Ranting

For a while, I have negatively viewed social media. I, in my average American life, had found no benefits when it came to my political life (or so I thought). I usually associated it with the common idea that it only builds a selfish outlook of one's self. It wasn't until I started taking communication courses that I realized how important social media is.

As the years go on, social media has become a major tool that has definitely influenced my political stance. However, I have the option to turn on my television and learn about current events through other sources, if my computer died. Other countries aren't so lucky. Within two of my favorite courses, we have discussed the importance of social media to the success of political movements in countries other than America. There are countries that rely fully on social media in order to communicate safely with other citizens about the evils behind their governments. It has been effective with circumstances such as the Arab uprisings. 

As I've been learning about this, I have realized that I only think of matters that revolve around my own experiences. I have had other Americans complain about how social media encourages us to be overly obsessive about our selves. Most people blame social media for encouraging us. However, the more I think about it, the more I realize it is not social media's fault that we use it for such lame matters. Our society is prone to only observing what is happening inside our own tiny bubble. We blame social media for being a negative tool that in return causes us to act badly. That is not the case. Social media is a neutral tool that is very beneficial for society. It is humans that decide how the tool will be used. *end rant*