Social Polarities

I’m getting more frustrated with part of my work. Specifically it’s the use of social media. If KEO wasn’t a business that advises and establishes Social Media Campaigns and marketing initiatives I personally would have little to do with it.

And the problem isn’t one thing, it’s many.

This article could illustrate a perfect example of what’s wrong - and you know what? I hope it does. I’m only extremely new to blogging… not to having ideas or expressing myself but to sharing these on a platform so open to comment, feedback and ridicule. (It is a harsh word yes, but take a look around)

I had a friend share some wisdom with me, he said a writer called James Altucher stated “if my blog does not scare the shit out of me then I should not hit send” - so as I tend to do, I’ve taken a breath and dived head on into it.

Now; Social media.

It’s not social media itself that I have begun taking issue with, Facebook, Instagram; whatever form the beast wishes to take that day they’re merely tools that allow people to express their ideas, from whichever point along the spectrum they choose.

What does concern me, is the echo chambers we create for ourselves, the like-minded groups we begin surrounding ourselves in that serve no other purpose but to feed us with mis-information and ideation that our beliefs are the one source of truth and anyone who questions them shall be ostracised or worse yet *gasp* removed and banned from the group…

It’s a snowball heading down an infinitely steep hill.

And the prediction for the next 10 years is blistering cold blizzards.  

“The standard you walk past is the standard you accept” - David Hurley. This rings true for everyone and I don’t believe anyone would disagree with the sentiment behind this statement.

However what if you create an environment where you’re setting the accepted standards. After all, society and social proof are how we keep our standards in check. Every now and then we might get a little risque and see how far we can push and enveloped, but it won’t take society long to reign us back in…

Unless…

Unless we’ve surrounded ourselves in this echo-chamber. Unless we have managed to exist in a bubble where every concept or idea no matter how left or right it is doesn’t get challenged. Unless I am free to say and imply that I do whatever it takes to show that I am true to the cause…

It’s worrying yeah?

Then question it. What am I reading, what am I seeing how is it getting to me? If you’re happy with what you’re getting, good. We all want to be happier - but don’t let your ideals and happiness be to the detriment or the untruth about someone or something else.

Think critically. Don’t accept mediocre and triple check that the environment you’re in is not setting a unacceptable standard. Nothing is ever that black and white, the day you stop learning is the day you die and we should always keep our minds open to new ways of thinking and ideas to challenge ourselves and grow.

We’re wired to desire the comfortable and not challenge ourselves for the sake of not standing out, and we are allowing ourselves to remain comfortable now more than ever on social media.

How do you ensure that you’re learning, where do you find the new ideas and keep yourself learning and developing?