.
I do enjoy discussions on Twitter but those too can get out of hand. People are more likely to express vehement disdain/falsehoods/hyperbole behind a veil of internet than in person. I think social media allows for violent rhetoric that wouldn't necessarily occur in "real life". That is one aspect I dislike about social media. Another is that we seem, as a society, to have lost the ability to disagree and still like each other as fellow humans. I do believe social media has facilitated that loss. We can toss out barbs and turn off the responses, we can yell at someone and call them an idiot and close our laptops, we can give our view without having to have discourse with someone holding the opposing view; to me that is sad. We can live in echo chambers rather than fully develop and defend our ideas against others' who differ.
On the positive side, I've reconnected with old friends! So it's a mixed bag in my book!
For many disabled people and their caregivers, social media has been a vitally important resource. We find friends, support, and resources and consequently we are no longer isolated. I’ve been homebound for 7 years now and without it, my world would be significantly diminished.
Social media amplifies the good and the bad. Our problems go beyond Twitter and Facebook. It's all about me and winning (at any cost) now. We forget that life and the competition are better when we try to make it better. When we try to exclude/own others we make it worse for all of U.S. One country one planet in the end we are all in this together.
I love reading your articles….they make me think outside the box.social media has been good and not so good to me. I learned that you can’t take a lot of ppl seriously. Then on the other hand, I’ve met some amazing ppl including yourself.
I recognize the role they play in dividing us and that is unfortunate. I hope it does not bring about the end of democracy. For me, other than being a time suck, social media has generally been positive. I am a conservation advocate and outdoor recreation enthusiast and my Facebook and Twitter accounts provide me with the means to communicate what I believe are important messages. They also helped me reconnect with the folks that I attended K-8 with. Because of that reconnection, I am going to their 50th high school reunion (a year late thanks to Covid). I actually graduated from a different high school, but I see more of these people on Facebook, than I do the people who were in my actual graduating class.
Social media is a double edged sword. Ever since TFG announced and during his term, I was on a mission to expose the corruption. It damaged me! That eventually led me to make the decision to think before I type. You know what's weird? Growing up, I never knew anyone's political affiliation. Now we all do. What saddens me the most is the brainwashing of the world: conspiracy theories, misinformation, disinformation, lack of trusting science. The lies.
It is refreshing to read something positive about social media for a change, thank you. I'm not one to stay in touch with people as our lives twist away from each other, and Facebook especially allows me to stay in touch. I work for a recreation division in a city in which we use social media alot to get the word out about what we're doing as far as events and happenings. As someone earlier said, everything in moderation - and don't take everything personally!
My family moved every year or two throughout my childhood. As an adult I knew no one who knew me when I was a kid. When my son turned 13 he wanted to be on Facebook and I thought I should be there with him. So I signed up, and painstakingly entered all the elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools I’d attended. And suddenly there they were: my friend from 5th grade, my first crush, my former teacher. The middle school girlfriends’ messages felt like we hadn’t miss a beat. Once my life seemed linear, with people and places dropping away into the past. Now it feels like, well, a web.
Social media has helped me become more mindful of what I say when I post or reply to anything. The vitriol on social media of the last few years has influenced my responses. I’m less reactive. I try to read and listen more and say less.
I agree that social media is indeed a double edged sword. I used to spend too much time getting worked up over posts on FB and have abandoned that platform for several years now and am glad I did. I'd probably have had a stroke with all of the vitriol during 45's term.
I do enjoy discussions on Twitter but those too can get out of hand. People are more likely to express vehement disdain/falsehoods/hyperbole behind a veil of internet than in person. I think social media allows for violent rhetoric that wouldn't necessarily occur in "real life". That is one aspect I dislike about social media. Another is that we seem, as a society, to have lost the ability to disagree and still like each other as fellow humans. I do believe social media has facilitated that loss. We can toss out barbs and turn off the responses, we can yell at someone and call them an idiot and close our laptops, we can give our view without having to have discourse with someone holding the opposing view; to me that is sad. We can live in echo chambers rather than fully develop and defend our ideas against others' who differ.
On the positive side, I've reconnected with old friends! So it's a mixed bag in my book!
For many disabled people and their caregivers, social media has been a vitally important resource. We find friends, support, and resources and consequently we are no longer isolated. I’ve been homebound for 7 years now and without it, my world would be significantly diminished.
Social media amplifies the good and the bad. Our problems go beyond Twitter and Facebook. It's all about me and winning (at any cost) now. We forget that life and the competition are better when we try to make it better. When we try to exclude/own others we make it worse for all of U.S. One country one planet in the end we are all in this together.
I love reading your articles….they make me think outside the box.social media has been good and not so good to me. I learned that you can’t take a lot of ppl seriously. Then on the other hand, I’ve met some amazing ppl including yourself.
I recognize the role they play in dividing us and that is unfortunate. I hope it does not bring about the end of democracy. For me, other than being a time suck, social media has generally been positive. I am a conservation advocate and outdoor recreation enthusiast and my Facebook and Twitter accounts provide me with the means to communicate what I believe are important messages. They also helped me reconnect with the folks that I attended K-8 with. Because of that reconnection, I am going to their 50th high school reunion (a year late thanks to Covid). I actually graduated from a different high school, but I see more of these people on Facebook, than I do the people who were in my actual graduating class.
Social media is a double edged sword. Ever since TFG announced and during his term, I was on a mission to expose the corruption. It damaged me! That eventually led me to make the decision to think before I type. You know what's weird? Growing up, I never knew anyone's political affiliation. Now we all do. What saddens me the most is the brainwashing of the world: conspiracy theories, misinformation, disinformation, lack of trusting science. The lies.
The thing about social media is YOU have to control it, not let it control you.
It is refreshing to read something positive about social media for a change, thank you. I'm not one to stay in touch with people as our lives twist away from each other, and Facebook especially allows me to stay in touch. I work for a recreation division in a city in which we use social media alot to get the word out about what we're doing as far as events and happenings. As someone earlier said, everything in moderation - and don't take everything personally!
Addictions are always depleting. Social Media and the internet, in general, seem engineered to promote addiction.
Social media should be used as a communication resource, with appropriateness and regarded critically.
It is not a replacement for living a three-dimensional well-rounded life. -Everything in moderation.
My family moved every year or two throughout my childhood. As an adult I knew no one who knew me when I was a kid. When my son turned 13 he wanted to be on Facebook and I thought I should be there with him. So I signed up, and painstakingly entered all the elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools I’d attended. And suddenly there they were: my friend from 5th grade, my first crush, my former teacher. The middle school girlfriends’ messages felt like we hadn’t miss a beat. Once my life seemed linear, with people and places dropping away into the past. Now it feels like, well, a web.