Who knew that in 2012 we would be able to talk to our relative across the world, face-to-face, at the click of a button? I thought I was super cool with my flip phone in the 10th grade...and this is even before texting became unlimited...I had to pay 25 cents per text--or something like that. We have the capability to tweet a message to thousands of people at one time--using acronyms like "LOL", "LMAO", "WTF" and "BRB"--and all thousands of those people would understand exactly what you were saying. You can post a picture of yourself sitting pretty onto Facebook, and 25 seconds later you have 100 people who have "liked" your photo...but they're not really "liking" it. They're trying to acknowledge the fact that they've just seen you take a picture of yourself while you're sitting on the toilet...and the mirror in the background has exposed this!! But you were too quick to push that "Post to Facebook" button on your phone before you carefully reviewed your flick! Silly girl.
The one thing Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and all these similar sites are mainly used for is
---PROMOTION!!! We are all promoting ourselves, our opinions, our businesses, our favorite celebrities...
We're living in a generation of convenience. It is so easy for us to communicate, advertise, publicize and convey messages that mean something. I want to give a shout out to the "Do-ers". The Do-ers are the people who are using these outlets to not only promote themselves (and there's nothing wrong with that) but to promote some kind of cause or movement. Positive campaigns and pushes for change. I am proud to open up my timeline and see someone urging their peers to get tested for AIDS or seeing a picture of them donating their time and energy to participate in a food drive. Beach cleanups, blood and bone marrow donations, kid's arts and crafts, toy drives, Big Brother/Big Sister participation, anti-violence rallies...
There are so many fights to fight. So many causes and concerns that need to be addressed. While we are sitting at home on our Mac Book browsing TMZ and simultaneously listening to Pandora on our iPhone, we are missing out on our full potential! We have been given the power of voice and expression like no other generation has ever had. If we wanted to, we could videotape ourselves burning our bras and post it on YouTube for the whole world to see that same day! We don't have to wait for our act of defiance to circulate via telegram or a newspaper. We have the ability to make our voices just as loud as policymakers...maybe even louder at times!
My point: complete your daily grind of posting pictures, updating your statuses, tweeting your favorite quotes and re-posting viral videos. But also, consider what kind of positive mark you can leave by using all of these favorite tools. You can become active in making a change in the community you grew up in, the area you want to raise your kids or the entire world in general. The recent KONY 2012 movement is a great example of how social networking can be your worldwide ad campaign. The best part---fighting or standing up for a cause costs nothing. It's FREE! At least monetarily...you won't have to come out of pocket. (Unless you decide to.) It will require your attention, your thought, your energy and your time. But these are all components that we already sacrifice to technology for free everyday.
Who's with me to stop posting statuses complaining about social injustice...unless we're taking the time to tweet about ways to change it?
-J
"I wondered why somebody didn't do something. Then I realized, I am somebody." -
Author Unknown
Great read and tottally agree. Sometimes I feel like our generation has forgotten about voicing their opinions, protesting, and standing up for what's right. But hopefully we can get that spark back because if we don't stand up our kids and grand kids won't have that life we want for them. But anyways great job can't wait for the next one.
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