Thoughts on Social Media

Social media has become my life. I blog, (Personal and business); Facebook (Personal plus 11 business pages); Twitter (Personal plus 4 business accounts); Pinterest (Personal and business); YouTube (Personal and business); Instagram (Personal and business); Yelp, Foursquare, TripAdvisor... the list goes on, waaaaay too long!

I recently got put in charge of a local event which involves a lot of organizing, phone calls and meetings. I found that I spend so much time in front of some type of electronic device posting online that it's become difficult to relate face-to-face with people!

Those of us who "do" social media need to periodically come back to reality and actually talk to people!

My sister-in-law, editor and publisher of the Courier-Times, our hometown newspaper recently posted a column that hit close to home:

I believe the rapid expansion of social media can be partially attributed to the hunger many have for inspiration. That's why we find so many poems, funny stories and videos, Bible verses and quotes, and photos of kittens and puppies and the like on Facebook.

We seem to have a hunger for things that point us in a positive direction and make us feel better while going about our day.

Sometimes social media spirals down, and what would have been an opportunity to receive nourishing hope turns into the "burned toast" of anger, rage, malicious put-downs and ugly declarations.

I submit to you today, that social media cannot be a healthy substitute for real, person-to-person interaction. There is more to be learned and gained from everyday living in and around other people.

I would compare the isolation of constant social media to living on a diet of cake and ice cream,and never eating the meat and vegetables of real life.

Social media is a tool... a good tool. Yet, if that's the only tool in our toolbox, we're going to find ourselves in need very quickly. In the real world, we need one another... in person... face-to-face... shoulder-to-shoulder.

There's an old Bible proverb that says "Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." (Prov 27:17).

Hungry for inspiration? Try being the friend you'd like to have and spending real time with those you love.

Words of wisdom to keep in mind.