[Barron]

Think about where social media came from, and why it was conceived. Using Facebook as an example; you have a young male college student who is socially awkward and wants more from his life but doesn’t know how to get it. Much like Holden Caulfield, Mark Zuckerberg struggles with his relationships. He isn’t willing to chance a look at himself as the common denominator of his problems, and put in the work required to achieve the ends he desires. Instead Mr. Zuckerberg is one of the rare individuals who, instead of changing himself, was able to change the world around him. He created a network which shortcuts the uncomfortable and awkward moments in life by allowing individuals to put their best edited foot forward. He gave people the ability to present themselves exactly how they wanted to be seen by the outside world, without ever having to face it.

Social Media was made by a person who is socially inept, for a person that is socially inept. When normal social functioning people frequent sites like Facebook, they’re essentially conforming to a means of interaction that is by default, beneath them. Active users continually degrade their real social ability. As social media grows in power and influence, we’re all slowly pulled down to the same level as the very same socially awkward individual that created the social media landscape. All social media is modeled from this aspect and will continue to damage society’s social fabric, person by person. The profile page is as opposite from social as anything can be because the profile acts as a barrier to the world. It is your presentation of you, but really has nothing to do with who you are at all since it is only what you want people to see, rather than being objectively you.

If ever a new social media platform was made it would have to be one where face-to-face interactions happen in real time. One that revels in the awkwardness of meeting someone for the first time. One that promotes the uncomfortable struggle of making initial conversation. One that forces people to be who they are in the present moment. One where if you’re not actively in front of a camera you can’t be online. Because the beauty of life is in the moments we can’t control, it’s in the moments we’re willing to come out from behind our keyboards and profiles, and face the world directly. Get judged, feel awkward, and remain open to different ideas so that you might learn something new. So since it’s not social in its current form, what is the real consequence of social media on the average person?

[Marmite]

(05-13-2015 09:38 PM)NomadofEU Wrote:  

The profile page is as opposite from social as anything can be because the profile acts as a barrier to the world. It is your presentation of you, but really has nothing to do with who you are at all since it is only what you want people to see, rather than being objectively you.

This is essentially a social mask, something that we all wear in one form or another when dealing with others.

Quote:

If ever a new social media platform was made it would have to be one where face-to-face interactions happen in real time. One that revels in the awkwardness of meeting someone for the first time. One that promotes the uncomfortable struggle of making initial conversation. One that forces people to be who they are in the present moment. One where if you’re not actively in front of a camera you can’t be online. Because the beauty of life is in the moments we can’t control, it’s in the moments we’re willing to come out from behind our keyboards and profiles, and face the world directly. Get judged, feel awkward, and remain open to different ideas so that you might learn something new. So since it’s not social in its current form, what is the real consequence of social media on the average person?

Since this is something that you can get by going out into the world and actually interacting with people face to face, I doubt there would be a market for it.

Social networking sites do seem to be having a detrimental effect on people's lives. Unfortunately I don't think there is anything that can really be done about it. Having constant access to the internet is great for the most part, but it does seem to be dumbing down the populace. Since a dumb population is easier to control and manipulate, these sorts of sites will remain a part of our lives.

[samsamsam]

Technology, software, food almost anything is neutral, how it is used is where the problem lies. It is still people and their issues, these issues may be accelerated by technology but it is still just weakness in the people in the first place.

In the exact case of social media - I don't see anything wrong with making the best first impression. The issue with all the idiocy that is splattered all over social media. LinkedIn seems very good for business. Facebook did allow for people to re-connect with old friends, etc. It is just how it is used is the problem, not that it exists.

Now for a slight tangent to prove my point that it is not the item, it is the person who is using it.

The printing press was great in many people's eyes but others were upset because it allowed the spreading of ideas and pornography that some people didn't like.

3D printing seems great - but now people are trying to make guns out of it. I am on the side that this isn't too cool. You could smuggle a gun on the plane since it has no metal.

Alfred Nobel invented dynamite, originally, as a high explosive for mining and building, making digging train tunnels suddenly much easier. Then it was used to kill people. One of the most famous uses in the United States was the Wall Street Bombing of 1920. And for people too lazy to fish.

Google Earth - it is awesome in many ways but it has been used for bad things also. That information can be useful for terrorists as well, as shown by the attacks in Mumbai in 2008, which made the Indian government consider asking Google to blur some of its images, and even prompted a lawsuit against Google. In England, thieves used Google Earth to scope out churches with lead roofs so that they could steal the metal and sell it on the black market.

http://news.discovery.com/tech/gear-and-...131012.htm