The Social Media Paradox

Social media has existed, in one form or another, for thousands of years. But only recently has what we think of social media, sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., become the phenomenon it is. This version of social media has drastically changed our culture and our people.

As Tom Standage wrote in Writing on the Wall, "Users of such sites do more than just passively consume information, in other words: they can also create it, comment on it, share it, discuss it, and even modify it." Social media gives its users a lot of power, particularly over the spread of information. The effects of this power are somewhat contradictory.

Every social media user has the ability to create content, spread information, and share their thoughts. The purpose of social media is to give people a voice and a platform for sharing their thoughts. One of the wonderful things about social media is that it allows everyone to chime in on issues. We can see everyone's perspective. Everyone gets a voice and a chance to give their opinion. It's a great thing that people can share their opinions and that everyone has the opportunity to be heard. But there is a downside to giving everyone a voice. Social media gives users the idea that they deserve everyone's undivided attention. They feel that every thought is worth sharing and every post is worth the attention of their friends and followers. People sometimes expect too much and forget that they are one of many.

Social media also has quite a paradoxical effect on people's self-esteem. On the one hand, self-esteem is bolstered by the constant validation of people's opinions. The steady stream of likes on a photo or post, the numerous retweets or favorites on a funny tweet, give the user an ego boost. They feel more confident in themselves and their thoughts, and their self-esteem strengthens because of the constant praise. However, social media also tends to make people more self-conscious. I have friends who will delete a picture from their Instagram if it doesn't get 30 likes in the first 10 minutes. Every post, picture, and caption is analyzed and painstakingly edited until it is deemed acceptable. People fear judgment based on their posts on social media, and they criticize everything they do and alter it until it is worth posting.

The social media generation is constantly thinking, constantly sharing, constantly judging, and constantly validating. They are always connected to one another through social media, and their entire lives are affected by it. Social media has obviously had a large impact on our culture, but it is hard to say if it is overall a good thing or a bad thing.