1997.
This was the year the first social media site was (Six Degrees) was created.and was based on the web of contacts model of social networking. It was named after the six degrees of separation concept and allowed users to list friends, family members and acquaintances both on the site and externally; external contacts were invited to join the site. Users could send messages and post bulletin board items to people in their first, second, and third degrees, and see their connection to any other user on the site. It was one of the first manifestations of social networking websites in the format now seen today.
Back then, it was simple. If you didn't have a personal computer or a bulky laptop and the infamous dial-up connection (where when you ask your mom, dad or siblings to not use the phone when you're using the internet as it will be disconnected) you wouldn't have access to these sites. As the time goes by, social media has evolved exponentially! From the ever famous Friendster and its testimonials; Myspace and its themes and Multiply and its blog feature to now Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Nowadays, a lot of people spend more time on their phones as compared to their daily activities combined (working, chores, sleeping). It seems that this particular technology has put a spell on people wherein most of us are more interested to learn about people through their Facebook accounts rather than actually catching up with them in person? Also with the constant evolution of mobile phones, from simple calls and text to accessing all the information in the world at the palm of your hands. Which brings me to this question, why are more millennials dumber than the generation that came before them? It may be because if they simply don’t know the answer to a question, they could just ask Mr. Google, Miss Bing or Mrs. Yahoo. Instead of going through a pile of Encyclopedias (Volumes 1 to a thousand God knows what) like how we did before the internet was even introduced.
This opinion may be a little biased, but if you live with people (family, roommates, etc) try to go outside your room and see what they are doing. You are most likely to see them on their phones, browsing something or most likely their social media accounts.
If you have also noticed, when you go to restaurants, coffee shops, and other establishments you can see that there is a percentage of people that are on their phones and that percentage is covered by the millennial demographic.
There are times when we tend to become so busy with our lives that we forget what is the most valuable thing that makes us all human. The ability to feel. It seems that social media has turned us into robots, walking around everywhere, sometimes not even looking at where were going because our eyes are so glued to our phones that we can’t take a minute to even appreciate the simplest of things.
Social media lets us expose ourselves to the world for people to like, love, laugh, get amazed, and get frustrated at (Yes, Im talking about those icons on Facebook) so that we can feel more valued.
Though it has its amazing qualities such as making sure that you connect with people real time.
However, we have to admit that when we do post something online this is what goes through our heads:
1. I’m gonna say what I want because I have an opinion.
2. I’m gonna post this picture so that people can appreciate me or my friends (selfies, groupfies)
3. I’m going to post this (travel photos or material possessions) because I can afford it.
All of these boils down to narcissism. I am no hypocrite and I admit that I use social media for the above mentioned reasons, however I also use it as a tool to be more connected to those people that matters to me the most.
Talking to them via private messaging instead of just replying to certain comment makes it more personal. You may not see them, but you know that the person on the other line replying to you is the person that you want to reach out to. And that its their fingers that did they tapping and for some short moment you feel that they are making time for you. In this way you are using social media as a positive tool.
To end this, if you are going out with the people that you love or the people that you care about try to minimize accessing social media and/or your phone and appreciate the time that you have with each other. You never know when this person will be gone or if you will ever see each other again especially if you no longer live in the same city. If you're at home, go out and give your wife/husband/mom/dad or child a hug.
Remember to appreciate and love each moment, may it be good or bad. After all, we are human and not Zombies. :)
Lots of love.
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