The power of social media

 



I’ve always been a big believer in the power of social media. The power to influence, inform, or mislead is insurmountable. With the rise of social media amongst Generation Z and Generation Alpha, it is of utmost importance that people understand this tool and utilize it wisely. Unfortunately, many merely understand how to use this tool but not when to use it. I’d like to delve into two main pointers:

Number 1: The ethics of social media
Number 2: The Influencer Career


The ethics of social media is something that I’d like to question and perhaps challenge today’s generation. Ask yourselves, “Is this me? Or is this what I want people to think of me?” This disconnect between true personality and perceived personality is one that has grown wider due to the rise of social media. The Chameleon effect is where a person mimics the character or personalities of those that they interact often with. Teens especially who have not developed a firm grasp of their personality may be pressured into fabricating a false identity of themselves, based on the personalities that they view online, be it their friends, or other entertainment sources. This loss of self identity can lead the teen into a state where they are unable to own their decisions and a lack of confidence in self.


Perhaps the attractive and lucrative career of an influencer has attracted many of the teens in our current generation to want to pursue such a career. The idea of “Anyone can be an influencer” has definitely been inculcated into the teens of today. The thought that everyone is special and that anyone can be whatever they want to be. Well that statement may not be untrue, the truth to the matter is that everything comes at a cost. Be it the loss of personal identity to pander to an audience that may not like the true character, or the sacrifice of your morality and values so that you can attract a larger crowd. Perhaps for some people that sacrifice may be larger and for some maybe not at all. However the truth is that there is work needed to be put in and sacrifices needed. The question is, how far are you willing to go to achieve such a lifestyle? And if you reached there, how do you know it would be worth what you’ve sacrificed?

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