Conclusion

Social media has many positives such as increased visibility, the ability to hear the real story from victims, creating a space for global discussion, and the gradual impact it has on people’s behavior. There are also ways that social media hinders society’s ability to change and improve. As a result, if we want to put an end to the plethora of social issues which exist in our country and in the world, social media cannot do so on its own. We need personal interaction to repair relationships between citizens, policymakers, government, etc. of different backgrounds, races, religions, and experiences. Over the years, everything has become so digitized and individualized that there are few communities with a real sense of solidarity. People struggling are left to fend for themselves. Everyone is concerned about their own interests, and the increasing number of ways to connect with people virtually has reduced the amount of real interaction overall. We need to get our heads out of our shells and simply look at what is happening around us, because there is so much out there that is depressing to see. People talk about racism as more of an older phenomenon in America, but why is arguably the most segregated area in the country right here in Detroit? People dismiss the need to focus on women’s rights, but why are women still paid less than men to do identical jobs? How many more kids will be killed in school shootings before stricter gun regulation is implemented? What has to happen for the rich to acknowledge that the rest of the country has lives too? How much longer will mainstream media and the president demonize Muslims? There is so much that is so obvious, and we just need to create an environment where these problems can be tackled. It is our duty to reignite social interaction because it will create an environment where people are more than happy to stand up for their neighbor. This is how we can work towards change, and social media can play an assisting role in doing so. This will obviously happen over decades, but it is something that every one of us can play a part in. I encourage everyone reading this after myself to at the very least, treat everyone with respect. Because as soon as our attitudes towards each other change, the sky is truly the limit.

In the video below, there are some good examples of how social media movements translated into the real deal. Although social media was important, it is important to remember that these movements were only successful because there were a lot of people willing to unite and stand strong for what is right.