My 6 'random thoughts' on social media

1. Social media and reality are not always the same

Sometimes, the assumption that what trends on social media always closely mirrors what resonates with ordinary people in real life does not always hold true. There is a world of difference between social media and reality. Hash tags may trend which sometimes give a false impression about the general mood of the people. In the African context in particular, I believe the impact of social media is somehow exaggerated. It could be because not as many people are active on the social media platforms such that the opinions of a few can be mistaken to be that of the wider populace. I have also learnt that there may be people who hold different views but because of the general lack of tolerance of dissenting views on social media, such people may choose to keep their views to themselves which will give a false impression that everyone subscribes to a particular narrative. I have seen this to be true especially in the world of politics.

My take

Inspite of what trends on social media, it is important to know that there is another world out there that is seldom influenced by hashtags.

2. Seeking validation on social media

Having many views or reactions to one's posts on social media may bring some sense of satisfaction. The reverse is also true where posts do not get as much reaction from social media users. It may make one feel inadequate or that they are not good enough. This has the possibility of affecting one's self esteem. It is not a good idea to post content for the sake of seeking validation or affirmation. Views, likes and reactions to posts are good but these should never be linked to one's sense of self-worth.

My take

Social media should not define who you are.

3. The 'I was there' phenomenon

I have seen people posting horrific images from accident scenes or certain videos that you ask yourself why someone was taking a video at that particular time instead of helping. People are always on the look out for opportunities to create content for social media. People derive satisfaction by being the first to break the news (which was traditionally the dream of every media house!). Instead of helping, what comes into mind first is to capture the moment! With such insensitivity, what kind of people are we becoming? How does it feel to learn of your relative's passing through seeing photos splashed on social media? How does it feel seeing embarassing videos of yourself circulating on social media? At times it only takes wearing the shoes of the one affected that we get to understand the impact of circulating certain kind of content.

My take

It is ok not to be the source of breaking news. It is ok to witness an accident and not take videos and photos for the purposes of posting on social media. You don't necessarily have to forward or post all the content that you receive.

4. Social media is a thief of time

Social media addiction is real. Is social media not one of the first things you check when you wake up and one of the last before you sleep? If not, then you are certainly much better than me! If one was to estimate how much time they spend on various social media platforms in a day, how many hours would that add up to? What is the opportunity cost of the time spent on social media? In family set ups, social media occupies spaces that should have been for quality family conversations and interactions. The challenge with social media is that there is always endless feed of new content waiting to be explored. The question is, at what point does one stop? The sad reality is that unknowingly, we are becoming or have already become victims of social media addiction.

My take

Check the time that you spend on social media and make amends.

5. Social media is not the full picture

People show you what they want you to see and in most cases, only the good. The full picture can never be seen from social media's vantage point. Lest people feel pressured by what they see, despite the glitz, the glamour, the show of love and all, no one has it all figured out! In real life, away from social media, people are fighting many battles.

My take

Whenever you are tempted to form an opinion (whether good or bad) about people based solely on what they post, always remember that social media does not give the full picture.

6. Stop spreading fake news!

In some WhatsApp groups that I am in, I have since given up trying to debunk stories forwarded by members of the group as worthy news. In this era of Google, it does not take a lot to verify certain stories before one forwards. If something sounds unbelievable, it is probably not true! You can be the one to break the chain of fake news. Don't just forward before verifying. If you are not sure, it is also still ok not to forward something than be a conduit of fake news.

My take

Don't spread fake news, verify!