Social Networking Benefits That Might Surprise You
Many people are concerned about the negative impact platforms like Facebook and Twitter are having on our youth and even on ourselves. Kids don’t go out anymore; they just text each other on WhatsApp or Skype day in and day out. The latest family trip is all over the “Vacations” pinboard on Pinterest. We create business profiles on LinkedIn instead of attending networking events.
Some argue that’s bad. They say online socialization leads to less physical activity. Our chairs are starting to grow roots, causing lower back pain, stiff necks, and the only mobile part remaining is our wrist, which moves the cursor. That’s what they say.
They say sharing our lives online can lead to negative consequences. Too much information in the hands of the wrong people can hurt us.
This sounds pretty bad, right? Well, I’m here to offer a different perspective.
Connecting in Real Life
If you were to connect in real life with as many people as you can online, the outcome might be overwhelming.
Being human often means wearing a mask. The word itself comes from the Etruscan word “phersu,” which means mask. Real-life interactions require us to present different versions of ourselves. It’s difficult to interact or connect with others in real life without wearing some kind of mask.
This applies to most of us. Of course, there are leaders who can be themselves, transparent and sincere, almost all the time, regardless of whom they are talking with.
The rest of us have insecurities. We evaluate people based on what we can gain from them. We think in terms of ROI (return on investment) before agreeing to meet with certain individuals. It’s all business.
We often avoid friendships with those who are sick or poor because we see them as beneath us. We justify this by saying that everyone is responsible for their own life, as the Law of Attraction suggests. It’s a convenient excuse.
Even if we do form friendships with people from different social classes, we might not bring them to social gatherings for fear of embarrassment. Wasn’t the friendship just a way to feed our ego and tell ourselves: “I’m different; I can be friends with anyone, no matter their social class”?
Social Networking Brings Out the Best in People
All those masks, insecurities, and social class distinctions fade away when we socialize through Twitter, Facebook, or Skype.
Online, you can be yourself because you feel more secure. You control the environment. You’re less likely to choose online friends based on their wealth. Your connections are more about collaboration and sharing interests.
Social Networking Breaks Down Social Classes
Let’s say you’re a freelance coder who isn’t particularly sociable. Social networking can gradually change that. It offers a non-intrusive change, made at your own pace. First, you create a Skype ID to talk to clients, then a Facebook profile to promote your work. In a few months, you start uploading pictures of yourself because having a grumpy cat as your profile picture, while funny at first, now feels awkward.
You’ve read about ‘hot traffic,’ so you set up a blog to attract more clients. Then you start promoting it on Pinterest and LinkedIn. You begin sharing knowledge on Quora. You form friendships with people thousands of miles away. It doesn’t matter that you haven’t met in real life; you share the same interests and goals. The connection feels genuine.
Congratulations. You’ve now become a global citizen.
Social Networking Knows No Borders
You now have friends worldwide and work for companies scattered across the globe. You work from different countries. You lead a transparent life where anyone can find out what you do, what you like, and where you live, just by looking you up.
Sounds utopian, right? Just 20 years ago, living like this wouldn’t have been possible.
Social Networking Is Safe
Social networking enhances who we are. Most people are inherently good, and their true nature shines more online, free from the insecurities of real-life interactions. Consider charities and causes: I’m more likely to donate to a cause I find on Facebook or directly to a person in need, discovered through Facebook. I’m less likely to do so in real life. It’s a matter of convenience. It’s not that I don’t care.
It’s just that I don’t care enough to go to the bank or charity to donate. It sounds harsh, but most of us think that way. However, I’ll send money via PayPal. I’ll take the time to have a Skype meeting with someone in need. I’m not even afraid of contracting anything because, hey, I’m still at home.
Conclusion: Embracing Openness
Openness is the paradigm of this new era. The Internet and social networks have brought us closer than ever before. Consider this: as I write this, I’m in my flat in Bucharest. I’m wrapping up and getting ready to email this to my editor somewhere else. Soon, you’ll be reading this from home, on the road, or at work, from any corner of the world.
Information travels instantaneously, and knowledge is shared and promoted through social networks. Humanity has moved beyond carrier pigeons. But there’s another concern.
Some people fear the power of social networks. They say you can find out almost everything about a person with a simple Google search. It’s all just too exposed. Nothing is private anymore. They argue that this information could be used against you. That’s true.
But the people who truly control our destinies, those who rule your country and the planet, already have access to your private information. From your smartphone to your tablet to your PC, there are no secrets anymore.
So why not embrace honesty and transparency in your life? Share it all on Facebook. Connect with people worldwide on Skype. Message on WhatsApp. Update your Twitter!
It’s not like your Facebook friends will use that information against you—unlike your government might. Flip the tables on them. Become a global citizen!