How Social Media Is Changing The World

Often-times when we hear the words social media we wonder about all the things it can do for us. How it can get me a better job or how much traffic it can send to my blog.

But how often do you think, “How is social media changing the world?” Social media, often being taken for granted by the hardcore web users of the world, is affecting our world and the way we live our lives, whether positively or negatively.

In fact, social media now plays such a major role in society, it causes me to question why there are still many people who aren’t using it. They seem to have an almost hatred for it, or an unwillingness to learn.

I tend to think of those that aren’t using social media as the McDonalds drive-thru guy. Or the fry cook at Burger King. We’ll always need those types of people to do deal with the things we ourselves don;t want to deal with. Keep up the good work you!

The Negative Effects Of Social Media

I, like many others, often overlook the negative role social media plays.

Social media is known for causing something called social proof, or the bandwagon effect. All this means is that people are following others readily without really thinking for themselves.

A girl who threatens suicide online while everyone watches and urges her on may cause another to think it’s okay to kill herself. It seems socially acceptable.

How about the woman who used myspace to bully a young girl, then the girl eventually killed herself?

Social media has seen it’s share of bad. It has been a portal for those intent on causing harm to others, and an outlet for finding acceptance in harming oneself.

But in all the bad that social media may cause, it seems it causes so much more good.

The Positive Effects of Social Media

You’ve seen proof of how social media has affected the presidency. Not only with the election of Barak Obama, but that also of the presidential race.

Ron Paul did better than he would have ever done, if it weren’t for social media. CNN used Twitter and other social media outlets during presidential campaigns to better understand what the masses were thinking.

We no longer live in a world where the media can dictate what we want to hear about. Social media is giving us the chance to choose. It is becoming the way to freedom in a country where the government gains more control everyday.

Social media is also helping guys like Joe the plumber get a better paying job. It’s allowing for families to finally be able to support themselves financially when they never could before. It’s becoming more about what you know and how well you know it rather than who you are and who you know.

With social media, we all finally get an easier way to decide what we want to be doing and where we want to be doing it.

Accept it or not. Social media is changing our lives more each day. All you have to do is decide whether you want to take the blue pill or the red pill. Whether you want to do something with your life, or continue being the guy in the giant mouse costume at Chuck E Cheese’s being punched on by all those snot nosed brats.

Here’s to hoping I’ll see you on the beaches of the world!

What are your thoughts on social media in relation to our world?