Blog Post #1: Social Media Reflection

I remember the first time I encountered "Myspace". My friend had pulled out her father's new camera and had been taking numerous pictures of herself for her profile. She was convinced I wouldn't be able to capture her best shot and so I watched as she experimented with the light as it fell on her face and the adjusting lens. Oddly enough, she always stuck with the same pose (a pose which I am sure we are all familiar with): she would rest one hand on her hip, and the other would hold the camera, extending out on an upwards 45 degree angle. Tilting her head to the left, her chin down, and her large black-eyeliner eyes peering up into the lens, she would smile revealing teeth, and at times, settle on a mischievous smirk. And *SNAP* the picture would be taken, she would turn the camera around and see her head exploding on the viewing screen, with a sliver of her reaching arm enlarging at the edge of the photo. After another 50-100 more shots taken, she would settle on one.
Was the one she chose an adorable picture? Not quite.
Was it meant to be sexy? Probably.
Was it? Let's hope not.
Who knows what her objective was, but I'm sure at 15 years old, her profile picture and the accompanying profile "skin" (backdrop) was meant to be more of a statement of identity than anything.

Today's social media has not only expanded exponentially in the technical sense, but it could be argued that the reasons for our using it has expanded in just the same way. From using it as a tool to connect us to our family and friends, both near and far, to meeting strangers, networking, sharing and gaining information within groups and to the public, we are changing the way we are interacting with each other, and the way in which we are presenting ourselves to the world. I'm not sure how others feel, but for me,   I never thought that I could make that transition from Myspace to Facebook. I had thought that I would remain a Myspace user, especially since I had put so much dedication into constructing a unique skin. But everyone around me was moving on, and eventually, I had to too. I always wonder, which pressure forced me to finally make my Facebook profile? Was it because I was afraid I would be out-of-the-loop with my friends and the things they were doing? Or was it more a fear that I would be forgotten? Or that they would never be able to see the things about me I wanted them to know from my profile --things I never got a chance to tell/show them? It's hard to say, but as a Facebook user, with no expiration date in sight, I must say, that while my reasons for staying on Facebook has expanded (i.e. I like to stalk friends from time-to-time, it's keep me awake in the face of daunting homework, and it's just something to do!), I mainly stay on Facebook because I like that people who know me/want to get to know me can see who I am and what I do, and vice versa. I suppose that is what I like about the benefits of social media as a space where people can meet and interact without physical pressure or anxiety. That does not mean, however, that I don't have a problem with it.

My biggest issue is with people who feel the need to constantly text or Facebook when they're with people they know (especially friends) and are having a conversation with! To me, it is not only distracting to have to stop in the middle of a conversation to send a text message, but it's also rude if you are texting or checking out a site while someone is talking to you. There are always exceptions, of course, but for the most part, I think people are beginning to forget that people not only deserve each other's attention, but they also need to live in the moment --especially for us busy New-Yorkers, who tend to strut fast, with headphones on, and cell phones secure in our pockets, or in hand. It is hard; I am certainly guilty of clutching my cell phone every where ever I go --checking/sending text messages most of the time, checking my email at least 20 times a day, and browsing Facebook every chance I get. But even with this "obsession" and need to be on top of my work, I think we can always strive for a better balance in the ways that we stay in touch with friends who are physically distant and the ones who are right in front of us.

Obviously, I have jumped far in subject from the beginning of this post about my "emo" friend and how our profiles were created as statements of identity for us, to the end of this post about the anti-social side of social media. The link between these two subjects is, I think, the fact that our increased use of these tools in the real world affects our social behavior, and in turn, our identities as well (how we perceive ourselves and how others see us). Everyone varies in their use of social media and technologies, and I certain teeter between the line of social media love and hate in my use and disuse. There is no doubt; social media is here to stay, affecting how we live our lives and the choices we make. But that's the thing: choice. We can choose what we use, how we use it, and when; along with whom we use social media with, and quite simply, whom we choose to enjoy pure company with --social technology excluded.

--Charli Lee.