Perhaps that is why I am so passionate about this topic. It's impacted my life, positively and negatively. Feel free to email your thoughts or story to ministryresearch@yahoo.com if you'd like to. I am open to all perspectives and takes on this topic!
The Impacts of Social Media on Humanity
Why ‘humanity’? The definition of humanity is: all human
beings collectively; the human race; humankind, the quality or condition of
being human. (Dictionary.com 6/20/12). This is a powerful term. Humans are so intertwined in relationships
with others. These relationships, our psyches and outward behaviors are greatly
impacted by influences and communication on the internet.
The quality or condition of being human, this means you and me.
I believe that the quality changes from different levels of good and bad for
each individual, depending on whom they are in a household, workplace, or
friendship. I do believe there are more negative impacts collectively on our
society/culture than good. It will be an accumulative, long-term negative
impact that we have already begun to see and will see even more later, as our
children are now growing up in competition of Facebook and in the shadow of
posts, feeds, and notifications.
We’ll explore all the social media options on the World Wide
Web to see what a large scale of distraction it truly is. Social media, like
food, can be a tool and useful. However, just as too much food can lead to bad
health, I believe social media is robbing us from true friendships, interfering
in our marriages, and leaving many distracted and unproductive at work and
school. Another important area of our lives that social media is chipping away
at is the Christian’s spiritual disciplines. Many know more about other people’s
kids’ camp trips than what God is doing in their lives today!
Social media is not only impacting our lives within our
homes, but outside the home and in the workplace, our local news, and
government (locally to globally). Many who love it call it ‘networking’. Those
who are cleaning up the mess of families call it ‘social gluttony’. Do we
really need to check in what we’re having for breakfast, lunch, dinner? Think
of the safety of people’s family when potential predators have slipped in your
friend list and you’ve posted your family is (currently) at a park. Let’s
review statistics to see if there is a rise in kidnappings, sexual assaults,
and pedophile activity.
After considering the tasks of being a mother to small
children and managing a home, my heart is broken for the children of our social
media generation. Here is where the passion comes from. I truly believe the
very fact that social media is robbing our children. PERIOD. Let’s review everything
from the work-at-home mom who uses social media to market her multi-level
marketing business to the stay-at-home mom who is bored and lonely posting of
her disgust with laundry. In one sense, we all want to belong and feel encouraged
and attached to the outside world of our homes. But when we sit at the computer
screen longer than we read to our children, help them with their homework, or
play ball with them, something is wrong. Our husbands won't buy that we were to busy to clean 'today' when he's seen all our posts on our day. Really, all that time on Facebook or Twitter could've been spent scrubbing tubs and toilets.
Review the recent statistic that 65% of Americans are
overweight and obese. They’ve moved from the sofa and television to the
internet and social media. Many who battle weight problems conclude they ‘just
don’t have enough time to work out’. However, after examining how often they
are on Twitter, Pinterest, or Facebook, one would conclude that they really do
have the 45-60 minutes a day to work out. Many find any distraction away from
taking care of their bodies, and now social media is just one more way. The
irony is that social media is a common avenue to use for the network marketers
of their nutritional products, yet how many people are using them? People will
post they want to lose weight, but they refuse to log off and go run!
Consider the latest trends in divorce. I heard a statistic
that 33% of the divorce cases in England were due to Facebook. Why? Is it the
hours that a wife or husband spends accessing it instead of spending time
together? Is it the past relationships with people of the opposite sex that is
luring spouses away from each other?
Social media is impeding the most important relationships we
have: with God first, then our children and spouse. At the end of this life,
God is not going to high five us for having witty posts, amazing pictures, or
500+ friends on Facebook. He’s going to look at the fruit of our lives. Are our
children saved and serving God? Are we still married? Did we give to the cause
of Christ? Did we lead people to the Lord?
Yes, we can encourage people in the Lord through social
media (I do it all the time). We can spread a prayer request quickly. We can
stay in touch with our best friends across the nations. Yes, there are some
positives. However, this is one more thing that can be used for good gone bad. Many
have turned into insomniacs from the consistent habit of staying up late ‘networking’.
Once the honeymoon is over with their new social media forum, they just can’t
get any shut eye. They’ve been reprogrammed to stay up late, so what do they
do? Turn to Facebook to update their status of ‘where is sleep?’
It’s a sad shape our society is in. In a pursuit to connect the
world, we’ve disconnected families and our true identity from ourselves. Sounds
extreme but there are actually people indulging in separate lives from their
true reality, out there in cyberspace. What are the implications of this for
their family and their psyche?
It is time we reevaluate where we are spending our precious
time. It is time to reaffirm our loved ones that they are priority and give
them the time and attention they deserve. It is time that we give our employers
our best effort and efficiency. It is time we protect ourselves and children
from criminal activity. It is time we spend more time with our spouses then
posting about them. It is time we exercise and get active. It is time we find
balance and stop overindulging in this social media frenzy!
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