Writing on the Wall Thoughts

We can barely go a day without looking at our social media. Many articles claim we have become dependent on the social interaction we now receive on our mobile devices. Imagine my surprise when a book like Writing on the Wall by Tom Standage can account for two thousands years of history of the new addiction. I never thought of calligraphy or letters as a form of social media but in a way it is just another way of communicating and keeping in touch with people you are not with at the time. I found it particularly interesting when they talked about the wall in Rome. Where people wrote reviews and notes for the public. It was like a modern day Yelp, Twitter, and Facebook all in one. Even today these walls exist. Think about it, do people not graffiti their opinions? or paint murals on freeways to make a statement? There are other things besides the internet that serve as a social interaction we just don't always see it.
    Social media was described to date all the way back to animals and their grooming habits. Although this idea of core friends watching you groom seems insanely bizarre, I found myself counting seven people I know. There are many social practices that we may think are extinct, but instead have just developed into something entirely different. Grooming clans have turned into #squadgoals and graffiti walls have turned into online reviews and personal Facebook walls.

    Social media has been on the slow rise for centuries; it was almost inevitable for its popularity to blow up. However with the invention of the internet came a whole new beast. What started as Friendster became Myspace, which became Facebook, which launched an abundance of new ideas of how to become the next big social media app. We have anything from Instagram to time hop, and so many rely on it to feel included in the social world. I have no idea why I need to see a picture of what you ate for breakfast, but the sharing your life with others and getting like reaffirms confidence and it always has. Years ago it was getting a letter back, or an invitation, today it is evites and likes and retweets.
    Today there have been so many things that have affected social atmospheres, and many things have aided in its success. We have had social media for hundreds or years; we just didn't know it.

Social Media and our lives

    It is currently 1 pm on Monday. I have been on Snapchat over four times, Facebook at least once, and Instagram at least twice. Since waking up this morning, I have liked three pictures, read four articles and snap chatted three people. On top of that I have received around 25 group me messages, have been sent five vines and have text, 5 different people. Social media and my phone consumer substantial parts of my life, I don't necessarily like it, it is just the way it is.
    It used to be if everyone is doing something would you? We can all hear our mothers nagging "If Johnny jumped off a cliff would you?" In today's world, it would be fairly accurate to say everyone does social media, to me however it is very different than jumping off a cliff with Johnny. Social Media has become a must do must have in many fields. For instance, most of the news articles I read today are the result of a link I saw on Facebook. People no longer pick up newspapers, to be honest, newspapers are barely printed anymore so in order to get new you must find it online. Another example where social media has become imperative is getting a job. Sure we all know that your frat or sorority Facebook stalked you, but it also happens in the real world. The way you present yourself online makes a huge difference in how you are seen while walking into your interview. Apps like Linked in have become huge resources for companies looking to hire and for that reason many people must participate in the social media jungle.
    Despite social media's importance in communication and relationships today, I do understand people's grievances towards the superficial lifestyles. People post pictures of how they want their lives look. They don't post pictures of themselves staying at home watching Netflix, no they post pictures of themselves skydiving, traveling and apple picking. Videos of concerts are snap chat-worthy, videos of you and your dog on your couch are not. To some, it is all about the follows and the likes, but what we need to remember is social media wasn't invented to prove your popularity but instead to keep connections. I think we forget this because there are concerns that kids are now strictly making relationships on social media, and it is hindering their ability to form relationships in normal social settings.
    Social media can affect so many aspects of life good and bad, and I think the key is to understand its strengths and its benefits while combating its weaknesses.