The Need For Real Life Social Media In Today’s World

If you are over 40 Years old(Millenial) or above 50 (Boomers Or GenX) then you should feel proud that you have seen the extraordinary transformation of Social Media on the World Wide Web.

From the Connecting With Friends Era (Led By Facebook) to the Connecting With Your Passion Era(Flickr, Twitter, Early Instagram) to the Connecting With Influencers Era(TikTok, IG, Snapchat), we surely have come a long long way. This infographic by Vamp Blog, explains the chain of events in an entertaining manner and is worth seeing.

Social Media has connected us to our old friends from college, it has helped us come together and create a just movement, it has even helped us learn new skills and earn.

However, its pervasive influence also has a dark side, casting a harmful impact on individuals and society as a whole. Here are some of the negative effects that we all can relate to when we use Social Media excessively throughout the day:

• Addiction and comparison: Social media platforms are designed to be addictive, with endless scrolling and dopamine hits from likes and notifications. This can lead to neglecting real-life relationships and responsibilities, fostering feelings of loneliness and inadequacy when comparing idealized online personas to our own lives.
• Anxiety and depression: Studies have linked excessive social media use to increased anxiety and depression, particularly among teenagers and young adults. The constant exposure to curated highlight reels of other’s lives can trigger feelings of low self-esteem and social isolation.
• Cyberbullying and harassment: The anonymity and lack of accountability online embolden some to engage in cyberbullying and harassment. This can have devastating consequences for victims, leading to emotional distress, reputational damage, and even self-harm.

Real-Life Social Media can be the answer to the next Social Media Wave where we use Social Media to find Like-Minded Connections/Communities but instead of talking under anonymity in the online world, we meet with people and communities and expand our circle, knowledge, mindset, and much more.

Here’s how Real Life Social Media is different from the regular only online/virtual Social Media :

1. Social interactions should graduate into the physical world, and not remain hidden in the garb of anonymity :

Post meeting and connecting online, we can connect and build relationships with each other face-to-face, in activities, events, and interactions that happen in the real world, not mediated by screens. This can include everything from casual conversations with friends and neighbors to organized community events and gatherings/mixers

2. Social media platforms can be used more authentically:

Social media platforms can reflect your real-life experiences and personality, rather than trying to curate a perfect online persona. This could involve not only posting photos and videos and reels, but also sharing experiences/skills and showing them to your followers and communities, and engaging in genuine conversations with your followers via Meet Ups and Ice Breakers and more.

3. We can blend online and offline social interaction:

In today’s world, online and offline social spheres are often intertwined. For example, you might meet someone you connect with online at a real-life event, or use social media to stay in touch with people you met in person. This blending can create a more complex and diverse social network that is more healthy and fulfilling.

To Summarize, Real Life Social Media can be a way to describe your focus on genuine social interaction and a recognition of the blurring lines between our online and offline lives.

I loved writing this article and more so because I am the founder of Travel Buddy — A Real Life Social Travel Network that connects Travelers to Authentic Locals and Experiences. You can browse us here at www.beatravelbuddy.com

Feedback is a gift. Please let me know what you think of my viewpoint on Real Life Social Media — something that will become a core catalyst of the next social media revolution

#Reallifesocialmedia #Socialmedia #Social #onlineoffline