How Social Media Can Make You a Better Person
There have been times when I wanted to pull away from social media. It can get overwhelming, especially if you’re feed is filled with negativity. Some days, I’ll scroll through Facebook and see nothing but complaints and bitterness, or close-minded political posts. This isn’t a situation unique to Facebook. It exists on all of social media. Twitter, Google+, Instagram, everywhere.
For some people, social media is just a way for them to express their frustrations, bitterness, anger, and even hatred on an infinite loop, never changing, growing, or even listening to another point of view. They see social media as a virtual soapbox where they can stand and yell as loudly and obnoxiously as they want.
This can be exhausting to witness. It can give you the impression that the world is small-minded and ugly. it can make you want to leave social media behind forever. But there’s another side of social media. A kinder, more uplifting side. In fact, social media can actually make you a better person. I know, because it happened to me.
I’ve always considered myself an open-minded optimistic person, who is usually willing to hear the other side of things and who isn’t afraid to have my own thoughts and beliefs challenged. I don’t mind stepping outside of my comfort zone; in fact I encourage myself to do so on a daily basis. But you can only grow so much on your own. you need a network of people who challenge you. You need to see and hear things that don’t necessarily fit your own worldview. Because of that, I have always tried to make friends with people who are different from myself. I read everything I can get my hands on, especially things that contradict what I have already been taught to believe. And I try to remember that just because I believe something to be true doesn’t mean that it is. All of these things have helped me to grow as a person, but none of them have helped as much as my experiences with the world of social media.
I used to think of the world was smaller and simpler than it really is. I knew absolutely nothing about politics. I had no idea what it meant to come from “a place of privilege” or how that might affect my worldview. I knew very little about other countries, cultures, ethnicities, or minority groups and the difficulties they face. Honestly, I still know very, very little about all of that. But now I’m aware of how little I know and I can honestly say that I know much more than I did. And I’m still learning.
While I can contribute some of that learning to books and blogs, I have to admit that I’ve learned so much more through social media. Trending posts and things that have been shared by my friends on social networks have given direction to my reading and opened my eyes to so many things. The world is bigger now, and sometimes darker, but who would I be if I closed my eyes to that?
Just as social media has shown me more of the world, it is also given me the strength and confidence to make a difference. I can do more than I ever would have believed I could. For myself, for others, and maybe, someday, even for the world. And so can you.
Originally published on: Get Fearless
