Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat the list goes on. These sites have become a part of everyday vernacular for the average person. You may be at work and hear your co- worker say, “Did you see what David posted on Facebook?” At one point or another we most likely have indulged in some form social media conversations.
Everywhere you go you are bound see people around you taking out their phones to capture the moment. Whether it is taking pictures of their fancy dinner to post on Snapchat, taking a selfie with a long lost friend to post on instagram or to write a post on Facebook about how much fun they are having at the moment, this behavior has now become the norm in our society.
While I too partake in these actions from time to time, there are moments when I have to ask myself “Whatever has happened to seizing the moment?”
As a “millennial” growing up in the early 90’s I remember a time when social events were a lot more interactive than they are now. A time when if you wanted to take a picture you had one shot to take it because you didn’t want to waste the film. Many of us may look back on those times and wish we could re-live certain moments because of the feeling it gave us at that time. Those memories are deeper than pictures, they are a part of us and that’s what makes those moments special.
The dynamics of many social events have vastly changed over the last 15 years because of Social Media. Thanksgiving dinner was a time where families and friends gathered around to enjoy what and whom they are thankful for, as well as eat a great meal. Although we still enjoy both of those things during the holiday we now have to make sure everything is perfect so we can take pictures of everything to post on the internet. If you scroll down your timeline during a major holiday such as Thanksgiving, Christmas or the Fourth of July, you will see everyone posting the same thing, food and selfies.
It seems that we are becoming more connected with our virtual reality and missing out on the beauty of our actual reality. We are missing the moments as well as missing the importance of social interaction. There are many professionals who suggest we have lost our natural, intuitive way of interacting with others because of more of increased Internet usage.
In an article from the Huffington Post titled “Social Media is Making you Socially Awkward” by Alena Hall, she states “The pervasiveness – and our reliance on technology and social media, might be to blame for these miscommunications and overall inability to carry on a normal, face-to-face conversation.”
By Shantel Rankine