"Social" Media

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The term social media was coined in connection with the creation of new technology. These platforms, like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, were intended for people to be able to socially connect with one another across the country and even across the globe. And admittedly, they do sometimes serve that purpose. According to Merriam Webster's Dictionary, the term "social" has several meanings. These include "marked by or passed in pleasant companionship with friends and associates" and "tending to form cooperative and interdependent relationships with others" (See Merriam Webster's Dictionary) So tell me...how is it that social media actually causes people to become less social?

A series of scientific studies reveal what many of us already know. People actually feel less social and less connected when they spend more time on social media. (See "Why Social Media Isn't Always Very Social" NPR). If you really sit down and think about it, this should not come as a big surprise to anyone. How many people do you actually speak to in one day? I'm not asking you about how many people you connect with via technology. I'm talking about the importance of face to face conversations. The importance of personal connections...I'm referring to real in-person connections...cannot be understated. According to Wharton marketing professor, Pinar Yildirim, "Social connections are fabrics of society" (See "The Impact of Social Media"). Unfortunately, our fabrics of society are unraveling at a rapid pace. How many people walk down the street and do not see the world around them because they are staring at the screen on their phones? How many people sit at a dinner table with friends and family yet do not look up to have a conversation with these people because they are too busy "connecting" with people on the other end of their social media accounts? The art of having a social conversation is actually being killed by social media. Take a breath, turn off your phone, and say hello.


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