We live in a world where thanks to Internet and social media almost everybody seems to be electronically connected – one can even get in contact with their grandmother in a ‘lost’ village in India. Amazing, right?!
It is great to know that keeping in contact with loved ones is no longer a costly hurdle; a quick text to see how your cousin in Jamaica is doing, a lengthy call with your childhood friend in Greece, or even a romantic relationship between Australia and America, purely based on those late night, early morning Facetime/Viber/Skype…. calls.
How beautiful is it to be able to connect with just a click of a button?!
Looking at social media and the Internet through these lenses makes it seem like a blessing.
However, are we actually using social media to strengthen our connection with the world?
Or are we using social media for exactly the opposite of its intent – to disconnect?
Imagine how many street poles have been hurt by careless humans who aren’t watching their steps while on their phones? However, and on a serious note, have we really opened up our eyes to see how our misuse of social media is devastating millions?
In our offline world we seem to be more and more disconnected from our families, close relatives and friends. Many more people are experiencing the deep feeling of loneliness and depression, not to mention aggression, violence and cyber abuse, all of which are shooting through the roof and causing increased suicide rates. What is even more shocking is that we are by and large simply sitting back and accepting everything that is going on.
When for instance, was the last time you saw an abusive comment and either reported it or stepped in to express your feelings about it? Or have you ever?
We have made sexting and sending nudes so common that it has become ‘normal’ and those who don’t do it are then ‘old fashioned’, ‘stush’, or just plain ‘boring’.
But what are we actually getting out of these ‘exciting’ behaviours? You know, the cheeky text at work, or naughty selfie from the gym changing rooms? Is it just an innocent game or could it possibly be another way to get the attention we so desire, to fill an emptiness inside?
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with being intimate with another, in fact, it can be very beautiful! However, in a world where just about every other person, so to speak, has a naked picture on their phone of another person, how intimate are we truly?
Do we even know what intimacy is?
How confident would you be to stand completely 100% transparent (naked, figuratively speaking), without any protection at all – no walls, no guard, no holding back – in front of that person to whom you sent a nude? Why aren’t we making transparency the social norm?
Why aren’t we teaching our children that intimacy is not a sexual act? That intimacy is all about letting another person see you in full, without any protection, the mask/hurts you hide behind and your need to hold back.
Or is that too difficult for us to acknowledge, let alone make it something we talk about and pass down?
Maybe if we are more honest offline with ourselves and others too, we can indeed use social media and the Internet the way they are intended as an extended platform to continue to deepen our connections, friendships, relationships with those close to us and those who may not be . . . yet.
By Anonymous
Further Reading:
Technology: Are you Connected?
Crying out for connection: technology and us
Anti-social behaviour
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When you are with someone and having a conversation you feel their presence whereas a message on a hand-held device puts a distance between you.
Being intimate and appreciation go hand in hand and when we are appreciative energetically (understanding we are all divine in essence) it is coming from the lived Joy we are in and thus are naturally transparent in all we do and does not this level of responsibility naturally feel True in our bodies and thus bring a deeper level of understanding our divine relationship with God? This brings a whole new normal to our existence and purpose to our life that sees social media in a True light to deepen all our relationships.
More and more I find social media, when used to disconnect, to feel draining and I even feel spaced out after using it. Cutting it out completely never works but acknowledging how it makes me feel is the way to make changes that stick.
Absolutely Leigh, understanding what we are doing and nominating when we feel less than our Essences / Soul-full-ness keeps us evolving.
This is a great topic to discuss, the cigarette used to be our best friend we took them everywhere with us. Now it’s the mobile phone and for some people it has become an addiction just in the same way cigarettes became addictive both addictions have a negative impact on our bodies.
The internet could have been used for a power for true good, yet most of what is on there is horrendous, lies, porn, gossip…. not to mention the dark web and every thing that gets put through there.
It is scary times when we go about our day not really realising what a force of evil that runs through much of what is on line.
Great topic, as each generation has its Achilles heal and that the latest techno society is now more in the open about it so it is no longer isolated behind closed doors like it was in Pompeii, and being open at last is showing us when we come to our senses the ridiculous-ness of it all and thus we can start to Truly heal and then everyone we connect to gets a blessing.
The intent of Social Media can be such an amazing opportunity for the whole world. People can become educated about other nations, about other customs – how things are done differently. We can become more aware of the suffering of other countries & therefore more understanding. Yet, what is happening is that we are becoming less tolerant, less understanding – we use the fake news spilled by the media to judge other nations and feel okay in our righteousness for the country we are born in. What a shame, what a waste.
Yesterday I walked by a skate park where there was a lot of teenagers instead of playing on the thing all of them had there heads down looking at their phone.
“Social” media is defiantly not that social.
‘Do we even know what intimacy is? ‘ mmmm great question. Well I guess the way to teach our younger generation is not by words but by actually living this transparency standing with them with no protection, holding back or being on guard then they actually get to FEEL another way. It always starts with ourselves first and how are we living that is how true change happens ✨
The pull to be on the phone at every opportunity is quite strong as you can see on the London underground in the mornings. No one wants to connect and it has become an acceptable thing to do. It makes me wonder how many people met on the tube in the days gone by and started dating; nowadays they do it all over apps and it’s so cold and impersonal.
A much needed topic to discuss about indeed. I find particularly poignant is the responsibility we ALL have to speak up about abuse. We all see, feel and know of it. Most of us tend to do anything we can to avoid it and this is where the ignorance starts…
If we use a device, activity or another person to bring us a sense of connection it will never work. Connecting to ourselves first is required before we connect to others. Anything else is abusive I am learning.