Reality in today's society: Social Media

Have you ever thought about why we feel the need to HAVE to take a picture, or why we HAVE to post something on Social Media?

Is it because we want to tell everyone about where we have been and what we are up to and how great our lives are or maybe not?

It is a place where we are no longer anonymous...

It all sounds scary; many people knowing of our background; people know about what we like, who we are friends with, where we go to university and where we like to go out... But, that's why we have to be safe and take care of our privacy settings and what we post.

I know it all sounds dark, and yes there are dark sides to Social Media. Billions and billionsof people are on Social Media and there must be a reason why. I believe it has a bright side that opens up many doors for people, in terms of where to explore and the different opportunities in the world today. I stroll through many Instagram posts and see someone somewhere in the world - it urges me to WANT to go - it motivates me to feel like I want to achieve that. I see someone wearing something I may not have chosen in a shop, but now I consider it. There are many different things social media makes you aware of. It opens you up to exploring different interests. In this respect I feel it is a way of growing as a person and finding out more about the world and other people's cultures, lifestyles, choices and much more as long as you don't begin to compare yourself to other people.

We can't ignore the darker side. It can be a place for trolling, or a place for someone to hide behind, or steal someone's identity. A place lacking in reality, values and morality and it shouldn't be ignored. But, in this blog post I want to share why I believe Social Media and the new trends of today have positive outcomes. There IS a way to think about this platform NOT so negatively.

I think in today's society a lot of things are seen as bad for us, but in reality, it depends how we use it, and Social Media is one of them. People abuse the new technology, the new apps and the social apps of today. We need to use the new technology to our advantage, as a way to progress, move forward and develop as a society, rather than complain about it.

Yes, we are no longer anonymous and a part of me thinks that is a real sadness and sometimes, I do envy the lifestyle portrayed in The Notebook (Trailer of the film). The fact we feel our memories need to be caught on camera or recorded on Social Media means that we are making these memories feel like they are no longer real or worthy until they are recognized on Social Media, how many likes have I got? Who's commented on my post? But, yes. Capturing the moment is important and something I believe in doing. In years to come we can look back at our lives and remember all of the silly moments we had with our friends and the memories made with our families, we can share them with our children and grandchildren.

Social Media and the technology of today have become part of our lifestyle. It has become part of our daily routine, The Telegraph states that a new report highlights the average person is on Social Media for at least 1 hour 40 minutes every day (The Telegraph). Some say we waste our life on Social Media, and depending on how you use it, that may be true. But, Social Media is a much bigger platform than just posting baby photos. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to share photos of your new-born baby, particularly so your family and friends can see, especially those who may live far away. However, Social Media is a place you can learn from, learn about the new trends, see places in the world, be involved in live events, see what's going on around the world and much more. Yes, the majority of Social Media highlights the positive and the happiness in one's life or one's event, but why not. If this is a way of making you feel fulfilled, why not, that is the way society is moving forward. It's a part of this society, which doesn't mean it is wrong or going to go away. Things are only changing and it is up to you how you use it and if you use it at all, so let's embrace it, and not blame it...

Kristina x