…Friend or foe…

Back in the day, I worked for a large technical company.  I consider myself technically savvy, a bit savvier than most in my circle anyway.  But from within the walls of an innovative tech giant and leader in its field, I was definitely a novice.   And in the company of the tech geeks I worked with, I was definitely a neophyte. 

Now, to be clear (and, it would appear, a bit defensive!) I was not employed to be technical.  I was a people leader and used a combination of social and business skills to support a team of geeks.  One of things I did to ‘help the company’, and attempt to elevate my reputation, was to volunteer as a beta tester.  Some requests would be for new hardware and some were for new software.  And despite all being terribly frustrating for me for the most part, I was assured I was a great test candidate because I represented the ‘person on the street’.   The quotation marks are to indicate that even all these years later I question if that was a good thing or not.

Regardless, that is how I got involved in social media.  I became a tester of the new apps.  I mentioned my employer was very innovative and it was not long after Facebook launched in 2004/05 that I was asked to test the Facebook app on my phone.   I added the app and added some friends from work.  I responded to all the surveys, reported issues and installed the required updates.  Once again, beta tester success was mine.   Still, I was slow to get momentum to social media use as it took me another two years or so before people outside my circle of beta tester ‘friends’ were starting to use Facebook as well. 

Over the years I’ve pondered the virtues of social media as I’ve added other social media forums such as Twitter and Instagram.  There is always the argument around the lack of real dialogue when you are just putting your thoughts and feelings out into cyber-space without much expectation for any response except perhaps an appropriate emoticon.  Opinions and sentiments in 280 character sound bites are barely a statement.  And how many ‘friends’ does a person really have who are truly shirt-off-the-back, just-call-and-I’ll-be-there?    People have been known to vent and more, and at times comments that are biting and attacking are the norm.  And those posts sit on a recipient’s timeline or stares them square in the face on their screen, often without much context.  Feelings are hurt, thinly veiled (and some not so thinly veiled) accusations are made, and reputations put into question.  Within the past few years, social media has become a real-time, easy access arena for politicians as well.  Today the campaign trail is just a keystroke away.

But then, there is the flip side.  In this age of the global village, we are better informed of the plights of our fellow humankind, the injustices, the issues and concerns facing people in our own neighbourhoods, countries and around the world.  We are able to keep our finger on the pulse so to speak.  Humanitarian issues are exposed to the light of day.  As we have moved away from the family model of nuclear and multi-generations living within very close proximity to each other, social media enables those generations to easily maintain connections.  Pictures are shared, milestones and special events are acknowledged and celebrated.  Some will even provide thoughtful reflections on their status in life, considerations for change or misadventures, presumably in part to take the thoughts that are roaring in their heads and see them slowed down to a reasonable pace on the screen and, likely in part, to receive feedback from their ‘friends’.  

My one concern, a fear really, is that with the fast pace of life and easy access to putting our intimate thoughts and feelings out there, who is really out there to respond to someone in need of support.  With arms-length ‘friendships’ comes the risk of hands-off responses. 

All things considered, for me, social media is a positive.  I definitely realize that I often use it as a way of passing time, waiting on flights, in lines at stores, in waiting rooms and, as a writer I somewhat lament the loss of time in my own head and wonder about the impacts of the same on the next generations.  There have been times that I have become so incensed at the goings-on in the political world that I have to exit the application and put my phone down.  I tend to follow different demographics entirely on the different forums.  But when I post photos or comments on current events in my personal life and my friends send their best wishes, I smile.  When the ‘memories on this day’ from the past start popping up or the notifications that today is the birthday of one of my ‘friends’, my mind is filled with thoughts of people and times gone by. 

For me, in the end, it’s the connections that matter.  The old adage rings true for me and social media, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything”.  I don’t need to jump on every bandwagon.  I don’t need to pile my angst and dislike on every post, especially when multiple people have basically made the same comments I want to, just in different words.  I can keep informed through those who are better informed on certain matters, I can be cheered up by people who are enjoying some humour, I can warm my heart through the sharings of people with little people, clever and funny pets and I can express my perspectives and opinions where I want, need and think I can influence.

Enjoy…m