It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, a time to remind ourselves to be grateful for the people we love and a time to celebrate that love. It’s when florists and restaurants get busy, social media bursts with love messages, photographs, memes, poems and declarations of couples claiming undying love for each other often backed with romantic photographs.
The invasion of communication technology definitely plays a big role in how social media has crept into our relationships. Mobile phones are never farther away than the reach of our hands. Out for a lunch date? Take a selfie first. Going for a fancy meal? Instagram the food before you eat it. Received flowers? Post it on Facebook. Celebrating your spouse’s birthday? Write an ode to how he or she is such a blessing in your life.
Don’t get me wrong, I am all for self-expression, and do not stand in judgment of what people wish to share on social media. I have friends who do it all the time, and sometimes so do I. There’s no harm in sharing your joys and special moments. But are all special moments for public consumption?
I read some data about how more than 60 per cent of all internet users also communicate via social networks and over 85 per cent of teenagers have accounts on social networks. That is a huge number if we are talking globally. With more and more people communicating via social media, emotions have been reduced to Likes, Dislikes and smiley emoticons.
It is ironic, however, that of the many software developers and social network creators that I know personally or have read about, most of them are not very social but are extremely private in their lives. In fact, Steve Jobs himself was not very generous about allowing iPad time to his children. What a deep learning there is in this.
Sure, social media has been a great medium to connect with old friends and make new contacts. But somewhere along the line, have we lost that real connection? Instead of cherishing a special moment, have we become more consumed with sharing it on our wall?
Freedom of expression is not only necessary, it is essential to our creative development. But the more ‘private’ shares I see on my newsfeed, the more I am inspired to put down that phone and go live and love the moment. Happy Valentine’s Day.
