Social Media
Intro
Our team is called S. M. Unlisted, and the S. M. stands for Social Media. As such, I find it fitting to take up a little website space to discuss our philosophy on social media.
If you've read our "About" page, you'll know that the people on our team don't really use social media. I'll explain more about why that is later. For now, let's actually define social media.
Social media is a tool on the internet to indirectly communicate with multiple people. Someone can post or upload something to the social media outlet, and people can view what is shown without specifically communicating with that person individually. Examples of social media are websites like Facebook and Twitter, or mobile apps like Instagram. (I think. I don't use this stuff, mind you.)
I think it goes without saying that social media has played a big part on both the internet and the everyday lives of most people. But there are both good and bad aspects of social media. Let's discuss them.
Our team is called S. M. Unlisted, and the S. M. stands for Social Media. As such, I find it fitting to take up a little website space to discuss our philosophy on social media.
If you've read our "About" page, you'll know that the people on our team don't really use social media. I'll explain more about why that is later. For now, let's actually define social media.
Social media is a tool on the internet to indirectly communicate with multiple people. Someone can post or upload something to the social media outlet, and people can view what is shown without specifically communicating with that person individually. Examples of social media are websites like Facebook and Twitter, or mobile apps like Instagram. (I think. I don't use this stuff, mind you.)
I think it goes without saying that social media has played a big part on both the internet and the everyday lives of most people. But there are both good and bad aspects of social media. Let's discuss them.
The things that are good about social media:
1. Effective communication. Social media's biggest advantage is probably the one people care least about.
By "effective" communication, I mean that news can be spread easily and quickly. All it takes is someone to post something on their social media, and anyone will be able to see it. The reason that this is so powerful, though, is because so many people use social media. And not that they just use it, but they're constantly on it, so word spreads quickly.
Spreading news without social media is much harder. For the world news or emergencies social media makes it easier to spread information than relying on people watching TV or listening to the radio. For person 'news', it's easier to announce to your friends the details of your personal life by posting it on a social media outlet and letting them see than to email or call or meet everyone individually. (This applies to businesses announces products or giving information too, and all variations of that. It's the reason I made Steven set up social media accounts for us.) This lead's us to our second advantage of social media...
2. Employer's like hiring people who use social media. Saying "I have 1500 Facebook friends" is actually something valid to put on your resume.
Why do employers like their employees to use social media? It's actually pretty intuitive:
3. Keeping up to date with old acquaintances. I guess social media is a good way to keep in contact with people and to network. (*whisper whisper* Notice how I use the word "acquaintances." Knowing someone doesn't make them your friend.)
1. Effective communication. Social media's biggest advantage is probably the one people care least about.
By "effective" communication, I mean that news can be spread easily and quickly. All it takes is someone to post something on their social media, and anyone will be able to see it. The reason that this is so powerful, though, is because so many people use social media. And not that they just use it, but they're constantly on it, so word spreads quickly.
Spreading news without social media is much harder. For the world news or emergencies social media makes it easier to spread information than relying on people watching TV or listening to the radio. For person 'news', it's easier to announce to your friends the details of your personal life by posting it on a social media outlet and letting them see than to email or call or meet everyone individually. (This applies to businesses announces products or giving information too, and all variations of that. It's the reason I made Steven set up social media accounts for us.) This lead's us to our second advantage of social media...
2. Employer's like hiring people who use social media. Saying "I have 1500 Facebook friends" is actually something valid to put on your resume.
Why do employers like their employees to use social media? It's actually pretty intuitive:
- They know more about your personality than what you say on your resume and in an interview.
- They may think 'Having a lot of "friends" or followers = probably will get along with coworkers.'
- If you post anything about the company or its products on your social media, it's free advertising for them. Your friends are their friends.
3. Keeping up to date with old acquaintances. I guess social media is a good way to keep in contact with people and to network. (*whisper whisper* Notice how I use the word "acquaintances." Knowing someone doesn't make them your friend.)
The things that are bad about social media:
1. Information is publicly accessible. Easily the worst problem about social media is that information is public, or it's too easily accessible. I think people who freely use social media should value their privacy a little more. If someone can google your name and find information about you and know what's been going on in your personal life...that's a problem.
I'm not saying that everyone can see all of your information. I guess there are privacy settings? Even so, I wouldn't want any information to be able to be seen.
Any other bad things about social media can fall under the category that social media outlets are public and/or accessible. I don't even need to list more. However, I'll argue against the three points I made above about why social media is good to show why social media is unnecessary.
The good points above being refuted:
(1) Effective communication - It's entirely possible to get world news by reading newspapers, watching TV, or listening to the radio, as well as viewing reputable news outlet's websites or mobile apps. Personal news can be discussed over phone, text messages, or emails. Copy and pasting or mass emailing isn't difficult.
(2) Employer's liking social media - Just having a good resume and a strong interview that demonstrates your skills for the job should be enough. If not, its possible to get a better hobby with the time that's freed from not using social media.
(3) Old acquaintances/contacts/networking - emailing and phones seem to be a good enough form of communication, if the person is that important.
1. Information is publicly accessible. Easily the worst problem about social media is that information is public, or it's too easily accessible. I think people who freely use social media should value their privacy a little more. If someone can google your name and find information about you and know what's been going on in your personal life...that's a problem.
I'm not saying that everyone can see all of your information. I guess there are privacy settings? Even so, I wouldn't want any information to be able to be seen.
Any other bad things about social media can fall under the category that social media outlets are public and/or accessible. I don't even need to list more. However, I'll argue against the three points I made above about why social media is good to show why social media is unnecessary.
The good points above being refuted:
(1) Effective communication - It's entirely possible to get world news by reading newspapers, watching TV, or listening to the radio, as well as viewing reputable news outlet's websites or mobile apps. Personal news can be discussed over phone, text messages, or emails. Copy and pasting or mass emailing isn't difficult.
(2) Employer's liking social media - Just having a good resume and a strong interview that demonstrates your skills for the job should be enough. If not, its possible to get a better hobby with the time that's freed from not using social media.
(3) Old acquaintances/contacts/networking - emailing and phones seem to be a good enough form of communication, if the person is that important.
Conclusion
Well. The point of this article was to point out some advantages of social media, while also showing it's unnecessary. The reason I wrote this isn't because I have a personal vendetta against social media, it's more that it seems awkward when interacting with people today to not have a social media being some sort of a stigma.
Well. The point of this article was to point out some advantages of social media, while also showing it's unnecessary. The reason I wrote this isn't because I have a personal vendetta against social media, it's more that it seems awkward when interacting with people today to not have a social media being some sort of a stigma.
