Julie's Survey of Professional Media

Social Media is an amazing phenomenon that over the course of about three years has completely changed the way I relate to the people I know, and even some I do not. Social media is basically the name for the ways of communicating with each other through the powerful media that is the internet. We do this through sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, Flickr, Digg, World of Warcraft, Yahoo! Answers, Blogger and so many more. The way that we give and receive information has completely changed all thanks to the amazing invention of social media.

My grandmother was lamenting to me earlier this week about how terrible it is that people do not send letters anymore. In her eyes, there is nothing more fulfilling than receiving a hand written personal letter. I felt it best not to tell her that I haven’t checked my school mailbox at all this semester, but I check my Facebook inbox at least three of four times a day. She was disappointed that I texted while in her presence. “Whatever happened to actual conversations? The good ole’ days when life was slow and you could stop and take the time to talk to someone?”

I will tell you what happened, Grandma- Social Media. With the invention of social media, we can now send messages to each other instantly. Why would I wait to get a letter in the mail, when I could get one right away? The amazing thing is that in addition to messages we can now do so much more than that! I can share pictures through Photobucket, listen to people’s music on YouTube, and get (mostly correct) answers to my questions from actual people on Wikipedia or Yahoo! Answers.

When I think about it, I actually base so much of my life around social media, and it all happened over time without me even realizing what I was doing. I started with a LiveJournal because one of my friends had one. Then I got a Xanga then MySpace and now Facebook and Twitter. I went from writing one or two entries a month about random topics on an internet journal to holding deep and meaningful conversations through my Facebook page.

I share pictures with my family on Photobucket. I learn how to play songs on piano by watching free lessons on YouTube. I get the answer about what episode of Scrubs a certain song was played in from Wikipedia. So much of the information I share and receive is through social media. The only avenue of social media I have not explored is the virtual reality communities like World of Warcraft or Second Life. Sadly, I do not feel like I will be investigating those any time soon.

Social Media is definitely the wave of the future. It is how we relate to each other now, and I definitely only see it getting bigger. Companies are reaching buyers through new technologies like viral videos or promotions on blogs. Ordinary people are becoming famous without powerful producers. It has changed our communication, our culture, and our lives. I think this is great… but I still have to convince Grandma.