My answer to that questions is, “It’s complicated.”
I had a very short, one-sided conversation with a friend who told me that social media is destroying our culture. He stated that there is too much media influencing us, and it is bad. This is my own paraphrase of his statements, so forgive me if I did not capture it completely, but I believe these words reflect the message he intended to portray. So, I thought this might be a good topic for those of us who regularly participate in social media to discuss.
On many levels I agree with the concept he was offering, but I would also like to say, “It’s complicated.” Here is why: I know that teens and adults are using texting, Facebook and Twitter to have detailed conversations with their close friends that live nearby. When you cannot hear the voice inflection in a conversation, I think you are providing opportunities for misunderstanding. Do we really want to get away from intimate face-to-face relationships? To that questions I would undeniably say, “No.” Recently, I watched the movie Wall-e with my girls, and it reminded me that in our attempt to use technology to make life easier and more streamline, we could actually cause harm. By design, I believe that we are relational beings, and we need personal human interactions.
But: To make a blanket statement that social media is bad, could be overstating the situation. Just today I had a conversation with my college roommate, Lori, that I reconnected with on Facebook. We live too far apart to schedule regular times to meet. Following her updates gives me an opportunity to stay connected with her, even though she is not close by. On Twitter, an acquaintance that lives halfway across the country told me she was praying for me and my book. She has been consistent about praying for my book, and I have been praying about medical issues going on in her family. If it were not for Twitter, I would not know Jennifer. Another woman, Colleen, sent me a message today saying that she is involved with a company that is assisting Christians with getting their message of hope to others using social media.
Can social media be bad? Yes, it can. Can social media be good? Yes, it can. Like I said, “It’s complicated.” All my life I have heard that money is the root of all evil, but I Timothy 6:10 actually says, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” Money by itself is not bad, but loving it, coveting it, and making it an idol is. Applying this concept to social media, I think my friend’s warning is a good one. We need to continually evaluate our heart and determine what is most important, but lets be careful about making blanket statements. So tell me, what do you think about his comments?
