Social Media as Compared to Everyday Life

I had a random thought the other day as I was walking around Horn Pond.  Social Media is a new way of life for most of us.  

I have 'profiles' on many social media platforms, and each one is used for a different purpose.  Facebook keeps me in touch with friends near and far.  LinkedIn is for my professional networking needs.  Twitter is a live stream of interesting quips from millions of people and businesses.

I can't imagine life without these. However, I was thinking how uncanny the similarities are between these social networking outlets and the old fashioned desire to achieve popularity and that elusive 'cool' status. Who has the most followers? Aren't you cooler when your posts get lots of comments? Aren't you the bees' knees if your YouTube videos get a lot of views?  How many places are you the 'mayor' of? Have you ever received a badge of recognition from Foursquare and deep down felt secretly proud of that achievement?  Indeed, it seems that social media is technology's answer to the popularity contest. 

Back in highschool, many people were shy and confused. Making friends and being in the 'cool crowd' was as sought after as world peace.  However,  being in the cool crowd probably escaped many of us! I know I had a small circle of friends, none of whom were considered 'cool'.  Back then it bothered me to no end.  I wonder how things might have been different if I was able to express myself and make connections through social media?

Social media back in the 80's was two people on the same bench reading a newspaper. Now,  it is a worldwide group of networkers that you can connect with whenever you want! Would I have been more outgoing with a Facebook profile?  Would I have been congratulated on being Mayor of my neighborhood? Would I have uploaded videos to YouTube, giving other kids a chance to get to know the real me without the awkward and terrorizing face-to-face meetings in the lunchroom? 

I am passionate about social media today, and I think I would have been as a youngster, as well.  Today's kids read on Kindles, do homework on iPads, and they can text their parents! I would have loved to have those options!  In my opinion, these advances are giving today's youth a great advantage over past generations.  Used properly, social media can be a tool for people everywhere to expand their horizons, learn new things and network with individuals they otherwise never would have met.  Social media is truly amazing.  Do you think your life would have been different if you grew up with social networking?