Do Social Media Hinder or Assist Communication and Culture?

In Montaigne’s essay “Our Affections Carry Themselves Beyond Us”, there is a quote that reads “The mind anxious about the future is unhappy.”  In today’s civilization, we are often concerned about the future.  We are taught early on in school to be preparing for future schooling and careers.  Of course, communication comes not only through school, but also through church and media.  In church we are taught to be anxiously engaged in good things, and in the media we are constantly informed of what is going on around us.  All of this begs the question, does our increased communication destroy our communication and therefore our civilization?  More specifically, do social media help or hurt us?

In my own life, I have personally experienced the good as well as the bad of social media.  Social media is a fantastic way to communicate with friends and family who one would otherwise lose contact with.  One of the hardest things about serving a mission for the church is having to leave those one baptized or was close with for some other reason.  Facebook, as well as other social media, is an excellent way to keep in touch.  I have used Facebook on different occasions to keep in contact with those I was close with on my mission.  I’m glad that I’ve been able to maintain contact.

However, Facebook also has a dark side.  I have been absolutely amazed by how often I get caught up looking at other people’s lives and seeing how great they are.  I realize that typically people post only positive things about their own lives and that their lives are not perfect; however, it is difficult to not be at least a little jealous of the good going on in other people’s lives, and to feel like their lives are in fact perfect.

For example, I can remember seeing a guy who served in my mission in a picture with his girlfriend.  Everything seemed so perfect in his life at that time, and I was frustrated and very anxious about my future, specifically my future with dating.  I can honestly say that my mind was anxious about the future, and that I was unhappy, which goes along perfectly with the quote mentioned above.

In the end, I suppose we all have to decide how to use social media in our lives and civilization.