No one has provided me with a viable response to why we talk to each other less just because communication has been "enhanced". We have become so insensitive, detached, and less aware of what is going on around us. It's a tragedy that no one seems to notice.
When we only had a rotary phone at home, we made phone calls. We have cell phones and now we don't make many phone calls? I know it's not quite that simple but that's the common denominator. Sure, you can text and email but I never thought that would change everything. Guess I didn't think getting a Motorola Startac phone would cause me to be disconnected from my family. I just saw it as awesome to have the ability to call from anywhere and not have to find a phone booth with a phone that works.
If we ever had to dial a family member's number without hitting speed dial or pressing their names in our I-Phone contact list, could we do it? The easier things are made for us, the harder things seem to become for us. When I got my I-phone, I had such high hopes that I would really be able to connect with my family and friends. I was mostly motivated by the ability to "FaceTime". I could see my family across the country and stay close and connected. I used this feature a grand total five times in nearly as many years. I fell victim to the trap. That's what happens when we are not intentional. We hope. We plan. And we fail to accomplish. An old saying says "The path to hell is paved with good intentions." Umm, yeah. This brings me to the "grid" in question.
Social media is a monster now that I don't think we have enough bullets to kill it. It has grown to such monstrous proportions that we can't fix it. There have been modifications and adjustments and tweaks but honestly all we can do is avoid it or minimize its effects. I know some folks that have abandoned the idea of it altogether. I wonder how they're doing. Maybe I'll give them a call.
Are you happy with the state of social media? Are you cool with what is happening on your timeline? Are you ok with the effect it has on your personal life? I never questioned this as much as I have as of late. Then I remember what happened a little over ten years ago. I was faced with a similar dilemma and I wasn't fully writing and publishing my books at that time. I was online with Instagram, Twitter, Linked In, and Facebook accounts. I was in three NFL fan groups, one NBA fan group, and two MLB fan groups. I had a blog and I was writing for a Mets blog site and a Giants blog site. I was active and had nearly one thousand "friends". People were asking my opinion about everything from lineups to self help to fantasy football. I guess it was safe to say I had a strong "online presence". And I was deeply unhappy and unfulfilled.
I posted a series of polls to gauge what my "friends" thought and to get their perspective on this social media experience gone awry. Their responses were not a salve to my wounds. I was so unhappy with where things were. I needed to get off the grid and find myself again. I disconnected every account, resigned from contributing on these very popular blog sites. I sent out hundreds of "goodbye" texts, emails, and posts. I was calling it quits. I left and stayed away for about five years. It felt liberating. I felt more alive than I have been in years. I felt unencumbered. I even attempted to call and email family and friends more. They were either non responsive or found themselves unable or unwilling to commit that time to share moments and conversations outside of the social media world. Those platforms were their preferred method of communication. They didn't want what I wanted. They didn't see what I saw. That's when I realized that nothing I did or attempted to do changed the world I left behind. It didn't feel good. I felt isolated and lonely. Social media and my friends and family were beckoning almost on a weekly basis to come back, whatever that meant. They sent me emails saying "We miss you so much" and "I miss our chats and I am so grateful for your advice" and "Man, we miss talking football with you."
It wasn't like I still couldn't provide those things. They just didn't want them on my terms.
I think that's what this all boils down to. Social media has grown to the point where it shapes how we think. It has become a "go to" location for national and world news. It is where we find spoilers for our favorite TV shows and movies. It's where we find out that our friends and relatives are married or had children. It has become the source of information for us, good or bad.
Now that I am a published author with several books in the works, I know the power of social media but I certainly question the impact it has on today's society. I don't know what this all looks like in the future but if I ever had to go off the grid again, I am positive that I would never be able to return. As you can see from this shortened version of my story, going off the grid could mean losing more than just a few accounts and a few hundred "friends". Is it worth the cost you'd have to pay or do you like things just the way they are?
Thoughts? Perspectives? Answers? More Questions?
Are you content with where things are in social media?
What are the things about social media that make you happy? Or that make you angry?
Could you envision yourself living off the "social media" grid for any period of time?
If you could change something about your social media experience, what would it be?
Do your accounts serve a purpose?
How much time do you spend on social media?
What would you like to do better if you had the chance?
Is social media your primary means of communicating with friends and family?
Would your specific circle of friends and family prefer communicating outside of social media?
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