What is the value of social media?

We all know it distracts us, takes us away from family and friends, where our only connection is maybe a photograph that could have been shared in person? Especially sites like this, where none of those characteristics exist, like seeing your family and friends? It feels as social media creates more isolation and loneliness than a smile in person while people stare into a screen to tell a story they could have in voice.

What gives?

Top | New | Old

val70 · 51-55

On its own nothing at all. Depends on what you make of it. Personally, I can't stand so-called influencers. There goes a whole generation going a cropper one day if they don't adult up and accept there's actually far more than self. Like good old Bishop Ryle would say: faith alone isn't us. So there's actually no point seeing it as yet another vehicle to move us to where we want to be. It's the journey that's always more important

awildsheepschase

@val70 For some it's a tool, for another it's addictive. Its hard when you are addicted to see anything as a journey towards anything, it just becomes a tool to feed your addiction. I agree with you, faith alone isn't who you are, neither is addiction, and even faith is also just a tool of spirit looking for something beyond what they can grasp.

BillyMack · 46-50, M

Social media is fine. At least how it was intended.

But then the end product is the user, the various social media apps do what they can to keep you on the site. The longer you’re using it, the more money they make. So they engineer it that way.

When the site is free, we are the product.

JamesBugman ·

People live far apart. It costs money and time to visit in person. Not worth it to share a photograph. With Social Media you can instantly share the photo and talk about it, and it costs nothing.
Also you are open to an entire world of people sharing the same ideals and goals.
You can login in the middle of the night and start a discussion with a total stranger, like you. :)

awildsheepschase

@JamesBugman That's one take, but if I were to look towards feelings of social isolation, the feedback would say now is higher than ever. I get it, they just haven't met you 🙂

Margot

recall the history of the web and you will understand the meaning

initially the web was intended for the transfer of information from one person to another

then software bots began to be created

now it's bots

_

modern social media has no real value but society has developed a habit of seeking social contacts on the web

_

it's more complicated than that but that's roughly how it is

awildsheepschase

@Margot Yes I know the history, I was on the web in 1994. It was really first invented so the military could send messages. Social media would not have even been a thought then. I'm not going down that quagmire in thought, but they'd love having access to information like they do now.

I was talking in a more of a social perspective, but heck while you point it out... most of us now rely upon companies and technology once started by the military.

FloorGenAdm · 51-55, M

If there's a nuclear war, zombie apocalypse, gov shutdown, etc. Like the old ham/CB radio buff of yesteryear maybe that's what the social media value is?

awildsheepschase

@FloorGenAdm Or back when in wartimes they would send a telegram. I have a photograph of my grandfather with a pigeon on his head and also a copy of the letter because he was determined not fit for duty (eyesight) so he was left tending letters and telegrams. Once he was done, he would write every night to my grandmother finding secret codes.

I don't think SW is gonna give you that kind of help even on friend's line.

FloorGenAdm · 51-55, M

@awildsheepschase I thought this was about social media not only SW.

awildsheepschase

@FloorGenAdm It is, I have many thoughts about social media but I have kept myself away from a lot of social media, so I'm a little biased in how I talk.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

It is a tool to aid conventional communication. Not a replacement for it. As soon as it impedes real life it should be discarded.

awildsheepschase

@SunshineGirl You're practical in thought and I agree with you. Yet I see it as a symbol for how people don't talk in real life and more than we know impedes what we hope from life.

That's just my take.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@awildsheepschase Although perhaps it sometimes gives a louder voice to those who would otherwise have been excluded from real life.

awildsheepschase

@SunshineGirl Yes I know that value, like I would never have been able to talk with you... And in theory, thinking of culture and movements, even though they did arise earlier largely in history they can move on a dime these days (right or wrong)

Add a comment...