Anti-social media

This article serves as a public service announcement for the dangerous usage of social media. In a world overloaded with selfies, tweets, texts and Facebook posts, I have alienated or lost family, friends and neighbors. The reasons range from political ideology, commenting on friends posts, ranting on media websites, not agreeing with another’s views or just acting like an adolescent.

Social media has given individuals like myself ‘cyber courage’ to not censor or make rash decisions behind the protection of a keyboard. In a way, it gives a person the green light to have an alter-ego that is completely different from the person they are in real life.

I have wasted so much time making inflammatory, hateful, argumentative and snarky comments. However, the worst part is hurting the people you know and care about. The gap that I have created with family, friends and neighbors hopefully is not too big to bridge.

I hope that people I lost along the way get the opportunity to read this as every word is genuine. What’s the answer to reclaiming authentic relationships? I don’t know. It probably starts by looking inside and fixing yourself. Take a break from social media. And when you come back, use it for positive reasons such as family updates, music videos and celebrations. Then who knows, maybe some of those you lost along the way will allow you back in their life.

To everyone else reading this, I hope you’ll share this story for those you lost along life’s path. I wrote this as much for you as I did for me.

Life is meant to be lived not posted.

— Vincent Graziano, Hamilton Square