Think about social media for a minute: There’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, even RV-related social media platforms like RVillage or apps like Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome (that’s sorta like social media, right?). Do you think these apps and platforms have been a blessing or a curse to society? Why or why not?
After you vote in the poll, please leave a comment below and explain your answer. We’re curious to hear what you think. Thank you!
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Anything and everything can be a blessing or a curse, depending on how it is used.
Think how many RV manufacturers hate this site, but how many RV owners love it!
I see this site more of an electronic newsletter.
Social media, even the main stream media now a days, is a perfect proving ground for grooming societal ignorance. Never has there been a better platform for gospel lemming nonsense. It’s unfortunate that there are a lot of people who genuinely believe that what they see and hear through social media is all real. God help us.
I don’t use social media myself. Tried it early on and became weary with the trivial nonsense like a picture of friend’s meal at a restaurant, and pictures of unmentionable things too. Digital communication is a tremendous technology, but it has been over run with trash, especially when people preach their opinions as news items and then get offended when someone doesn’t agree with them. To top it off it has been abused to the point of being dangerous in traffic. And what feeds it? The ability for media monarchs to track your every move all day, every day so they can suggest a great purchase for you. Shut off your phone, your tablet, your computer and go outside and enjoy anything that isn’t digitized. That’s where I’ll be shortly after I finish my digital rage on my digital computer.
LOL I agree though. But we all are sucked into it to an extent and that is what they want.
Just read an Article in my hometown newspaper…new tik tok craze for teens to film themselves stealing something from school. Social media has done nothing more than show the world just how stupid we really are. The world has always had its fair share of these people we just didn’t know about it outside our hometown news outlets. I would not consider it an overall blessing but a wide open curse on humanity.
Social Media is a Curse if one believes and acts on the untruths that are put out there. If it sounds too good to be true. or too weird, it probably isJ January 6th is an example.
A quick read of the book “Axemaker’s Gift” will show how every new invention has the power to alter what we do, how we think and the basis of our culture.
Also, it is virtually impossible to refuse each and every new advance which comes along, like it or not. Exceptions would be groups such as the Amish or Menonites.
Like anything in life you have to have a balance. I limit screen time for my kids. Just like someone that drinks too much might go to AA meetings I think we need to start a SMA group. “Social Media Anonymous”. I work in IT so I am a person that still buys print magazines. When I get home from work the last thing I want to do is look at a screen.
I was reading a bit ago that Silicon Valley folks are quite concerned about the amount of screen time and strictly limit it with their own families. One of the reasons that we can turn on a ‘screen time’ timer to remind ourselves that it’s time to quit the surfing.
There is a definite caveat to my “curse” response. Social media has been good for family staying in touch and for me RV related subjects. Otherwise social media is a vehicle for hate and plain ugliness from immature people. Political hate commentary has resulted in a divided America. To each their own I guess. You asked and I answered.
After 10 years of having a computer (8 of those I was driving a truck and didn’t have a need for social media) my kids convinced me to sign up for Facebook. From the beginning as I read posts of friends and family I thought this is no more than an electronic version of the backyard gossip fence of old. As I got further into it and started posting myself I started expressing my opinions about popular subjects, this I found is not popular with the people running it, I never posted anything that wasn’t true, but I soon found management was demoncrap and when I voiced my opinion about them I got put it FB jail. After that experience and three jail sentences in 2 weeks I quit. You know something, I found out what I had known for 68 years, I don’t need them. If more people quit these social media sites they would soon learn that you can’t be one sided, you have to remain impartial. They are wielding way to much influence on peoples lives. THINK ABOUT IT!
Total waste of time
Polls are not showing up. However social media is a very mixed “blessing.” They have a definite political leaning, similiar to the National Socialist Party of the 30’s and part of the 40’s. Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.
I have a hard time thinking of positive impacts.
social media has corrupted a sector of our population with it’s ability to dumb down human interactions. I do not care what you ate, what you just bought or what your “wonderful ” life entails. Most of these self promoting posts used to be ignored by the majority of the human population, seen as a social bore or the lonely crazy relative. It is unfortunate that there is a new channel for this group of people to impose mind rot into other people’s time and lives…. just my opinion
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
true but this is a venue for a portion of our society that feels that everything that they experience or think needs to be told from the highest mountain top. I prefer to not engage in the social media circus. I will continue to enjoy face to face interactions and pass on the background noise and distractions, no inferior feelings here.
I think Social Media took our kids innocence away. They have learned things there way to early in life. As parents we have to.stay on top of things like that.
As for us adults. I find places like FB and Twitter that so many people will say things sitting behind that screen that would not say in person..
It has given all the worlds low IQ people venues to express their ignorance.
As well as the “I did my own research” people who nonetheless shun science.
All of them are dumpster fires. They just came out with a study that said that 1 in 3 girls on social media are mentaly damaged with self image using them.
I think it has been both. A blessing for me to connect with family and friends as we live 1600 miles away. A curse because of all the misinformation and hatred posted.. I only have 1 social media account. Most stuff I just scroll on by.
Nothing is black and white. While we admittedly live in a digital envy “look at me” society, in my opinion, and worth exactly what you paid for it, the worst part of social media is that users don’t check the veracity of claims and counter-claims made by other users. We like to hear our opinions repeated back to us, and many will accept the noise from the echo chamber as truth. Lowest common denominator posts. That rabbit hole has no bottom.
Personally. the flip side is that social media has allowed me close, nearly instant, communication with my friends all over the world. I just received a direct message from one of my “kids” that wanted to tell me she had arrived safely home – in Mongolia. A friend in Spain just started a new job in the Netherlands. The twins in Taiwan are well and happy.
Social media is neither good nor bad, it’s a mirror. Just like any real-life relationship, what you see reflects who you are and how you think, and how you relate to the rest of the world.
glad this works for you…I don’t need the uninvited background noise or the constant obsession with the smart phone in the daily life
I was thinking the same thing. It’s not inherently good or evil. Like all corporate-driven business/services, it’s basically amoral.
I originally joined so I could keep up with all my friends family and new babies! Sometimes made connections with distant relatives. Enjoyed the jokes and funny videos. It was so fun at first. But then came the conspiracy theories, demonization of whole groups of people and just plain ugliness. Then the data leaks, then the ‘we’re going to fix the privacy and veracity concerns (but not really)’. Don’t have time for that, so I drop-kicked it 6 years ago. Best decision ever. Kind of felt like freedom from a cult 😉
Used to be we would share info/pictures on email, now it’s text! And now, I have to keep track of birthdays myself, and initiate contact myself, which is extra work but not a bad thing. Still in touch with folks that matter to me in my small circle, unnecessary to have a slew of distant ‘friends’.
In many instances social media reflects the intellect of the coming generation who embraces it. It’s the look-at-me generation, a generation that was largly educated to question everything, even the truth. When you can’t recognize the truth, you’re in a heap of trouble.
Social media is full of “Keyboard Warrior’s”! Hypocrites there are!
I answered “Blessing” because there was no option for “Limited Blessing.” It can be useful but it is too easy to get carried away.
From time-to-time it is a curse, but overall it is a blessing. I have been able to reconnect with old friends, and old neighbors. I have been able to have regular contact with my extended family and former co-workers. Sure there is a bunch of noise on social medis, but I can always scroll on by!
I expected the results of the poll. recent politics has corrupted peoples opinion of a super useful tool. there is a wealth of good in social media; you just have to do a little research on your own to ferret out what is true and helpful. I mean just look at this daily RV newsletter, its one of the most helpful things I read each day. that is not sarcasm.
I agree about your comment about rvtravel (and similar information publications). Is this newsletter really “social media” or could it be considered an electronic version of a print newspaper or magazine? Perhaps the comments section of this and other newsletters qualify as social media.
You forgot to put in a choice of “Both”.
THIS!
Whatever happened to “making a phone call” to catch up with someone ? Even with phones in their hands most are used to text. Nothing says personal like a text !
Both – Gives access to a world of information, although you have to be smart enough to filter through it. Keeps you in touch with those you couldn’t spend time with.
Exposes those who Seek to confuse, swindle, and defraud you. If you’re smart enough to see it.
I didn’t vote because there wasn’t a neither option. Social Media is neither good nor bad. It is how it is used and that is an individual decision. Buy into conspiracy theories and social media is bad. Be intelligent, get information from more than one source, be willing to verify and social media is good.
If there was a thumbs up this post would get it!
Sure there is a lot of bad crap. The sheep who allow the tech giants and media to shape their reality? Well they are a lost cause.
The ‘real’ data and knowledge share provided by Google U and Use Tube are invaluable.
No man could ever read every book but every man can now search almost all.
Definitely a curse and I don’t participate in any of it.
I voted benefit because it has been helpful to me, reconnecting me to many of those who once were a part of my life. However, the net effect on society is probably neutral as many handle it well and some handle it extremely poorly. Agree with “Jim” who posted earlier than me, saying it is neither.
A Blessing to those who have figured out how to Monetize it and a Curse to the rest of us
I voted “curse”. I think in terms of “The Internet” and “Social Media” as separate mechanisms/tools. I think the Internet is a great boon to society but the “social media” concept is an overall negative. As others have pointed out it really isn’t the mechanism of the media but rather the users that are the problem. Some(Facebook, Blogs, etc.) but not all social media are, in my opinion, the mechanisms that allows the rampant spreading of lies and irrational opinions. We’ve always had that tendency as a society but the instant spreading of lies and irrational opinions via social media makes it more of a problem because it spreads faster and to a wider audience than earlier times. The Internet, on the other hand, has opened up a whole new world of knowledge that allows us, as one poster mentioned, to search for virtually any book ever written.
Not sure I’ve accurately or succinctly expressed my ideas on this complex topic but your poll question has caused me to think about it more.
Well stated, Bill. Thanks! Have a great day. 🙂 –Diane
It’s just another tool. Like all tools depend on who is using it. A hammer can build a house and be used as murder weapon. It all depends on the person not the tool. Interesting 500 years ago, we were having the same conversation about the printing press.
I voted “blessing” for me simply because overall “social media” has been useful. As an example, it has allowed me through Facebook to subscribe to groups that match my interests and in turn learn from the group’s subscribers. Yes there is the “dark” side to everything, and not surprisingly “social media” does allow shall we say less savory thoughts and ideas to reach more individuals. But this is because the Internet allows this greater reach. It might surprise some that in the distant past as books became more widely available because of the printing press that there were those who wanted to limit the availability of books because it allowed the spread of unrestricted ideas.
The simple question is do we restrict the flow of knowledge, and if so who does the censorship?
I do not need to know every bad thing that happens around the world the minute it happens – AND many times made worse than it really is. I don’t remember what I had for supper last night, so why would I care what you ate? Many years ago, long before cell phones and computers, I have said, “It all started with television.” Supposedly knowing “everything” as it happens just gets people, not involved, all riled up for no reason. I’m sorry that someone on a far away beach got bitten by a shark, but why do I need to know that? I just need the info around me so I can just make it thru to the next day. (I was born 100 years too late.)
Lets see; MANY (most?) of our younger people no longer know how to spell or write a proper sentence. These folks have NO clue as to proper etiquette in speaking or writing (the PROPER response to “thank you” is NOT “no problem” or “whatever”). The phrase “excuse me” has become an alien concept; they EXPECT others to accommodate them when they push past you. They seem unwilling to accept responsibility for themselves. I choose to NOT use “Social Media” as I want to keep my personal life as private as possible. I RARELY text as I find “ping-pong” texting to take MUCH longer than a 30 second phone call. I no longer answer incoming phone calls unless I recognize the number. For each legitimate phone call I receive, I get AT LEAST 10 bogus calls (probably more). In my opinion, many of these changes are due to the way “Social Media” has altered how people act. It has become acceptable to look upon people as cash cows that should be “milked” for all they’re worth without providing any value.
John…I agree, I did not go into the lack of social skills/ proper etiquette/ speaking / writing skills that have become so prevalent today. My wife, a college professor, is very upset at the quality of work from some of her students when asking for written projects, that overall lack of any shame when texting during class and the I need it right now attitude when any challenge presents itself in the learning environment. Very sad…
Ditto, how you say things and your responses to others does matter.
Unfortunately social media has turned into a format that allows any crackpot to post any information without evidence to support their claim. In turn some people tend to believe these postings and minimize information from credible sources. MSM, as it is now referred to, is using the disinformation to make a fortune from advertisers. Our democracy is in peril due to social media consuming the minds of many Americans. Hopefully we will cocollectively gather our senses and reject these social media grifters.
It’s a blessing for families living at distances. It is a curse for society as a whole.
Very concise and accurate. Thanks, Dale. Take care. 🙂 –Diane
It’s a blessing. The average person can know so much more about what is going on in the world. During the Arab Spring, social media played a huge part in conveying information among the uprising citizens and letting the outside world know what was going on. In the olden days, the first thing a totalitarian-wanna-be-government would do was cut off all television and radio transmissions, or take them over for their own propaganda. Now, it is almost impossible for governments to prevent freedom fighters from outside and inside from communicating. Yes, social media can be a curse, but the curse can be alleviated by the participants not being idiots, not believing everything they hear, and doing their own research.
Individually, it can be a blessing. It is a great platform to keep in touch with or post pictures of your family, share video clips of concerts or races and supporting local businesses.
However, as a free, educated and democratic society – it has been a curse of Biblical proportions. The ‘hands-off’ approach most platforms took, and in particular the ability of anonymity (and worse, BOTS!) has allowed misinformation (and DISinformation) to flourish. I can’t even present dissenting evidence to longtime friends and family members, because it goes against their ‘point of view’. Before the era of social media, (well, honestly it started going downhill in 1994) you could ‘agree to disagree’ – our society can no longer do that. And, yes, I am just as guilty as others on that count (don’t get me started on Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-a), but I have been making a conscious effort to not treat people as a stereotype.
It’s a blessing as it makes it easy to stay in touch with family and friends, although I still prefer actually talking to them. The ‘updates’ are nice. Unfortunately there is so much false and mis-information that is believed by so many as being true that it has become a curse on society. For that reason I wouldn’t be sorry to see it disappear.
I think it’s a mixture. I have benefited greatly from it, but I still wish this stuff had never shown up!
We did fine without it. It causes feelings to come out that should be kept to self. It is a platform for Satan to influence people to form opinions and prejudices that would have not been formed causing bias and divisions. Not good.