Social Media As the New Watercooler

There comes a point in all our lives when a single event; personal or public, envelops us to a point where we cannot think, speak or focus on anything else.  This is not new by any means; however, social media has taken it to a level which may or may not be a good thing.

Whether you are an online journalist, a social media strategist or, simply, the everyday person who subscribes to the various social media platforms, it is difficult to not bear witness to the flurry of activity on a site's feed when such an event happens.  Even more difficult is fighting the urge to comment or reply to the posts.

Granted, if you are of the same opinion as the original poster, it is easier to post your thoughts.  There is less chance of being publicly called on the carpet by those who disagree; there is strength in numbers.  The hard part is having the courage to post your true beliefs and opinions knowing full well that you are opening up yourself to as much scrutiny as the event itself. 

Everything we post online is a reflection of ourselves and our personal social consciousness. Social interaction is the driving force behind social media and all it encompasses.  We must, however, learn to decipher between fact and raw emotion.  Initial emotional responses are subject to many interpretations.  Never should we take something we read online as truth without inquiring further.  Our personal perspectives on the topic are just that; our personal perspectives.  Even my writing this piece, is a personal perspective and I am opening myself up to scrutiny as soon as I hit the publish button.

No matter the event, we should not allow the overwhelming opinions of others shape our own personal social conscience.  That is something, I fear, we are losing in the age of social media.  It seems that too many are willing to latch on to the seemingly popular opinions rather than having the courage to express our own thoughts.  Social media has become the watercooler of the world.  For every opinion, there will undoubtedly be five differing ones.  The only difference is that they are all much more public than in the breakroom at work and have a global reach.