How do you use social media?
I believe social media has enabled people to connect, share, explore, and create a kind of fantastical realm that mirrors the complexities of the real world.
Sometimes, I find myself wishing I had completed a degree in psychology. I’m especially curious about the insights psychologists have gained from the use of social media today. Regrettably, due to illness in 2012, I had to put those academic aspirations on hold.
In my imagination, I envision us living in the utopian world as depicted by early 19th-century media, one that aligns with 20th-century ideals of perfection. However, just as those envisioned utopias often had hidden flaws, so too does social media. Its reality includes both its remarkable promises and its challenging pitfalls.
During the early 19th century, the quickest way to send information was through the optical telegraph or semaphore system. This method involved a series of towers equipped with mechanical arms, which could be arranged to form various symbols and letters, effectively transmitting messages across distances.
Born in 1960 and raised on a steady diet of science fiction, there was a lot of speculation about what life would be like in the year 2000. However, as 1999 approached, the excitement over futuristic innovations was overshadowed by fears of the Y2K bug. Working in IT, my attention was consumed by this issue rather than marveling at the advanced technology of the era.
However, I believe that social media really took off in 2007 with the introduction of the Apple iPhone, which made ‘social media’ accessible to the everyday user, not just tech enthusiasts. Before 2000, email was the primary method of digital communication, quaintly reminiscent of sending messages by carrier pigeon.
Text messaging truly became mainstream when it was offered for free, transforming how we communicate daily. Social media, however, aspires to something greater—it connects us with topics, people, and ideas beyond our immediate circles. In the 19th century, this kind of broader engagement was mostly facilitated through newspapers and magazines. These publications featured columns where the general public could pose questions or share their opinions, serving as the era’s platforms for wider social interaction.
Have we all become writers in the digital age? Not exactly. While the internet is brimming with content, much of it could be considered subpar or trivial. Yet, there’s something undeniably cathartic about this proliferation of online expression. Even if not all content meets high literary standards, the ability to share and communicate on such a vast scale serves as a modern outlet for personal reflection and creativity. This democratization of content creation means that more voices can be heard, contributing a diverse array of perspectives and stories to our global dialogue.
If I had children, who would likely be middle-aged by now, I would have aimed to shield them from certain things until they reached adulthood. I might have even considered homeschooling to offer them protection for as long as I could. However, realistically speaking, it’s nearly impossible to keep them insulated from everything.
To me, ‘social media’ resembles a vast global school playground: a space where diverse individuals converge. However, given its worldwide scale, the likelihood of encountering like-minded individuals increases—if we search long enough. Ideally, it should be a safe environment, yet achieving safety often comes at the expense of lesser freedom.
After watching the first season of the reality show ‘The Circle’ in the US, I’ve come to realize that today’s social media predominantly caters to those born after 1990, complete with its own unique language and subcultures. This observation has sparked my curiosity, and I plan to further explore these cultural nuances by watching the UK version of the program next. This comparison may shed light on how different cultural contexts influence the way social media is used and perceived in various regions.
The Duck Pond Splash Down 
Leave a comment