THE BENEFITS & DANGERS OF USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO CONNECT

Does social media have a positive or negative impact on connection?  Another great question…but you guys are killing me! This week I will try to tackle this overwhelming and comprehensive topic of whether social media fosters or inhibits connection.

Where do I start?

MY LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

I have always said to anyone who will listen that I have a love/hate relationship with social media.

I think many of you may feel the same way…we see the positive and negative, the good and the bad,  and the connection as well as the disconnection that social media offers.

• While social media allows us to reconnect with people we have not seen in years, it also can give us a false sense of having deeper relationships with people we barely know.
• While social media gives us instant access to a variety of people and useful information, it is also a black hole where we can lose ourselves for hours if we are not careful to guard our time.
• While social media is a place to share our good news and receive support, it can also devolve into a place where comparison and competition can destroy our self-esteem and damage our relationships.

So, what do we do?  I think it is unreasonable (if not impossible) to avoid social media altogether, so we need to view its role in our lives objectively and be able to set the necessary boundaries for ourselves.

THE BENEFITS & DANGERS OF USING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR CONNECTION

BENEFIT #1: SOCIAL MEDIA CAN FOSTER COMMUNITY

One of the outstanding benefits of social media is its ability to readily and easily connect us to different communities.  Whether that be extended family that lives across the country, old friends from high school, a group from work or your neighborhood, a group that shares your particular hobbies or interests, or a support group for a particular issue you may be experiencing, there are vast communities of caring and committed individuals that you can find through the power of social media.  We are part of one right here, AT THE CROSSROADS, and I am so very grateful that social media has made these connections possible for us.  If you are looking for a specific kind of connection, social media is often a great place to start.

DANGER #1: SOCIAL MEDIA CAN ALSO FOSTER ISOLATION

However, the downside of exclusively using social media to connect with others can result in an unintentional consequence:  isolation.  It seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it?   If we get so caught up in using our free time to connect through social media, we often neglect or do not make space and time to meet anyone face-to-face.  We like the cover social media provides for some of us, and we often hide behind it.  We get lulled into a superficial sense of connection because we email, tweet, post, and text, but healthy and authentic connections take time, commitment, and intentionality.  It is looking into someone’s eyes, sharing an experience, and doing real life together.

BENEFIT #2: SOCIAL MEDIA GIVES US ACCESS

Oh, the countless doors social media has opened for me!  I have often confessed how I have no idea what I am doing on this blog/website or how to use social media to reach my followers, but I have researched, read, reached out to the experts, and learned so much! How?  Ironically, through social media.  We cannot deny how accessible information is to us now through the power of social media.  When we want to learn about something, we usually begin with social media. We can almost know the news in real-time because of its reach.  Millions of people can be notified to help with a cause (think of disaster relief or recent tragedies) because social media can alert us to what is happening in our world.

DANGER #2: SOCIAL MEDIA CAN LEAD TO UNHEALTHY ADDICTION

But availability and accessibility are a double-edged sword. Think of all the things we now know or can find out quickly (think of what our kids are exposed to!) that we would be better off not knowing. Too much information can be stressful, overwhelming, and even addicting.  We have become accustomed to “information on demand” that we cannot stand not knowing (and not sharing what we know!).  If you find yourself checking social media several times an hour, posting every detail of your daily routine, oversharing your feelings, having public arguments on Facebook or Twitter, or striving to get the most likes or shares, you might want to stop, take a breather, and reevaluate your social media use.  If you are distracted by social media to the point that it takes time away from your relationships, you might be headed down the unhealthy path of addiction.

BENEFIT #3: SOCIAL MEDIA CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT FROM VARIOUS COMMUNITIES

When you can connect with particular communities through the power of social media, you can discover so much support and encouragement on your journey.  I think of dear friends who have suffered illnesses and accidents, loss of loved ones, and tragic heartaches.  Social media has given them an outlet to share their situations and receive emotional, spiritual, financial, and practical help from others who want to provide care, love, and help.  Or what about when you have great news and want to share it with the world?  Social media is the place to go.  Have you ever used social media to ask people to pray for something?  It can be an amazing comfort to know that others are uplifting your situation in prayer.  Do you have a cause or a passion that you want to share with others?  Social media can give you a voice and platform to pursue what God has called you to do and let others join you.

DANGER #3: SOCIAL MEDIA CAN SET US UP FOR COMPARISON AND COMPETITION

Yet as much encouragement as we can receive, we have all been stung either intentionally or unintentionally by social media.  Maybe you have received a negative or disapproving comment about something you posted.  Maybe others have ignored or belittled your good news.  Maybe looking at other people’s photos or reading about their lives has caused you to compare yourself and feel like you do not measure up.  Social media can also be used as a tool to compete (and we have already talked a lot about how that leads to disconnection!) which can lead to jealousy, envy, and pride.  When these feelings emerge, we can distrust and distance ourselves from others and become disconnected.

USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO CONNECT IN POSITIVE WAYS

So, to answer the original question:  I believe that social media has a huge role in CONNECTION.  Both positive and negative.   

The best thing we can do is to carefully look at the role social media plays in our lives and relationships and be mindful and intentional about using it to champion, cooperate, and communicate with others in the context of healthy and supportive communities.

Again, I acknowledge the role social media plays here AT THE CROSSROADS and am so thankful for all the doors it continues to open for me to meet fellow travelers.  I want this to be a place where social media uplifts, encourages, inspires, challenges, and supports…always!