Social Media: Connecting Michigan or Driving Us Apart?
There was a time when there was a lot more space between us. Physical and digital. I mean if you were a student at MSU prior to 2006, you might have had Facebook when it was still college exclusive. Now your parents and grandparents check their feeds on the regular. It connects us, but it also offers a little more of a peak into our lives for potential employers and whoever else.
Before you say, "I just keep strict privacy settings," know that I won't hire anyone if I can't see their socials. I need to make sure someone isn't going to embarrass my brand. I assure you that I am not the only one with this mindset. For something that is supposed to connect us, most Americans think it is terrible for us. This according to a recent poll.
There are some cool Facebook groups out there, including I Grew Up In Lansing. You would think it would be a good way to connect. The problem has become content. People have been given a platform to say whatever they want or feel. You might think that is good, but it leads to and breeds a lot of negativity. People tend to post the negative before the positive. It sucks, but that has been the trend.
It might have always been the case, but socials have just made it more so. Think about it. Prior to socials, the news only led with negative stories. They still do, but because of socials, being first trumps being right in a lot of cases. People also throw garbage out there and there is a large group of the population that believes everything they read.
It might not have been the original intent, but it has certainly changed where we are and how we act. We are all attached to our phones. We all scroll through feeds. For something that is supposed to connect us, we are really farther apart. So I will ask, does social media connect Michiganders or drive us further apart?
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