I'm writing this entry from my perspective as an observer of social media, after resolving that it was a good time to keep my distance from this modern phenomenon in the digitalized world. I decided to remain an audience to what others are submitting and posting. I wanted to cease, for a while, being an active participant. Granted, I can't claim that I achieved any great feat or accomplishment. Yes, it was difficult and, ironically, it was at these times when I would read a FaceBook update or a notification on my personal email that the temptation to respond was greater. I realize now how social media was consuming a lot of my free time. Time that, perhaps, could have been better spa t getting to know myself and the world that I inhabit. However, the idea behind social media is,, essentially, positive and commendable.
Indeed, social media is changing the rules of human relations. No longer do we find the barriers posed by the 'old' boundaries of age, time zones or geography. This is a period in our history when it appears that we have overcome the barriers that separated us. This is, however, only an idealized image of social media. If you look for it and even if you don't, you will find the same human afflictions that cause trouble in the real world: hate, ignorance and a materialistic world view that feeds on consumption and production. No wonder that social media is simultaneously the instrument of philanthropy and worthy causes, as well as misanthropy and hate speech. No wonder you find an article on spiritual happiness with advertisements from self-help courses promising wealth and financial prosperity. No surprise, then, that some have discovered that God is marketable as they go on about how their bible study course will win them eternal heaven.
There are, of course, a mixture of thoughts in my mind as I write this on a Saturday on August 20. However, you who are reading this now will be trying to figure out was the post is about in your present. I don't know what will become of me after I save this as a draft. For all I know, I might not be here. This is not a case of being morbid or negative. In fact, the reality of my possible death and impermanence have been the subject of my thoughts during my period of internet freedom. For, in many ways, ceasing to be part of social media turned me into what could be described as a cyber-geist or an internet ghost. Again, I realize that the social media changes the way we relate to our deceased friends' FaceBook pages, as an example, with profile pages becoming virtual shrines and memorials.And this forces me to consider that even in the world where one can achieve technological immortality, there is a human aspect that - even if it attempts to deny or escape it - recognizes that we are just travelers here. And while social media may preserve part of who we are we wish to present to the world., we will all leave this life.
There are things about who I am that I discovered during my moments of quiet meditation. Questions that I would rather avoided. Matters that I have put aside, hoping that they will go away. Personal issues that, I believe, are my own concern. However, what struck me most is the fact that our lives are often shaped by the world around us. We can't escape the fact that we're surrounded by people and technology that influences us - whether we participate in the exchange or not. In this respect, social media is an extreme form of how technology is changing not just how we live but who we are. In those moments when I was prone to reply to a social media message, I was aware that it would have been stupid of me to write what I planned to write. And I'm being generous with the verb "planned". I suspect that with the vast amount of information we have at our fingertips, we seem not to find the time to ask ourselves which information is of value or not. We find ourselves in a position where we are expected to reply immediately. Indeed, we are being encouraged to live impulsively.
Of course, there is a lot to say about the positive impact that social media can have on the world. However, as with any other technology, we must know what the implications this technology may have on our dailly lives. I believe, that we are still don't understand this technology enough. But this isn't entirely our fault since social media is a relatively new technology. This is more reason to use this technology responsibly and with presence of mind. In other words, we need to know what we are doing. And perhaps more importantly, we need to develop our self-awareness as every time we interact on social media, whether we like it or not, we are presentng part of ourselves to the world. I, myself, have succumbed to the lure of social media with its promise of instant fame and recognition. In this sense, I now believe that it's important that in the process of relating to others, we also invest in getting to know who we are. Otherwise, we would be misleading others and, even worse, deceiving ourselves.
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