I am a fan of being social, connecting with people…learning about cultures and ideas and perspectives…but what is scaring me is as people now
- Talk about the same news (weather, etc)
- Buy the same things
- Think the same way
What is going to happen to individuality and CREATIVITY?!?!!? While social media is about being a HUMAN being and allows all voices in the world to be heard equally….I also feel allowing everyone to be so easily exposed to others more quickly forces them to “electronically” surround themselves with only like minded people, and wall out people they do not like, or do not want to associate themselves with.
And as the newborn generations grow up with social media and mobile technology (its amazing, seeing my friend’s children playing with iphone as if they are experts and they are only 4 years old…) they will never know how it was to live WITHOUT these technology and social media platforms…..their childhood will be surrounded by their friends in real life being in parallel with their “online facebook friends” and continuously surrounding themselves only with people they want to be surrounded with….getting real time status updates from their classmates on what dinner they are having, what tv shows they are watching, what clothing they are buying…..
And…..as sad as it sounds, the majority of people feel comfortable doing the same things their friends are doing. PEOPLE FEAR TO BE DIFFERENT and the social web makes it sooooo easy to see exactly what your friends are doing everywhere. You will not be able to live as an individual anymore…when faced with a decision that needs to be made in life, your friends will be with you, physically or virtually.
I know it’s convenient to be able to constantly wired….I rarely have to ask for directions anymore, I can go into foreign countries and not even need to ask anything…I can get all my answers on the internet, online maps, online guide, social media friends….but isn’t that taking the fun away? Where is that forced interaction with the strangers, that force us to learn how to deal with people from all different backgrounds and personalities…..
I can only forecast, but I can definitely see as the younger generation grows up, they will not be able to deal with as many people in “real life” situations as the current grown up…..I know I am an old man (30 next week) and I am sounding like it now….but really, even I am able not to interact with strangers now, utilizing my mobile phone and social network to get answers and feedback…..and if I’m an “old fart” then I can only imagine how the children of today will be when they get older….with these facebook, twitter and mobile tools to access information quickly and easily….
Here is an example of the future I see….for a teenager in maybe 5 years (heck maybe its like this already!)
Go to first day of freshman class, meet people….already have a facebook account since you were born, so you add your classmates that you get to know (wonder do high school kids add everyone, like do cool kids accept friend requests from non-cool kids??).
So now you have the friends in your facebook, and you will get their status updates when they are eating, buying things. Then there are the status updates…..about what they buy, what they eat…..where they are going. I can only imagine that the cool kids will be showing off the cool new shoes they bought, and maybe even bullies will make fun of people who cannot afford / don’t buy the cool new Michael Jordan sneakers?
Movie night, what movie are you watching, who are you with? Jeez I can only IMAGINE THE added pressure of a high school kid more and more as I type out this role playing….
High school is already hard enough, I could only imagine it now combined with social media….I used to like to go home to get away from the peer pressure….the gossip, the sharing of what the cool people are buying….and how this will never really turn off.
Makes me almost glad I grew up without this social media noise when I was a kid…..being a teenager is soo hard, so much pressure…..when I’m a “grownup” I think social media is better, because I have learned more about who I really am and taken priorities in life.
Comments
well… Very impressive passage. People become robot, doing the same, think the same and live the same. Partlially right. Personally, we are all social animals. Everyone prefers to live in their own group. People who have the same taste are easy to get together and then they share everything they know and become more and more similiar. This kind of people are really lucky and happy in the world. However, there are also one group of people who totally have no idea who they are or what kind of life they want and therefore they begin to follow those so-called cool people and copy other’s life style. These group of same people are the pity one in the world.
thanks Sally – so do you think with social media, that people will be more embedded into their own social groups and not seeing “different” people outside of their social circles?
I really think its hard for younger generations to be independent now….
I agree that social media can help people from different culture background get together and broaden people’s vision by sharing. See, we are an example here^.^ I like reading your blog. Very honest and impressive in thought. I won’t do the same thing with you even though I appreciate the way you are living. We are unique and different, aren’t we? I like the way I am now. However, reading your blog sometimes give me some fresh ideas for my life. so thank you^.^
As you said it is hard for younger generations to be independent now. I agree with you. Most of graduates even with master degree don’t know how to communicate, how to cook, how to do basic stuff for living in the real life even though they have very good skills about computer, about theories…..That is really a pity. Well…it seems that human beings lost the ability of being human beings with the ability of technology. Somehow rediculous, right?That’s also why I am fond of DIY. Cook by myself, Keep dairy on the notebook. Paint pictures of my friend instead of taking pictures, play music by myself…. It is so good to live real.
come on…..do it….take that paper journal and make it an online blog…..it was hard for me to do here, and sure there are some maybe jealous people who leave me negative comments…..but overall being public online has helped so much….and i am so happy ti hear you get fresh life perspectives from reading these blog entries, it is truly amazing……
but yes, younger generations are getting maybe lazier with basic life as we get more technologically advanced…..but then again i kind of agree……i mean is it efficient to have every single household to have to cook dinner themselves…..if we all share and have specialties then one massive group to cook, like a cafeteria and then others csn focus on advancing technology and innovation
just my crazy ideas
i agree that social media can start trends, if a popular well liked person say they use something then others buy. thats why advertisers use famous, well liked people. but there is the other side. we have a ton of people that strive to be different. to walk the unbeaten path. I dont see this as a danger of social media – of people becoming the same. I fear privacy concerns more.
one thing that ive been thinking about recently which made me think of you is the following story. i have a contact on facebook i dont know how i even know this person maybe i went to high school with this person. they post all kinds of political things and just brainless one sided opinions that are really annoying. I was considering ignoring this person or removing them from my feed so i dont have to hear them. but then i thought of your post and of thinking the same, and maybe i dont want to do that. even though i dont agree with some of these people i should be aware that they exist, and try to understand the point they are trying to make rather than try to ignore them, block them out, and just live in my own happy world that isnt real. so thank you for the help with that. your blog inspired me to keep people i disagree with on my fb feed
cool man!! glad i got you to keep that person you don’t agree with on your feed…
i think there are two sides:
1) industry/topics
2) perspectives.
I also dont want to be surrounded by negative people, but positive people. if that person is really dragging me down with negative feelings and emotions, then I worry my mood will be affected as well….
I do want other perspectives and cultures to influence me, so I’m not living in a bubble, but maybe this is more true in twitter than facebook (as twitter is more open to strangers) that I want to LEARN from my feed…news, topics, ideas from industry people…
and on twitter, i dont want to get information about industries I am not interested in.
Anyway, glad you kept an open mind and balance in your social media experience! cheers
Hey, Mike! It is really good to be surrounded by some positive friends. However you said “i dont want to get information about industries I am not interested in”Well…Now I am a little afraid of leaving message here again if that’s is true, since I am not doing business about your industries^.^but I am positive.so…..
haha…sally……yea well this blog is always open come on…….maybe lately i talk too much about business, basically its about my busines adventures between usa and china……
I will be very happy to learn even though I am not doing business. Knowing something about everything makes me fresh everyday and knowing everything about something make me living. hehe…Thank you for your blog^.^