Well, tomorrow is the start of the A to Z Blog Challenge.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been blogging topics about nutrition on Tuesdays, birds on Fridays, and science on Saturdays and will suspend those topics over the next few weeks to focus on balancing social media for writers.
I thought I’d give you some insight into how I chose this topic.
I had been complaining to a friend that the recommendations from writers seemed to rely on testimonials instead of study evidence. Everywhere I turned, the good opinions seemed to be mostly based on hearsay. As I used social media myself, I couldn’t help but wonder why it felt like something illicit. Later, I learned how social media impacts dopamine in much the same way as food, drugs or gambling, making it as something to which we could become addicted.
The final thing which pushed me to choose this topic happened two days ago. While researching the study data on the impact of social media and internet use, I found this piece. When I first read it, I thought it was a joke, but as I continued I realized that it was meant to be serious. The first panel left me a little confused…
The second panel was the one that caught my attention and made me wonder where exactly this piece was going:
The final segment made me wonder had the person who shared this data become completely inured to compassion? Did he/she care so little about the impact others that they would sell anything just to make money? Was this type of marketing typical of how businesses were being taught to approach social media? I read on…
I have no idea how prevalent than attitudes expressed above really are, though I found the same data shared in several different places. So, when you think about why it is hard to get off of Facebook or how glued you are to your Twitter feed, just remember that there are companies out there whose objective is to pander to your every desire. This is just one of the interesting things I’ve learned in preparing for the upcoming month of blogging.
My hope is to uncover more about social media–the pluses and the minuses–and share that in my blog over the course of the next thirty days. I hope you’ll find this interesting.
This is moderately enraging. When one seeks to capitalize on my weaknesses, I have a hard time counting that one as a friend. I wonder if they couldn’t use their powers for good instead of evil. I grow tired of being used.
When it is put like this, seven sins, it makes you want to stay as far away as possible. I felt a bit like an alcoholic reading these, because I was defending myself saying, “Well, it’s nice to keep in contact with far-flung family and friends”, and then I realized that all I have to do is avoid the companies doing this. Thank you for your research and sharing. Looking forward to the series.
Is your duck webinar going to be limited access so my friends will envy me?
Yes, yes of course. Isn’t that how webinars are supposed to be run?