Final Reflection

Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter tout themselves as great tools that help us stay in touch with family and friends and share with the world around us. But I’ve had a Facebook account for close to eight years now, and I’ve learned that social media can also be a tool for annoyance, bullying, and seclusion that can cause more harm than good. It can cause us to miss out on the things that really matter in life and can actually serve to lessen our real-life connections with the people we love. One thing I will definitely take away from this class is that social media truly can be a great tool for staying connected, but we need to use it properly in order for that to happen. 

I think when it comes to social media use, the phrase “measure twice, cut once” can be reworked and applied. “Think twice, post once.” A lot of mistakes can be made when people post out of excitement or anger. Something really great or really bad happens to them and without thinking twice, they post something about it to Facebook or Twitter, and they hurt someone’s feelings or get themselves into trouble. Immediacy is very important in today’s world, especially to people our age and younger. When something important happens, we immediately want the social media world to know about it. But I think if people just slowed down, and thought twice before posting about a wild party they are at, or saying something nasty about someone who made them angry, there would be fewer Facebook mishaps.

This is not to say that all use of social media is bad. Personally, it allows me to stay in touch with people back home in Illinois, and with my family in Pennsylvania. Because of Facebook, I can see pictures of my baby cousin who was born a few weeks ago in Arizona. I can make plans with groups of high school friends when we want to get together. Social media truly can be a wonderful tool for keeping us all connected. We just need to be careful when using it, and know that there is an appropriate time and place for everything. Because of this class, I have definitely became more consciously aware of my social media habits, and will be more careful in the future to use it in the proper ways. 

 

 

Social Media Wedding Etiquette…Really?

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m in my early 20s, but it seems to me like everyone and their brother is getting engaged. How do I know this? Facebook! It seems like every other day there’s something in my newsfeed about the ring, the cake, invitations, trying to lose a few pounds to fit into a dress, or a countdown to a rehearsal dinner. The other thing I’ve noticed is that it seems like people are making some sort of engagement related post within minutes of the question being popped. This definitely reflects our complete and utter obsession with posting our lives on social media. I understand that this is a HUGE event in someone’s life, and I am indeed happy to see these posts, but the speed and relentlessness with which people post about their engagements or weddings baffles me. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-gottsman/social-media-etiquette-fo_b_5255189.html 

This article that I found offers its readers something of a Do’s and Dont’s list when it comes to wedding or engagement announcements on social media, and highlights my points perfectly.  For example, the first piece of advice the article offers tells us to, “Tell your immediate family and BFFs before they read about your engagement on Facebook.” Honestly, I thought this went without saying, but apparently there are plenty of family members who have been hurt because they read about their son’s or daughter’s happy news on Facebook instead of receiving a phone call. My other personal favorite from this list reads, “A “thank you” post does not take the place of a thank you note.” I wasn’t even aware that people think it’s acceptable to use Facebook to send out their thank-yous. There are plenty of other gems on this list, but I think these are perhaps the strongest examples of just how obsessed we are with social media.

I really do find it interesting that there exists an article about social media etiquette in relation to weddings. I think it says a lot about our priorities that an event so steeped in tradition has in a way been degraded by our online habits. Again, I can totally understand that someone who gets engaged or is going through the wedding planning process would want to share on Facebook. But by making braggy or cheesy posts, Facebook friends can actually become annoyed, and no one wants people to be annoyed by their wedding announcements. There’s nothing wrong with posting exciting news about a wedding, but people need to be careful about what they say, how they say it, and keep in mind who can see it. 

Social Media And Crafts

Social Media & Crafts

I use Pinterest for one purpose and one purpose only – crafts! As a poor college student I’m always looking for ways to make my apartment feel like home by making my own art and decorations. Anyone who has ever been on Pinterest knows that it is probably the ultimate place to go if you’re looking for craft ideas or a new DIY project to take on. But sites like Pinterest and social media sites in general have also become a great tool for people who want to promote or sell their work online. Thanks to social media, small-scale crafters or artists are finding it easier to gain a following of their work and get people interested in buying it.

http://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2013/jan/03/social-media-craft-council-report

Having a presence in social media as an artist or crafter can be extremely helpful in gaining recognition or sales. For example, people can follow an artist or crafter on Facebook and Twitter, and be automatically notified of new projects or products available for sale. Not only does this keep the artists’ or crafters’ name and work fresh in the memory of their followers, but it increases the likelihood that one of them will buy their work. Also, people are more likely to show interest in purchasing a product if they know where that product came from, or if they feel a connection to the person who made it. Social media allows for both, since artists or crafters can post pictures or videos of their items and the work that went into making them. Doing this can help a potential buyer feel appreciation towards the artist’s process, thereby making the items they create that much more desirable.

Having strong ties to social media can also help build confidence in wary buyers who are unfamiliar with an artist or crafter’s work. If such buyers are able to go to Facebook or Twitter and see positive comments from previous buyers, they may feel more comfortable going through with a purchase themselves. In a world where many purchases are informed and guided by recommendations from family, friends, and previous consumers, providing easy access to consumer reviews is essential if an artist or crafter desires to successfully sell their work online. Social media allows for this ease of access.

Social Media & Slacktivism

I’ve often thought that social media and activism made for strange bed fellows. To me, being truly passionate about a cause requires much more than signing a petition online or sharing links and videos promoting a cause from the comfort of one’s couch. If you’re truly passionate about a cause, you should be on the streets protesting, handing out flyers, asking people to physically sign petitions in person, or physically promoting the cause in some way – at least that’s how I feel. When doing some research for this post, I came across an article by Huffington Post writer, John Conway, where I found that there’s a word for this type of lazy activism – Slacktivism. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-conway/slacktivism_b_1378247.html

Conway defines Slacktivism as more of a self-serving form of activism. He says that signing online petitions, sharing information of Facebook and Twitter, and wearing t-shirts and bracelets serves to make us feel good, but really doesn’t do much good for the cause. However, he did say that even though posting about a cause on Facebook or Twitter is easy and seems only half-hearted, at the very least it is spreading the word and raising awareness, especially when it comes to new causes that haven’t received much recognition yet. He considers this sort of activity to be first-tier slacktivism, and urges people at the very least to move onto the second and third tiers, which include raising money for a cause and ultimately organizing rallies, traveling to the source of the issue, and taking political action.

Before reading Conway’s article, I had never realized that when it comes to grassroots efforts for a new cause, social media can play a key factor in its success. I had always been slightly annoyed when people shared a video or link promoting a cause because I automatically assumed that they weren’t really passionate about it, otherwise they’d be out there in the real world promoting it. But I realized that while at first glance it may seem like a half-measure, spreading the word about a cause via social media sites does something very important – it raises awareness. Raising awareness is absolutely essential if a cause has any real chance at gaining support and making a difference. So, now that I’ve taken a step back and looked at the bigger picture, I can understand the social media and activism can go hand-in-hand.