So I really enjoy blogging, but I'm aware that this isn't my diary and I don't want to force my random opinions on the world just for the sake of it. So I like the idea of a blogging challenge that gives me set topics and keeps me regularly blogging and thinking. And here we have just that!
I also like the idea of doing this because, as Amber Morgan, I'm a "new" writer and this seems like a good way for visitors here to get to know me a bit better. So let's begin at the beginning! Number one on the list - five problems with social media.
1. Time Wasting - personally I love social media, but there's no denying it can be a time-sink. Checking Facebook or Twitter can sometimes become a compulsion or a chore, rather than a fun way to connect with people or pass the time on a bus journey. If you get to the point where you're mindlessly scrolling through Facebook instead of doing your job, you may need to step back a bit.
2. Artificial Intimacy - I have a lot of friends that I wouldn't be able to talk to without social media. It's one of things I absolutely love about it - I can speak to people on the other side of the world about Daredevil, food, cocktails, writing...anything. That's amazing! At the same time, being able to read a stranger's innermost thoughts can create an artificial sense of "knowing" that person. People suddenly think they have the right to monitor your behaviour, judge your choices, and police your words because you said it on Twitter. I've had people contact me to ask me why I've unfollowed them, which I find bizarre. Why do I have to explain my decisions to a stranger I'll never meet in real life? Twitter and Facebook, and other forms of social media can lead to incredible friendships...but following someone on social media doesn't automatically make you part of their inner circle. Always worth remembering.
3. Click-bait - Social media is a great way to share news. It's also easy to read a headline someone else has posted, jump to a conclusion, and react accordingly. The fact is, you can't always get the facts (if ever) just from the headline. It's easy to get emotional over politics or human rights, but it's also worth looking critically at the source before you make up your mind about something.
4. Spoiler Alerts! - Generally speaking, I don't stress about getting spoiled on TV, movies, or books. I don't think it's up to other people to protect me from spoilers. If they want to talk about the Red Wedding or the UFC results on their social media accounts, I have absolutely no room to complain. It's their space. On the other hand, places like Facebook have news feeds that often announce things in their headlines. That annoys me. My brother, fiance, and I are planning to get together next weekend and watch Wrestlemania in a good old nostalgia-fest. Thanks to Facebook, I already know the results of two key matches. I didn't go looking for the information, but I had no way to avoid it either, because of the revealing news headlines. That is annoying.
5. Oversharing - I don't think I'm guilty of this. I hope I'm not, anyway. But the temptation to share every thought you have on social media is ever-present. I've seen some really uncomfortable situations unfold on Facebook - issues that ended with people needing professional help. It was hard to read, hard not to comment, and impossible not to wonder why these people felt this was the best forum to discuss their problems. Again, other people's space is their space, and as long as they're not harming anyone, what they post is their choice. But I think some situations need real-world, not virtual, resolution. That's why the majority of my posts on Facebook are cat-related! Everyone can agree when it comes to cats.
What problems do you have with social media?
2. Artificial Intimacy - I have a lot of friends that I wouldn't be able to talk to without social media. It's one of things I absolutely love about it - I can speak to people on the other side of the world about Daredevil, food, cocktails, writing...anything. That's amazing! At the same time, being able to read a stranger's innermost thoughts can create an artificial sense of "knowing" that person. People suddenly think they have the right to monitor your behaviour, judge your choices, and police your words because you said it on Twitter. I've had people contact me to ask me why I've unfollowed them, which I find bizarre. Why do I have to explain my decisions to a stranger I'll never meet in real life? Twitter and Facebook, and other forms of social media can lead to incredible friendships...but following someone on social media doesn't automatically make you part of their inner circle. Always worth remembering.
3. Click-bait - Social media is a great way to share news. It's also easy to read a headline someone else has posted, jump to a conclusion, and react accordingly. The fact is, you can't always get the facts (if ever) just from the headline. It's easy to get emotional over politics or human rights, but it's also worth looking critically at the source before you make up your mind about something.
4. Spoiler Alerts! - Generally speaking, I don't stress about getting spoiled on TV, movies, or books. I don't think it's up to other people to protect me from spoilers. If they want to talk about the Red Wedding or the UFC results on their social media accounts, I have absolutely no room to complain. It's their space. On the other hand, places like Facebook have news feeds that often announce things in their headlines. That annoys me. My brother, fiance, and I are planning to get together next weekend and watch Wrestlemania in a good old nostalgia-fest. Thanks to Facebook, I already know the results of two key matches. I didn't go looking for the information, but I had no way to avoid it either, because of the revealing news headlines. That is annoying.
5. Oversharing - I don't think I'm guilty of this. I hope I'm not, anyway. But the temptation to share every thought you have on social media is ever-present. I've seen some really uncomfortable situations unfold on Facebook - issues that ended with people needing professional help. It was hard to read, hard not to comment, and impossible not to wonder why these people felt this was the best forum to discuss their problems. Again, other people's space is their space, and as long as they're not harming anyone, what they post is their choice. But I think some situations need real-world, not virtual, resolution. That's why the majority of my posts on Facebook are cat-related! Everyone can agree when it comes to cats.
What problems do you have with social media?
