In Defense of Social Media
Sometimes it feels like social media has taken over the world. Don’t get me wrong – I use social media all the time and rely it on everyday as a blogger. But as they say, every rose has its thorn. And social media can be a thorny little guy. Ask anyone about their opinion on social media and you’ll get an opinionated answer. To some it’s the best thing ever, to others it’s the devil. As someone who has been on both sides, I’m coming out in defense of social media (with a few caveats, of course).
In Defense of Social Media
Let’s talk about the obvious cons of social media.
– Shorter attention spans.
Using social media programs our brains to constantly feel the urge to check in on our accounts and see the notifications we’re receiving. This 60 Minutes segment blew my mind – our phones are actually programmed to be addictive.
– It cultivates and rewards narcissism.
Studies are actually linking social media usage to narcissism. It can especially have a huge impact on teenagers in their developing years. High school is tough enough, but now there’s the added pressure of living the “perfect life” where every moment is captured and shown to the world. Which leads me to my next point…
– It’s not real life.
You shouldn’t compare to your behind to scenes to someone else’s highlight reel. It’s easy to forget sometimes, but social media is NOT real life. No one is showing 100% of their life on social media and they are most likely leaving out a lot of the negative stuff. Still, it’s hard not to look at an image and think – why can’t I look like that? / why can’t I live that life? / why can’t I have that?
– Social media can lead to insecurity.
Constantly being bombarded with images of people’s perfect, happy lives can be tough on your own self esteem. After all, comparison is the thief of joy. Especially when the comparison is being done through the screen.
– You end up living your life through the screen.
Isn’t it more important to be present and enjoy the moment we are in with the people we care about? When did going to concerts and festivals become all about taking the perfect shot and Snapchat story instead of enjoying the music? Why do we care so much about curating our life to share with others?
– Fake news.
Enough said.
I totally get it. Social media can be all consuming. But I’ve been on both sides of the spectrum. Before I started a blog, I think I posted to my personal Instagram account once a month, max. I didn’t care about my social media accounts and I never thought about posting photos at optimal times or curating the perfect feed. Until you’ve walked a mile (or more) in someone else’s shoes, you have no idea what it’s like to be them. After blogging for over a year, here are my arguments in defense of social media.
Social media can be tough on our self esteem and productivity. But I think it also fills some holes and can be used for good. Which can be really, really cool.
Why I’m in defense of social media:
At the most basic level: social media connects us. It connects individuals, groups, brands, and businesses around the world. It allows us to stay in touch with the people we care about, interact with strangers that share similar interests, learn about new brands and trends, and meet new people.
The start of Myspace and then the introduction of Facebook allowed us to stay in touch with people near and far. The discovery aspect of Instagram has changed the way we consume content, learn, shop, and in general live our lives. With the rise of each new platform comes innovation in the way we conduct business and live our lives and, in many ways, benefits all of us.
+ Small businesses have grown.
Social media marketing is often times the only form of marketing small businesses can afford. With the rise of tools such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, businesses are able to be created with nothing more than a social media strategy. I know several small business owners that rely entirely on word of mouth and a social strategy in order to grow. It’s crazy to think that many people depend on social media for their livelihood, but it’s an incredibly powerful tool that allows business owners to market and put their product in front of people that may have otherwise never heard of their brand. That’s pretty freaking awesome.
+ Artists have a platform to share their work and jobs have been created.
Bloggers obviously benefit tremendously from social media. But there are entire industries that have been propped up by the rise of social media. And now there are so many forums for everyone to share their art – whether it’s written, visual, audio, whatever.
+ Creative art and news are more accessible.
It’s so much easier to discover new content and creators thanks to social media. It’s opened up a world of possibilities and completely democratized the way content is created. Social media is one of the engine that fuels creatives, small business, and brands. It allows breaking news and information to travel across the entire world quickly. We’re all more plugged in than ever – and while there are some downsides to that – there are some cool benefits as well.
What are your thoughts on social media?
xx, Amy
sweater: minkpink | shorts: redone
Great post and stunning photos:-)
http://www.lostindaydreams.com/
Such a great post Amy! I feel like a lot of times we tend to focus on the negatives of social media, but as long as we approach it with the correct mindset (that it’s not real life, and we shouldn’t definite our lives through what’s on the screen), we can appreciate the benefits that social media has to offer 🙂
Jenny // Geeky Posh
Thank you Jenny! I couldn’t agree more : ) xx
I have mixed feelings about it.The biggest issue I have with social media is how much it is exploited and the biggest group of people who are doing the exploiting? Female influencers. But ironically this has a backlash and unexpected consequences in that engagement is down. It is really down on IG and it is down on blogs as well. Too many players doing just that playing the system. So what could have been a good thing now is on it’s way out.
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
I can definitely relate to this and can see where you are coming from. I think the influencer industry is constantly changing and it’s up to the people involved to adapt with the times. Yes, engagement is down and growth is slow – but “disruption” in any industry can be a good thing 🙂 thanks for your thoughtful comment babe xx
Great insight girl. I totally agree that social media, just like anything else, has its advantages and disadvantages. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts 🙂
XO Jessi,
http://www.mywhitet.com/3-must-have-swimsuits-for-spring/
Loved this eye opening post! I agree – there are definitely both pros and cons to social media, but I think what’s most important is having the correct mindset. Just like you, prior to blogging, I probably only posted to my Instagram about once a month, but ever since I started my blog, Instagram and other social networking platforms have been platforms where I was able to initially build more connections. Not only that, I love using the “places” function in Instagram because it’s helped me discover so many new places to visit, and really helps with traveling too! 🙂 Keep up the great work, love! <3 Always looking forward to these discussion-based posts!
XO, Elizabeth
http://clothestoyouuu.com/
Hi sweetie, I must say that I feel the same about social media. but as I am not 18 or 20 yrs old, I have certain distance. I think it can be dangerous for very young people who could identify themselves with social media and their “stars” too much. In the end, we are all only humans and the same. Made of flesh and blood. And we should not forget that.
P.S. I really enjoy reading your posts. You are smart and it is always interesting what you share with us.
Big hugs,
Miri
http://currentlywearing.com
I love how you put this topic in this post dear! I totally agree with you. Social media is cool and definitely important for bloggers. Nevertheless we should not forget about the real life and that there is something else than likes and comments on a picture 🙂
xx, Carmen – http://www.carmitive.com
i love this blog post, great topic!!
http://www.londonstylegirl.com
What a grew topic. I think it’s so important to address the positive aspects of social media when there’s so much negativity around it. Despite the fact that people have so many valid complaints, for me, social media is a form of creativity that allows me to connect with other like-minded people!
xo
Siffat
http://icingandglitter.com
I agree to defend. It’s true it gives everyone a platform especially small businesses and creatives.
I personally love social media and everything about it. I love how you can connect with different people around the world.
Love,
Ozi
http://www.oziomaadora.com/
Amy- glad you put this down in writing because you are always able to speak to two sides of an argument with reason and insightfulness. I’m obviously thankful for social media because it lets people like us connect but I do agree- people need to be aware of the consequences and control social media, not the other way around.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts- I hope your audience takes advantage of the style and substance that is your blog!! Keep up the good work x
Thanks for the real and substantive comment, Andrea : ) I really appreciate you!! xx
I totally agree that social media has it’s pros and cons. Like you said, I love that it connects us and provides a platform to express ourselves creatively and even potentially create jobs out of that creativity. I also agree that it can sometimes be overly consuming and I’ve actually given myself a bit of distance between social media this year and feel a lot better about it=). In moderation is good.
xoxo
Rina Samantha
http://www.andshedressed.com
Great to read your insight into this babe! As a blogger too, obviously I am all for social media but there are definitely negative sides to it. It can be very hard for some people to distance themselves from what they see on social media so in that sense, I guess it is not the right space for everyone!
x Emily
http://shedoes.com.au
I couldn’t agree more with what you said! I feel like there are both pro and con about using the social media. However, it’s not the real life!
http://www.thequinoxfashion.com/
Great post about social media ! There are definitely pros and cons in using social media, but I think the best thing to do is to thing of the positivity. Social media has been a way for many to express their creativity, and have short interactions with strangers across the globe, however like you mentioned its only a small part of our lives. Humans are so complex and posting one or two beautiful pictures does not really defined us 100 %.
Loving this post. Social media is always a sticky subject. I have a love, hate relationship with it. As a small business owner, it has allowed me to grow my brand but with the algorithm change on Facebook/Instagram, I feel like only the larger brands are getting attention. Being on social media is also addicting but I allow myself some time away from it and live in the moment as well.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
– Jasmine K
http://www.myeunoia.com
Such a great post, love the pics!
http://bellemelange.net/
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