Like a lot of people, I wrestle with the pros and cons of social media. The desire to reach out and feel connected is a fundamental aspect of our species. The human brain evolved to seek out human contact. It’s no surprise, then, that the need to be tagged, tweeted, and liked stems on some level from this very primal feeling of wanting to be loved, valued, and seen. It’s the two-year-old at the beach, waddling toward their parents, squealing, “Look at me!” That’s basically what social media is.
The medium is new, but the desire is not. There is a term familiar to Leonard Cohen fans and readers of Genesis: “Hineni,” which means “Here I am.” It’s a profound declaration of self. But the documentation of ourselves in front of every sunset, before eating a plate of caramelized brussels sprouts, every time we walk over the Brooklyn Bridge or go to a concert, is a shallow echo. Here I am becomes Look at me becomes Like and subscribe. There are now almost too many ways…
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Source : fastcompany.com
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