Human beings are social creatures. We have engaged in social interaction since the dawn of civilization, from families to tribes to villages to towns to cities to nations. Originally, most interaction was face-to-face and benefited greatly from the invention of spoken language. But over time, the advent of different technologies, like parchment and written languages, has expanded our reach, increased our capabilities, and altered our behavior. Through writing, we were suddenly able to communicate over great distances of both space and time. Only in the last couple of decades has that interaction moved away from physical form and into the virtual world of electronic communication. And again, it has had a profound impact on our behavior and fostered new forms of social interactions throughout various societies and populations.
While it is becoming increasingly difficult to comprehend, there was actually a time in which most of the modern-day conveniences we take for granted did not yet exist. Things like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, for instance, are all relatively new phenomena that have rapidly taken over our culture and forever changed the ways that we connect and interact with one another. But each of these and many other similar technologies now form such an integral component of our digital lifestyles that it is hard to imagine how we might have ever been able to function without these everyday resources. The truth is, this has always been true about all forms of technology throughout the history of human civilization. All revolutionary forms of technology change people's behavior in ways that make the past seem crude and arcane. Modern digital technology is no different. And even today's cutting-edge innovations will one day feel slow and laborious when something even better inevitably comes along.
One of the most empowering features of electronic social media has been its ability to create a sense of community, especially in places or situations where such a community could not have otherwise existed. With the global scope and widespread reach of social media, previous obstacles like geography, age, or socioeconomics, that isolated groups of people from one another are no longer barriers. Individuals with shared interests, but whose paths would never have crossed in the "real world," are able to come together, communicate, and interact in the virtual world of an online social network.
This increased ability to find someone who shares the same interests as you allows marginalized individuals to experience a unique sense of belonging. Likewise, the centralized nature of social networking environments enables new and unique special interest groups and facilitates coordination of group projects and collaboration in a way that was previously difficult, if not impossible.
While it is becoming increasingly difficult to comprehend, there was actually a time in which most of the modern-day conveniences we take for granted did not yet exist. Things like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, for instance, are all relatively new phenomena that have rapidly taken over our culture and forever changed the ways that we connect and interact with one another. But each of these and many other similar technologies now form such an integral component of our digital lifestyles that it is hard to imagine how we might have ever been able to function without these everyday resources. The truth is, this has always been true about all forms of technology throughout the history of human civilization. All revolutionary forms of technology change people's behavior in ways that make the past seem crude and arcane. Modern digital technology is no different. And even today's cutting-edge innovations will one day feel slow and laborious when something even better inevitably comes along.
One of the most empowering features of electronic social media has been its ability to create a sense of community, especially in places or situations where such a community could not have otherwise existed. With the global scope and widespread reach of social media, previous obstacles like geography, age, or socioeconomics, that isolated groups of people from one another are no longer barriers. Individuals with shared interests, but whose paths would never have crossed in the "real world," are able to come together, communicate, and interact in the virtual world of an online social network.
This increased ability to find someone who shares the same interests as you allows marginalized individuals to experience a unique sense of belonging. Likewise, the centralized nature of social networking environments enables new and unique special interest groups and facilitates coordination of group projects and collaboration in a way that was previously difficult, if not impossible.