Social Media: Are You Entitled?
The cat has been out of the bag for quite some time now. No, I am not referring to Juice (I think many of my readers know Juice by now but have yet to see a picture of her) but rather my prejudicial attitude towards all things Social Media despite some bouts of dissatisfaction with various issues such as quality and accuracy of content. Despite my unvoiced concerns to Mark Zuckerberg (he of Facebook fame) who is the main focus of my uneasiness. As for the other members of this engaging have post will post club they don’t have the glitz, glamor, or potential to anger or annoy as Facebook does.
Lately, I have reading my articles by some very bright and talented (albeit with short memory’s) people who are aghast in horror as in their eyes the Social Media monster has somehow invaded the minds of children (your children, my children, whose children) to the point that these youngsters have a heightened sense of self-entitlement (we used to call it being a brat or in some cases spoiled rotten by their parents) or want instant or fast cash while not wanting to work for it or another form of immediate need for instant gratification which was known back in the day as “but I need it now. I can’t wait!”
Does anybody remember or have played Attari? What about the Air Jordan era where parents were coerced into buying these overpriced sneakers that wore out just as fast as Keds (remember them?) simply because Michael Jordan had a mega-million dollar endorsement deal that jacked up the prices of these sneakers into the triple digit zone.
Of equal concern is that kids (we still don’t know whose kids) become so transfixed on their computer or cell phone screens where they are texting or playing games so intently that if mom or dad where to be abducted by Martians they would notice until they either got hungry or their little hearts were in dire desperate need of something else that their friends have that they sadly do not have because their uncaring parents (meant sarcastically) would not buy it for them for one illogical reason (to their thinking) or another. Does anybody remember or have played Atari? What about the Air Jordan era where parents were coerced into buying these overpriced sneakers that wore out just as fast as Keds (remember them?) simply because Michael Jordan had a mega-million dollar endorsement deal that jacked up the prices of these sneakers into the triple digit zone. Not to mention they had to have the most up to date version which was essentially no different than the version that came before except these cost even more. Can you say $200?
Moving on to yet another issue that this as of yet unconquerable or uncontrollable enemy has led to chaos which is kids no longer go out to play because of their computers or cell phones won’t let them. Change the name of the villain to TV and it is the same thing. Little Leagues (my 32-year-old son who is a Facebook and former WarCraft Game Addict is in a softball league that has games every Sunday) still exist with no shortage of players. There is, however, a shortage of fields that are in playable condition. Bikes are still sold and kids are still riding them. The streets are not barren wastelands where children use to run, jump, skip and hop but no longer do so. Kids still go outside to engage in these activities with their friends but due to the fact that neighborhoods have become so spread out, it is possible your child’s friend does not live nearby hence the need for the “play date” so the parents do not make a trip for nothing. My son (yes him again) went on many play dates when we lived in the suburbs of New York City. No, there was no internet then but if you didn’t live on “that block” socialization was an issue.
So here we are over 600 words into this article (or you can call it a rant if you should so desire) and not one of the many items on the lengthy laundry list of problems or dangers that Social Media has wrought on us has not been known by another name going as far back as to when I was a child. Though quite far from being free of one hazard or another Social Media because of its immense popularity in conjunction to its drawing power has become a very convenient and easy to hit target for those who chose to do so. You can create study after study (only a small random group can be studied making the results inconclusive ) to illustrate the dangers Social Media poses that may require Robert Muller to become involved. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is rescuing himself from this debate. Some amongst us have become so galvanized by this minuscule issue that we are ignoring the rape of our forests, rivers, lakes, streams and wildlife or the troubled Trump Administration who is starting to tread on very dangerous and almost uncharted waters not to mention our deteriorating educational system (never a strong point) under the misdirection of a tax-dodging Education Secretary by the name of Betsy DeVos who registers her boats out of the country but docks them in United States ports so she pockets the money she would have had to pay in taxes. Those millions of dollars can be put to good use.
Let me clarify some things for you. To start with you are more than entitled to your opinions including those that are contrary to mine. I am not of the mindset that I am always right and that everybody else is wrong. I have based this article on my life’s experiences, current experiences, observations, dialogues with different people and so forth. From that, I contend that much of the current negative dogma of the dangers of Social Media are blown way out of proportion. As I have been pointing out the concerns or complaints about Social Media (irrespect to the age groups using it) are the same ones that have been uttered for the longest time now.
Drug use amongst teens has seen spikes prior to the internet as has underage drinking. Traffic deaths attributed to drug or alcohol use amongst young people have been alarmingly high. Teenage violence was also on the rise, part of which was attributed to (rightfully or wrongfully) attributed to video games that contained graphically violent content including earning points for committing rape or murder in the game. These games sold like a hot stock on Wall Street in retail video game stores. Some of these games required an adult or a “responsible” person over the age of 18 to be with the person purchasing the game if they were under 18. Just like cigarettes as there was a strong will to purchase them they did find their way into the pockets of minors.
How bad of an influence on young people were the Beatles along with most of the music from that era thought to be? When the Beatles were first seen and heard on TV parents were wrought with horror, The long hair, the volume, the songs were all leading our teens down the path to anti-social/anti-societal behavior. By and large, that turned out not to be the case. Protest Folk Music (Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, and company) were teaching teens not to listen to the parents and to rebel. While this is one of the few things Social Media has not been accused of this was the process of scapegoating. I thought this was supposed to be limited to politicians.
Yes, I am keenly aware of the absurd behavior by some families or others of sending and receiving text messages while sitting right next to each other. Being able to effectively communicate in person is a critical skill to have. Can those who engage in the practice above do that or why they do this in the first place is something I have no why? Your guess is as good as mine I guess. Nobody can give exact numbers of all those who practice this. As kids when we had secrets to tell each other that we would pass notes under the table.
As parents, it is our responsibility to set limits (or disallow usage altogether if they feel it is harmful) as to the amount of time they can use the internet, when, what sites they can go along with all that other good stuff. Parental controls exist for this reason. If we as adults are going on pornographic websites to see this material (you used to have to buy them at your local newsstand) or look to engage with the men or women in person your credibility is shot. Worried about online gambling? It’s there for anybody to use it. OTB and Bookies used to take care of this. At last, I checked Las Vegas, Atlantic City (yes parents of small children go on vacations at these places with their children in tow) are hotbeds of gambling (legal of course) and prostitution. This has been the case for many years now.
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Social Media is not perfect nor without pitfalls nor do I claim it to be so. I am not a psychologist, Ph.D., or teacher or what have you. As an adult, nobody can order you (except perhaps your boss) to use the internet or go on Social Media. There is a glut of misinformation to partake of. Facebook finds it perfectly acceptable to allow hate material or allow groups who encourage violence against anybody they do not like while using the Swastika which is the ultimate symbol of hate or praises Adolph Hitler who is no sane person’s idea of a role model. There is deafening silence about this not so small problem.
There are those (you know who you are)who only choose to see the negatives. Your battle cry of disconnect, turn off your cell phones, go on nature walks or simply sit around and do nothing has been heard or read. The critical volleys you launch are done so on Social Media which means you are making liberal use of something you try to convince others not to use or limit the use of. You plug your books, blogs, coaching classes, articles, videos and everything else that fills up your wallet (I am open to the possibility I am wrong on this) on Social Media quite liberally. This is free advertisement for you. In the English language, there is the word hypocrite that would appear to apply to you. In some aspects of my personal life, I too am a hypocrite as well but I admit to it and am admitting to it in public. You have thus far failed to do the same.
What also gets my goat about you (you who you may ask) is that you make no mention about how much socialization it has brought to shut-ins, senior citizens, certain President’s, those who have nobody in this world to talk to. Since Social Media is holding our children hostage to the point they are never seen outdoors anymore I would be curious to know if you have driven past school yards with basketball hoops after hours or playgrounds with basketball hoops. Had you done that you would see kids playing basketball? You still see kids (pee wee football) playing football, playing outdoor hockey in no smaller numbers than days of yore.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury ( I always liked the way that sounded) we the defense have proved our case that our client has been a solid citizen and is being unfairly castigated by those who derive benefit from its use. We are seeking to be compensated for any damages my client may incur to his sterling reputation. Look at it this way when your little darlings are online they are not under your foot. You are now free to move about the cabin. The last time I heard that line I was on a TWA L-10ll ( or was it a DC-10?) flying from New York to California panic-stricken as the previous day a plane mysteriously dropped 10,00 feet.
Let me finally leave you (you have discovered by now that sleep does not come on to me until much later in the evening or the early morning) with some questions I would love to hear your answers to. In order to access Social Media, you need to have internet service which costs you X amount of dollars every month regardless if you use it or not. Don’t you think it is a waste of money to pay for a service that is by no means inexpensive and either not use it or purposely restrict your use of it? Minors children and teens do not fall under this category but once again it is us their parents who buy them cell phones with internet access with unlimited usage each month. Why? You and I know that if you went away on vacation your phone goes with you (not turned off or in silent mode) and that you would want to stay at a hotel that has Wi-Fi available. There is an old expression ( I have no idea to give credit to) that says the more things change the more they stay the same. Think about what this statement means before you write another one of your many anti-social media articles on social media. I am now going to log on to YouTube to watch (or just listen if there is no video available ) see some of my favorite singers/songwriters as well as bands I really like. Who knows I may even watch a video from a punk rock band.
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