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About This Author
My name is Joy, and I love to write.
Why poetry, here? Because poetry uplifts its writer, and if she is lucky enough, her readers, too. Around us, so many objects abound to write about. Once a poet starts with a smallest, most trivial object, he shall discover that his pen will spill out what is most delicate or most majestic hidden inside him. Since the classics sometimes dealt with lofty subjects with a lofty language, a person with poetry in his soul may incline to emulate that. That is understandable. Poetry does that to a person: it enlarges the soul and gives it wings. Yet, to really soar, a poet needs to take off from the ground.
 
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Daily Cascade
Since my old blog "Everyday Canvas "  became overfilled, here's a new one. This new blog item will continue answering prompts, the same as the old one.
Cool water cascading to low ground
To spread good will and hope all around.
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Prompt: Social Media
In what ways do you think social media is helpful or hurtful? Also, should politicians be on the social media?
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I think, like anything else, social media depends on the way it is used. You use it wisely, it is a good thing. You use it with bad intent, it turns into a monster. This is because social Media is one of the most powerful tools of our time. Like any power-tool, however, it can also cut and maim people.
On the positive side, especially talking for myself, I can stay in touch with family and friends, even across continents, through the social media.
About 40-50 years ago, when there was only the telephone calls available and when I used to call a family member across the ocean, it meant telling the operator I wanted to make a phone call to such-an such-a country and giving her the phone numbers. Then, came the wait by the phone, which sometimes took several hours. When the connection happened, sometimes there was no clarity in the conversation which was garbled up at times, because, in those days, phone connections were made through undersea cables. Such a call was also very expensive. A phone call to Greece or Turkey, for example would be about $50 for five minutes or so. which was quite a sum to pay at the time. But we at least got to hear the voices of our loved ones.
Now, compare this to today's free video calls through the social media!
Also, more friendships are formed on the social media today. Plus, support groups for mental health, chronic illness, grief, or shared interests offer comfort and belonging to millions.
We also discover new ways of thinking through the social media's educational content, music, books, art, and business opportunities. More artisans and writers can have global followers and buyers,
Also, through the social media, awareness on important issues, like social justice, human rights, or climate change is encouraged.
So far, I focused on the positive side of the social media, but there is also its monstrous side that can be quite hurtful.
On the negative side:
First, there's such a thing as cyberbullying and harassment, which has led the vulnerable and the weak among us all the way to suicide. If not that extreme, the pressure to appear acceptable-to-perfect can lead to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem in some people. Because of this, I can't honestly believe everything I see and hear on social media, especially when someone puts up a far-out something as if news, such as telling that the latest James Webb telescope has found God and coming up with the fake picture of a golden city or something! No, I'm not kidding. This misinformation was on YouTube, like many gazillions of others.
The trouble with this is that false news spreads fast, especially when it provokes emotion. Also, there is such a thing as the algorithms, that help false news spread even more than anything.
Plus, some of us get addicted to scrolling and lose precious time with loved ones and our other real-world businesses. Not to mention that, our addiction to social media can also interrupt our sleep and bring up serious health issues.
As to Politicians on the Social Media: This, too, has a good side and a bad side to it.
On the positive side, politicians on social media can speak directly to the citizens without the news media butting in. This makes them more accessible and transparent.
In addition, they can share instant updates on policies and other developments, such as disasters, pandemics, and urgent legislation. They can also deal with voters on a one-on-one basis, listening to their concerns and questions. This can encourage more political participation by the public.
On the other hand, plus or minus, what politicians state could be permanent and it would hold them accountable for their ideas and words.
On the negative side, a bad politician can spread misinformation on purpose and, because he's someone in power, that misinformation spreads fast, doing damage. Especially if that misinformation is against the other party and is used to create "us vs. them" dynamics. As such, they can indirectly, and sometimes directly, encourage harassment of their critics and opponents. The way they use language, mostly vaguely but suggestively, can lead to some serious consequences.
When all is said and done, as much as my little mind could muster, social media like anything else can be a friend or a foe. Such as the politicians who dare to use it. It is, therefore, up to us, the public, to monitor its proper use.
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Lyn, and I have to learn a lot from you guys, too, no matter my thick skull has gotten even thicker nowadays.
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