by Zachery Henry
Synopsis: Since the dawn of time, man's chosen means of communication have consisted of words, letters, and signs. We still use these same forms of communication to convey our thoughts and messages, albeit with very different tools.
In our technologically advanced world, billions of people now have access to social media platforms. Only a little more than a decade ago, this term would have failed to register with most people; however, fast forward to 2019, and social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, have become household names.
Social media platforms are convenient tools for communicating with our friends, co-workers, and relatives. Yet, few realize that these "networking" sites present a significant risk to our health, our relationships, and our spiritual well-being.
As of 2018, the average daily social media usage of internet users worldwide amounted to 136 minutes per day, according to Statista.com. Just imagine what we could instead be doing with those two hours. Time spent online is oft disconnected from the happenings of real-life.
Please don't misunderstand: There's nothing wrong with expanding your network. Soliciting career advice from industry leaders, reconnecting with old friends, and reading life updates from a family member are all good things.
This is not where the danger lies. Instead, the risk is in how we interact with others on these social media platforms, and the amount of time we spend developing social media connections, rather than investing that time in building "real connections."
On June 22, 2017, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted a note entitled, "Bringing the World Closer Together," in which he states the "most important thing" the social media giant can do is "bring people closer together." Zuckerberg wrote at the time that he would "change Facebook's whole mission" to ensure that it happened.
Upon reading this statement, I recall thinking how odd it seemed that the CEO of a significant social media platform would say such a thing, especially considering that Facebook's original mission statement was "to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected." One has to ask: If the largest social media platform's corporate mission for more than a decade was to "make the world more open and connected," why would it have to change its defined mission to "bring people closer together?"
It's evident—even to the founders of these social media platforms—that their products contain a serious flaw. While there are significant advantages and benefits to connecting with anybody, anywhere in the world, there is also a staggering drawback when this becomes mainstream practice—our personal, daily connections suffer.
In a June 2019 article in Psychology Today, psychologist Loren Soeiro, Ph.D., writes, "More time spent on the most commonly used social networks correlates to higher feelings of loneliness and isolation." Citing additional independent studies, Soeiro maintains that "higher social media use is associated with higher anxiety" and "the ability to feel good about oneself—to have healthy self-esteem—may be compromised by social media use."
Another study of teens ages thirteen to eighteen, commissioned by the UCLA Brain Mapping Center, found that receiving a high number of "likes" on photos showed increased activity in the reward center of the brain. The study also reported young adults were influenced to "like" images, regardless of content, based on high numbers of "likes." Psychologist Katie Hurley may have put it best when she astutely observed: "It feels good to be 'liked' and 'herd mentality' is big on social media. Like what others like and you're in."
Consider the rhetorical questions posed by Paul to the churches of Galatia: "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Gal. 1:10).
Our goal in life should not be to accumulate the most "likes" or have the most Facebook "friends." It should be to fear God and follow His commandments (Eccl. 12:13). Instead of chasing the praise of men, we should be seeking the approval of our Lord.
The time and energy that we spend on social media can often be better spent elsewhere. Along with avoiding contentious online arguments, this could lead to improved mental health, happier lives, and stronger personal relationships.
Because today's news travels fast, we are constantly bombarded with stories that provoke an emotional response. It is tempting to turn to the platforms at our fingertips and opine on "breaking news." Disregarding the importance of the news itself, it seems significant to us at the time, and so we feel obligated to share our thoughts with the world. Humans love to receive praise and validation from others—and what better place to spout off our opinion than a platform that offers a global pulpit?
It's a pattern we've seen time and time again: A person receives critical feedback from someone who doesn't share their opinion, leading to a debate between both parties, where each morph into "keyboard warriors," squabbling over whose opinion is right. If the two parties aren't careful, the debate can quickly spiral out of control, and before you know it, what began as a difference of opinion can become a heated and contentious argument. It is even worse when this occurs between Christians.
The apostle Paul instructed Timothy to avoid "foolish, ignorant controversies" because "they breed quarrels" (2 Tim. 2:23). As Christians, our attention should be on pursuing spiritual things. If we become distracted by the trivialities of this world, we cease to focus on what really matters, and our spiritual lives suffer as a result.
Christians who purposely walk headlong into debates or arguments should remember and heed the admonishment of James: "Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (Jas. 1:19-20).
Consider the words of Paul: "Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15-16). Are we better off spending hours following other people's lives and engaging in fruitless debates on social media, or investing effort in fostering personal relationships with those around us and focusing on sharing the gospel with strangers? The answer is obvious.
Social media is an incredible tool. It allows us to stay connected with fellow Christians whom we may go long periods without seeing, it lets us share our faith with non-believers with the click of a button, and it provides an ever-increasing audience to whom we can reach out and teach from the comfort of our living room.
Nevertheless, let's not forget the feelings John expressed when he wrote to the church: "Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete" (2 John 12). Nothing can replace seeing and speaking with someone in person. There is no substitute for taking time out of one's day to stop and ask a friend or relative how they are doing. The genuineness of such an act can't be replicated any other way. Let's look for more opportunities to talk face to face. It's worth it.
"Global Time Spent on Social Media Daily 2018." Statista. January 2019. https://www.statista.com/statistics/433871/daily-social-media-usage-worldwide.
Hurley, Katie. "Social Media and Teens: How Does Social Media Affect Teenagers' Mental Health." Psycom. March 7, 2019. https://www.psycom.net/social-media-teen-mental-health.
Soeiro, Loren. Ph.D. "Is Social Media Bad for You?" Psychology Today. June 21, 2019. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/i-hear-you/201906/is-social-media-bad-you.
Zuckerberg, Mark. "Bringing the World Closer Together." Facebook. June 22, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/notes/mark-zuckerberg/bringing-the-world-closer-together/10154944663901634.
Author Bio: Zachery worships at the Monte Vista church of Christ in Phoenix, AZ and serves as the Communications Director for the Arizona Republican Party. He can be reached at zacheryhenry1@gmail.com.
