Left Behind?

Is social media taking over? Those who are not using social media as their main means of reaching others are being viewed as "left behind." So where is traditional media going? Will there still be people using traditional media in twenty years?

As I have been learning more about social media, I have realized that I have been one of those who are "left behind" in a sense. It has taken me a long time to get used to the idea of using certain forms of social media. Before my mission I had my phone, which was only average intelligence, and I had a Facebook account. I saw extensive use of technology as unnecessary and quite frankly a waste of time. I much preferred the good-old face-to-face conversation.

My mission taught me to appreciate the amazing uses of social media and the technology that makes it possible. When we received the new iPad training, Elder Evans of the Seventy said something that made a powerful impression on me. He said in effect, "You must look at your device as you look at a pen. It is merely a tool to bring about the Lord's work. It is not something to be obsessive over." I finally had some insight to the right way to look at technology and social media. Just as anything that is good, it can be used for foolish and unrighteous purposes. In this ever expanding digital world, we need to find a balance so that we don't rely too heavily on technology and social media. When we rely on it too much, we are in danger of sacrificing other basic survival needs. What is really more important, our communication and connection with others, or our own safety? Are those who regulate how much they use technology and social media being "left behind?"

I don't think so. I think people are starting to catch on to the real purpose of technology and social media in our lives. It is not merely an entertainment and distraction. When we allow it to be so, there are many negative consequences. While there is a place for entertainment, technology and social media can do so much more. It can be the bridge between us and success in just about every profession. We have the need to be connected, and we will always find ways to do so.

While traditional media may have become inferior to the more versatile realm of social media, I feel that there is still a place for it. I feel that traditional and social media can work together to continue the growth of our society.