Food for thought: Social Media

Have you ever thought about how many places we as people can go to connect with people? It truly is remarkable at how many different, yet very similar places we can go to connect.

Twitter, website, facebook, linkedin, delicious, instagram, posterous. These are all the places that I have found myself connected too. It is a mean of talking to people you are not close too, it is a mean of having conversation with people you may or may never meet face to face(that could be good or bad), it is also a way that you can advertise yourself(in a good way, of course) or your business/ministry.

Here is my question: do we substitue social media for intimate face to face conversation?

I feel as thought in students lives today, it so much easier to text, facebook or maybe use myspace(so 2008!!) than to sit down with someone over a cup of coffee and talk.

Why is that? What is so hard about sitting down with someone to have coffee?

Well here is my thoughts:

1) We can say whatever we want, whether it is truly how we feel or not how we feel.

—We seem to have this want or need to be bigger than other people. Online or texting gives us the ability to do that. We can say or do anything we want and be awesome, even when that may not be who we are exactly. Brad Paisley wrote a song all about this called “So much cooler online”. In a round a bout way, I think Mr. Paisley is right.

2) No one can see us.

—Not only are we able to say whatever we want, but we are also able to look however we want. When we face the world, we have this inert desire to fit in, to blend in, to be cool or popular. Unfortunately for students today, being cool, popular and whatever else is desired, seems to be harder and harder to grasp. It seems that there is much more desire and much more short comings than when I was in high school or middle school. Why is that? When no one can see us, we can be whoever we want, look however we want and do whatever we want.

3) It can give us attention.

—There are so many times I have heard about people getting in trouble because of what they say on Twitter or Facebook. Getting fired from jobs, losing spouses/girlfriends. It seems that WE CAN GET whatever we want in these online relationships. I mean we can say anything and it can get a rise out of people and it can bring attention to ourselves that we may be longing for from people but dont get unless we say something radical. Have you ever said something radical?

Here are is my rebuttal:

I love social media. I think it is incredible. I have met so many people over Twitter ( yes I use Twitter the most ) that I will hopefully meet someday. I think Facebook is turning into an online teen drama site that cause more attention for the wrong reasons rather the good. I think Facebook is one of the greatest inventions of my lifetime. The ability to see pictures, games, friends from all ages and places, what you are doing, it’s incredible. However I think people take advantage of the way it could be used. I am not sure if I am sold on how Facebook is supposed to be used, but I use it mainly as an advertising tool for my youth ministry. It works great to get news out fast.

Here is what I also think; there is no substitution for sitting down in Starbucks and drinking a Venti Bold blend coffee with two splenda’s with a great friend/leader/mentor/volunteer. Nothing can beat those conversations. No conversation over twitter,facebook,myspace,linkedin, or whatever else is out there.

What do you think?

How do you use social media?

I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas!