If we woke up one morning and found that our Facebook/Instagram/Twitter account etc. were no more, how would we react?
a) Panic
b) We wouldn’t care at all
c) We would desperately try to recover it or create a new account immediately
The truth is, that all these apps and tools have made certain aspects of our lives much easier.
We are able to reconnect with old classmates and friends we had lost touch with. We can advertise our business and products directly and at no cost. These platforms enable us to expand our customer base, create groups, and communicate rapidly with everyone through simple chats.
However, on the other hand, they have begun to evolve into quite a detrimental habit!
According to the findings of a recent study conducted by Western University, 1 out of every 11 people worldwide has a Facebook account. Among these users, 9 out of 10 utilize the platform to monitor their ex-partner’s profiles.
A significant portion also directly accesses the profiles of their former partners, often through methods of intercepting codes, in search of suspicious messages or new relationships. It’s not a stretch to say that all of us will likely encounter a situation within our social circle where a relationship ended due to one person discovering something dubious on their partner’s Facebook account.
But the most tragic thing is that all these “social networking” media have created a distance from personal contact.
Many times, we find ourselves in situations where most people within a group are constantly engrossed with their smartphones. Teenagers and young adults nowadays tend to choose online flirting over face-to-face interactions.
Unfortunately, this phenomenon is worsening over time, leading to the erosion of the enchantment of direct contact, physical touch, and the significance of genuine flirting. We become more distant, hollow, and isolated. Our attention is increasingly focused on observing the lives of others, rather than actively participating in our own.
There are individuals who eagerly strive to expand their list friends or followers from hundreds to thousands. They eagerly anticipate their walls being flooded with birthday wishes and meticulously count the number of likes they receive.
Indeed, what constitutes genuine joy? Is it the heartfelt calls from five friends, or the generic well-wishes posted by a hundred people on your wall? Perhaps, amidst all of this, we are losing sight of the true essence.
My generation was one of the last that experienced a period of time without all of this and understands the distinction.
It was a generation that came of age – especially during the elementary years – without the presence of mobile phones. It was an era in which if someone wasn’t home, there was no way to reach them immediately, and you had to leave a message for them to return your call once they were back. Of course, if your message wasn’t passed along, you might never receive that call!
The generation that would gather at the park, uncertain if the other person might arrive late or how long they’d have to wait. The generation that engaged in face-to-face flirting, the generation that set a time to go for a walk and simply returned as planned. And if someone happened to be a bit late, their parents worried, as there was no mobile phone to communicate and ease their concerns.
And now: we forget our cell phone for a day and feel as though we’re incapacitated, as if we can’t function without it. However, the truth remains that we can function just as we did back then. What if one morning, our accounts vanished from all social media platforms? For those of us who grew up without them, perhaps we didn’t place as much importance on them. Yet, for those who never experienced a world without social media, the mere thought might be unimaginable!
And it goes without saying that the extent to which each of us chooses to use socila media is a personal decision, but let’s not overlook the wisdom of the saying “moderation is best.” Let’s occasionally recall, at least those of us who remember, how things used to be without social media!
*Photo by Adem AY