Blog 1 – This I believe… by Darian Somers
I wanted to write this post in 140 character segments but figured that would be too difficult. I believe that social media is the most important tool that our generation has been given to create and effect change in the matter of moments. I believe that when it is properly used social media is an equally powerful tool as a newspaper, radio broadcast or a nightly newscast.
The numbers quite simply show — the media industry is dying. There are fewer and fewer jobs in the newspaper business and more and more people are creating a blog, website or other form to share how they feel and the news. It is an never-ending cycle that has been created largely in part by the internet.
However, one thing also created by the internet was the use of social media as a way for people to express themselves. For many, the first social media platform they used was MySpace. It’s shifted to Facebook and been supplemented by the creation of Twitter and Instagram. Prominently, Facebook and Twitter have become the two biggest social media sites when it comes to getting news.
And because of those sites everyone can have a say. That’s why I believe anyone can have the power to change the world. Social media is the modern day paperboy. It delivers the news to other people. It also fosters the conversation. Now anyone can weigh in on a controversial topic or share their opinion. That allows for things like trends and other people who believe in something to chime in.
Social media can also become a way for people to become educated about causes. For example, things like #BringBackOurGirls and Kony teach people the issues that are happening somewhere else they might not think of or have ever heard of. Often time when things likes this go viral. When that happens, those causes become something you care about. Personally, causes like It’s On Us has allowed me to become more educated about stopping sexual assault. I wouldn’t have learned that much about it without the creation of the social media trend.
Social media trends allow you to become someone who has their eyes opened. You understand that people don’t just care about what your tiny friend group believes in.
Unfortunately, social media has somewhat put a halt to ideas and thoughts becoming well thought out. However, social media allows us to appreciate that other people have different beliefs. A lot of those beliefs can help raise appreciation for causes. On a local level, THON has grown and a lot of that deals with the growth of social media. Now anyone in the world can hear about THON.
I believe social media is more than just a way for people to share pictures of their dogs or what they are doing on a Friday night. It’s more than a way for people to see the latest viral content. I believe social media can change the world.