What is social media becoming? As members of the current generation, it can be difficult to not be affected by social media in one way or another. Whether you have a Facebook or Twitter or Instagram account, you are being exposed to the opinions of other people.
Now, I think this is great. I think that sharing your opinion on Facebook is an incredible way to get your thoughts out there in order for others to possibly form their own opinions on the topic as well.
I believe that you have every right to share whatever your little heart desires about the election or current news. Tell me about all of the reasons you believe that Trump is going to make America great again. I would love to listen to what you have to say.
Although social media channels are really good ways to get your opinion into the world, there are downfalls to this that not many people may actually see as negative things.
My biggest problem with the way people use social media revolves around the fact that we think we can tear down the opinions of others just because we are behind a computer screen.
Now, like I said, sharing your opinion on social media is great, but not allowing someone else to do the same because their opinion does not match up to yours? That is where the real problem lies.
I see too many posts on Facebook about events that happen, scroll down to the comment section of the post and end up seeing people virtually fist-fighting and pulling the hair of others to try to prove that their opinion is superior.
Why do we suddenly gain the confidence to tear down the opinions of others as soon as we are not with those people face to face? Maybe it is because of the fact that we find it easier to be confrontational over the internet, but why does that give us the right to hate any opinion that is not our own?
Another problem I see too often online is that people are only getting their news through their social media accounts. They are not actually taking the time to research the events and form an opinion on their own.
They would rather scroll down a few posts on Twitter and agree with whatever opinion sounds nice to them. We are relying on the opinions of others to educate us on the things happening in the world we live in.
That is a little ironic though, isn’t it? We rely on opinions of people we know in order to educate us on the news we don’t care enough to look up, and then we go on to bash those same opinions.
I know that it may seem easier or faster to just get your information from your friends online, but whatever happened to thinking for yourself? Social media are great if you use them the right way, but what are we letting them become?

HARLEE BOEHM
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