Social Media: Some Questions for Answers
Guest Blog by
Prof. P. K. Misra, Head & Dean, Faculty of Education, CCS University, Meerut, India
Social networking has always been a crucial part of human existence as people employed different methods of social mingling e.g. gatherings in common places, participation in festivals, personal visits to friends and relatives, formation of social clubs and hobby groups, etc. All these methods were different in nature and approach but there was one thing in common, face to face interaction of people living in close communities. With the advent of information communication technologies, a new kind of strikingly captivating online social networking phenomenon came into existence. This new phenomenon named as ‘Social Media’ is hailed as modern human’s ‘tech based technique to stay belonged’. Social media has become an integral part of the life of many and helped us to gain in many ways but at the same time use of social media has also raised some very important questions which have to be answered for benefit of the individuals and society. Some of these questions are-
Is social media making us connected or disconnected?
Social media was supposed to help us to connect with each other, and it certainly played this role with perfection. Now millions of people are already connected to each other through social media and many more are joining it every day. A new saying, ‘if you are not on social media you are not in the world’, perfectly demonstrates the reach and importance of social media in the human lives of today. But in other side, people are so engaged with social media that they have almost no time to connect with people living around. Now-a-days majority of people seems so busy with their social media activities and contacts that they hardly have any time to visit friends and relatives in person. Social media people often debate and comment about global issues, events and happenings but seem disoriented about local surroundings, issues and concerns. This ‘disorientation to roots’ tendency of social media users leads us to think that whether it is making us connected or disconnected.
Is social media making us real or fake?
Social media is meant to show ‘who are we’ and it is perfectly fine that people use it to showcase their photos, profiles, personalities and achievements. People are very effectively using social media to impress their contacts that ‘who are they’, ‘what are they doing’ and ‘what have they achieved’. The trend of judging people through their social media profiles is becoming so popular that even companies are performing a social media check before hiring a new employee. But like a well know saying ‘all that glitters are not gold’, carefully crafted social media profiles are not that fine in reality. People are using social media to portray their fake identities and false images. Use of photoshoped pictures, self-glorification, and misleading portrayals to get more likes and praising comments became a new norm and unfortunately many of us are in this trap. This ‘be something and show something else’ orientation of social media users compels us to think that whether it is making us real or fake.
Is social media making us tolerant or intolerant?
Social media has been hailed as a place where people from different background, race and cultures share their views, opinions, and concerns and argue with each other in a rational and democratic way. People were hopeful that rise of social media will ultimately help us to become more receptive and tolerant to hear those who differ from us. There is no doubt that social media helped us to come in contact with people having different arguments, ideologies and opinions and we are more receptive and tolerant to their viewpoints. But this spirit has started vanishing and now social media is full of people who would like to hear only the echo of their own voices and expects everybody to follow either their opinions or the opinions of those whom they accept and respect. Those who differ or argue something different are treated as sworn enemies. This ‘opposite views only deserve disrespect’ policy of social media users prompts us to ask that whether it is making us tolerant or intolerant.
Is social media making us leaders or followers?
Social media is bringing us the stories of those doing something different to improve the systems and making significant changes to improve the lives of people. In a way social media is helping us to come in contact with future leaders who are ready to lead our society in different walks of life. Social media has become a new platform for young as well old aspirants to showcase their credentials to the world. But simultaneously, social media has also given rise to a new generation of followers. These followers are mainly happy to follow their chosen leaders, hardly display any critical penchant, and are even ready to make a virtual war against those who raises any questions about their faith and chosen leader. Seeing from societal point-of view these types of followers are not very good for progress of a democratic and progressive society. This ‘new yes men and women’ brigade of social media users challenges us to question that whether it is making us leaders or followers.
Is social media making us relaxed or tensed?
Social media helped us to know, hear and share good news, achievements and information about their relatives and friends. Even social media made a way for us to socialize with our friend’s friend and contacts. This new socialization in form of sharing information, posting comments and making likes helped us to get more relaxed and joyful. In fact, social media has emerged as a new mood booster for many of us. Social media become a place where people feel elated, happy and relaxed by exchanging their feelings, sentiments and concerns. But other side of the story is equally true. Social media is also held responsible to make us jealous and tensed. After hearing the success, achievements, accomplishment, and leisure of others on social media people often wonder that how others can achieve and why they cannot. This feeling ultimately leads many of us towards jealousy, stress and tension. This ‘why his life looks better than mine’ pain of social media users motivates us to think that whether it is making us relaxed or tensed.
Is social media making us creative or dumb?
Social media became a wonderful tool to express one’s talent. People are publishing their writings, paintings, performances, pictures, ideas, arguments, experiments, innovations and many more on social media with just a click. Social media is helping people in many ways to bring out their creativity before the world. This trend is certainly helping us to move towards a society full with many creative people. In other side, social media has also unfolded a new human species always busy to like and share the posts of others. Some even do it without even reading or understanding that what was posted. After spending so much of their own precious time in this share and like routine, majority of users hardly have any time to nurture their own talent or creativity. This ‘lost your time where it was not needed’ tendency of social media users compels us to ask that whether it is making us creative or dumb.
Is social media making us gainers or losers?
Social media provided us many gains and the most important is that we can share anything important or useful for others very easily. Social media also became a platform for different types of social, political, cultural and economic opportunities, activities and gains. People are successfully using social media for number of tasks like promoting businesses, finding jobs, arranging marriages, selling items and so on. But at the same time social media is also taking something from us. Instead of doing something useful people are just using social media for mere time-pass. Some people are so hooked and addicted that they cannot live without social media. People have thrown their healthy outdoor activities and keep themselves confined to a corner of the room for the sake of their online social presence. Some has also started using social media for unethical and antisocial activities. This ‘rifts, conflicts and rumors’ producing activities of social media users make us to worry that whether it is making us gainers or losers.
Is social media making us social or unsocial?
Social media is meant to make us more social and exactly did the same by helping us to connect to hundreds of people. Social media helped us to grow our social circle and get connected to known as well unknown ones. Social media provided us a chance to easily socialize with people of our choice and taste. But the biggest strength of social media became its biggest weakness these days. Today, look around and you will found a number of people who do not know that who is living next door or working in other section of the office but getting connected online to those whom they never met. People sitting together but instead of talking and laughing with each other using mobiles to access their chosen networking site is a common scene these days. In fact, people are becoming social in virtual world but becoming more unsocial in real world. This ‘virtual is real and real is virtual’ philosophy of social media users pinches us to ask that whether it is making us social or unsocial.
Social media helped us to share, care and enjoy with family members, friends, relatives, neighbors and others. At the same time social media has also brought new challenges and posed many questions as raised above that have to be answered for benefit of social media and its users. It is high time that we must think and debate at individual and social level about these questions to redefine our perception and sense of belonging to social media.
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