Looking outward: craving for attention through social media.

Social media has tremendously impacted people with the great promise of connecting lives, across the globe. Many embraced it as an extension of personal contact and presence. Never before have so many people been able to interact simultaneously on a platform and discussed such diverse topics. It also promotes a culture of solidarity beyond borders and barriers. As an extension, it acts as a vehicle to project a facade of oneself that is much larger than the real. However it was never intended to be a replacement for personal contacts.

 

Attention through social media: do we win or lose?

It is paradoxical that what was celebrated for connecting lives has  ended up as a source of disconnectedness. Besides it is an addiction and adds to mental stress. It can divert one’s attention from a task at hand and compel to lose focus. There is an involuntary need among the users to check one’s social media accounts every now and then, in case they miss out something trending. Other risks include leakage of personal information, depression, anxiety, loneliness and  self-harm to the extent of being suicidal. As users log into their social media profiles, they are being removed from the real world and placed in the virtual dimension.

 

Self-reflection and bonding ties with one’s inner world

On the other hand, self-reflection changes, inspires and reveals various aspects of life. One of the important areas which one can look at introspectively is the family. Quoting J.K. Rowling, “Family is a life jacket in the stormy sea of life.” Having a strong sense of belonging to the family helps children learn life skills to make the best choices into their adulthood. .It plays a major role in molding a child’s character and is instrumental for building up a better child with moral values that can benefit the society of the future. It also provides a firm foundation for the child’s identity enabling them to feel comfortable and confident of trying new things.

For instance, let us look at education as one of the main aspects of life. On critical self reflection, one can identify that it is more important for a child to discover from his learnings rather than merely cover courses for the sake of a grade or a degree. This is merely an illustration. The thought process can be applied to every facet of life.

 

Self-reflection as a mode to connect with the outer world.

Our latent, hidden and unique talents get revealed through self-reflection. It helps us create meaningful relationship in the outside world. The love we inherit from our families is passed on to our independent relationships with the external world. Moreover families teach us better communication. When we spend time with our families and love each other and communicate openly, we create a better future for us. It makes our lives more beautiful and meaningful. We have thus found the resolution between attention and reflection in our lives.

 

About the authors

The article has been contributed by the following students from Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Puthuppally, Kerala- Alana Elza Abraham, Anu Elsa Zachariah and Maria Elsa Abraham.