Monday, April 18, 2016

Social Media: The Age of Documenting Instead of Experiencing

I read an interesting article from The Huffington Post that got me thinking. Every single day I witness people with their phones glued to their hands. I myself am guilty of relying too heavily on my cellular device. 



But, what is the problem here?

People have stopped living life, enjoying moments, and just observing their surroundings. Instead, they have started to document any and everything they do and see.

How many times have you gone to a concert and noticed that majority of the audience have their cell phone out video taping or taking pictures? Maybe you have not noticed because you are one of those people. Very often, everywhere I go, I witness people taking pictures to document moments or to prove that they are doing something interesting and fun yet they are not truly experiencing these moments and making memories.

I wish phones and social media did not have such a hold on my life. I want to remember the feelings associated with my memories, not just remember the pictures. Maybe it is time to put the phone down and actually interact with people.

Just food for thought...

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Privacy vs Socialization

I can just hear my mother's voice in my head right now...."You better not post that to Facebook" ..... "Don't share that on social media" ...... Yes, I know mother, is always my response.

Growing up, we were all told to never put anything on the Internet that we would not want everyone to see. However, in today's society people are not as concerned with what they post and/or upload because they believe privacy settings will only allow their "friends" to see everything. I truly believe this gives people a false sense of security. There are so many ways around privacy settings and it only takes one friend to "share" something in order for it to be out there for the entire world to see.

I understand that the point of social media is to constantly stay connected and share what's inside your mind, but there are many things that should not be publicly shared. Especially since potential employers, schools, etc. can easily access profiles.

As Lori Andrews states in her book I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy, she believes there should be a Social Network Constitution to protect our rights online. I understand where she is coming from and what her concerns are, but I somewhat disagree. I do believe that there are things people post that should not be a criteria for judgment upon potential employment. However, I also think it is the responsibility of the individual to filter what gets put on their own social media pages. Especially when the individual knows potential employers could be looking.

Just remember, nothing you ever do is truly private...... big brother (or someone else) is always watching.......

Monday, April 11, 2016

Google Changed the Game of Information Consumption

"Googleplex" (Company Headquarters)
The company known as the most used search engine in the world has become, dare I say, a necessity for the information hungry. Think about it; how many times a day do you use Google to look up information? I, myself, am guilty of looking up the most random things on an hourly basis. I see something or think of something and end up entering words into that little text box on the screen in front of me.

I am able to do this because Google has cataloged an immense amount of information, websites, pictures, videos, etc., all into one place. They have done it in order to make it easier for curious people like myself. Very rarely do people crack open a good old book while doing research. Why? They have the information at their fingertips.

The internet, social media, and the search engine giant Google, have immensely changed the way individuals consume information. People have become impatient, lazy, information seekers, and I very much believe Google has played a ginormous role in this transition. However, if Google was not the company to do it, somebody else would have been.

Monday, April 4, 2016

What is with this whole blogging thing?

Blogging, it seems, has grown into a ginormous outlet for people from all walks of life to share and interact with each other from the comfort of their own home. I never quite understood the reasoning behind expressing your thoughts online, so in order to better understand the world of blogging, I read an article about Trine-Maria Kristensen. She is a Danish blogger, as well as founder and head of marketing for a market research group. She was interviewed about her life as a blogger as well as her thoughts and opinions on this ever growing web based world. 

I may not be Danish, and therefore cannot understand Trine-Maria's blog posts without a translator, but I was very intrigued to read about her thoughts and opinions on blogging. She appealed to me because I feel as though I can connect with her in numerous ways. I am a major in marketing so I can connect with what she likes to blog about. Also, I have the same passion as her to travel around Italy experiencing the culture and food.

Based off her interview, Trine-Maria seems like the type of person I would really enjoy reading posts from. She mentions that she likes to write about things that irritate her which makes me believe she never holds back. That is definitely something I can appreciate. She likes to spark interest in her readers and welcomes intelligent feedback from her followers.


I truly enjoyed her outlook on the blogging world and how she contributes to it. This interview also makes you realize that you don’t have to have a background in journalism or some sort of writing in order to be a blogger. Simply write about things you are passionate about; you’d be surprised who will listen.