You know what ‘Gets Me Going’, social media. I have a love hate relationship with this force of life. On one hand, I love the networking and promoting and that I can easily look people up to get to know them a bit better. I also love keeping in touch with childhood friends and seeing how they’ve grown and their new families. What I despise is how people present themselves to be someone they clearly are not. The insignificant posts pertaining to disgusting revelations about personal trials or ailments. The nudity, violence and grotesque third world posts that I see while scrolling often annoy me. I constantly have to block people that I once really liked in real life because of their callous decisions on social networks.
The most interesting thing is the how this now decade old trend affects our psyche. We are drawn and increasingly addicted to staying connected with everyone’s life and updates. I myself even check my Facebook and Instagram far more than I would like to admit. I began to wonder if there may be some psychological connection to this urge, and if so, how bad can this get? After doing some poking around, I found that there have been many studies done and there is actually a disorder directly relating to social media; IAD – Internet Addiction Disorder. It has not yet been approved for the DSM edition (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), however, it is described as “excessive computer use that interferes with daily life”.
As a species we have always been addicted to technology, from radio to television and now in this digital age, computers. Perhaps it’s the thought of having access to so much information. Anything you want to know is just a google search away. Personally, when random thoughts pop in my head for a new idea, recipe or origins and backgrounds of different topics, I usually go a quick search. There is something about the instant gratification of it all. An omniscient feeling is acquired with having this access. As far as the social sites, I do favor interacting with people and having the opportunity to peek into a new associate’s life, whether personal or professional, this is a definite perk of social networking. I seem to be more annoyed with those whom I know personally. The online personalities do not always match reality. The platform is available for all, and not all deserve it. On the other hand, there are some whose personas online and reality sync perfectly, those I enjoy reading about and catching up with.
Then there’s the grammar. There are far too many grammatical errors that exist with posts. With smartphones and google, there is no reason for this to occur. None! It reveals a lack of standards that one may possess; it’s there for the world to see, at least make yourself seem somewhat intelligent.
In conclusion, I sincerely hope this does not get any more out of hand then it already is. There are already laws in place and deaths that have occurred. Stay safe people and remember, always check your grammar before posting. I will judge you. Thanks for tuning in. Cheers!
Trina Davenport, a Baltimore native, has been writing for over a decade and has an array of multiple talents. She holds a wealth of knowledge regarding media and loves to express herself through writing as well as a podcast she and her brother host. Trina’s background includes an IT degree as well as holding a four-year position as Vice President for a Baltimore Non-Profit. She also has a business called Vino Visuals that creates fine art using wine corks. She is thrilled to be a part of the OutWire family.
Podcast: Absolutely Alphas (YouTube, SoundCloud, FB, IG and all major streaming platforms)
Art: Vinovisuals.com
