The Social Media World Is a Stage
Critics of social media often point to the apparent need for its users to speak out to the world, often loudly. These people are just attention whores, the critics say. They spill every detail of their lives into status updates, tweets, and video responses, hoping someone will give them a like, +1, or thumbs up -- or even thousands of them, if they are lucky.
This is the perception many have on the outside of social media, looking in on its fast-paced, immediate attention-seeking gratification. While authors often struggled for years, even decades to finally get noticed and published, people today can do it instantly. People who were once unpopular and unnoticed in high school now show off their success to all of their old high school classmates on Facebook. There is no doubt that it is addictive and can be boost the ego, but there is another side to the equation.
Social Media as a Tool for Expression
The perception that people use social media to get attention is partially right. There is no denying that some people crave the attention and will go out of their way to get it, but the numbers h2ly suggest that all types of people from all walks of life have bought into this phenomenon. And that points to a larger meaning and reason for social media’s existence.
To understand it fully, you should close your eyes and imagine first grade. Think about being six or seven years old, sitting in a classroom as, one-by-one, each of your classmates went to the front of the class to talk. Were they giving speeches or reciting the Gettysburg Address? Certainly not. It was Show-And-Tell time, and every student sat quietly captivated by every other student’s toy, pet, thingamajig, or artifact from nature.
Show-And-Tell was partially attractive because you got to show off and get attention, but it attracted attention in the first place because every kid wanted see what every other kid had, what they experienced, and how their lives were outside of their shared reality.
Sharing is a natural part of the human experience, and it pre-dates social media by thousands of years. The proof of that is physically evident all over the world. In the smallest ways, cave drawings, stone tablets, and small artistic sculptures provide ample evidence, and in the largest forms of expression, the Great Pyramid, Stonehenge, and the Parthenon are all shining examples.
In some ways, social media is just another form of Show-And-Tell. It is no different than going to a party and telling friends about your life. What makes it so attractive, however, is that you can show them, speak without being interrupted, and do it all from the comfort of your favorite chair, while still dressed in your bunny slippers. Social media is expression refined to a new evolutionary stage, one that transcends class, culture, and traditional social barriers.
Social Media as a Vehicle for Change
Creative expression and sharing are only two aspects of social media that make it attractive. One must also consider the influential power these tools can unleash. With a single tweet, blog post, or YouTube video, revolutions commence, corruption is exposed, silenced voices are heard, and the oppressed can find supporters.
Moreover, businesses can launch campaigns in ways that would normally cost them millions. Non-profits can reach out to generous contributors, and people in need can get help from the millions around the world who share their struggles.
Social media is not just popular because it is cool or because it is a great way to get attention. It can change lives and open doors for people who previously had no way into the global conversation. It is easy to discount its impact or trivialize its lasting effects, but before you do that, you might want to give it a try.
Guest post by: Tavis J. Hampton uses several forms of social media to express himself and share his findings with the world. For web hosting he recommends clustered hosting provider 34SP.com.
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