Do You Think Music Is Taken Advantage Of In Today's Society?

In a world wired together, social media has consumed us as a society as we become more and more dependent on it. Social media is a tool that can be used for both good and bad. It has wired our world together as to where news can be immediately transmitted from one area to the next. Social media has both improved and worsened us as a society. For example, people can be more easily made aware of issues that pertain to them in the community or areas across the globe. Though social media can be useful, it has primarily worsened us as a society. However, while it gives us any information or media we desire whenever we want it, this can give our younger generation a sense of self entitlement.

In early late January of 2013, former pro wrestler CM Punk walked out of the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) setting the world of pro wrestling ablaze with questions. Until recently he had remained quiet as to why he had abruptly left (and was eventually fired). Punk went on to reveal that he had suffered numerous injuries that were completely disregarded by the WWE’s doctors. Shortly after Punk walked out, he went to his wife’s personal doctor who informed him that he had a severe staph infection. The doctor informed Punk that it should have killed him and he was lucky to be alive. These factors further fueled his hatred and lack of desire to return. Punk spoke about how he received hateful tweets directed at him that he was a quitter and that they had “bought his house.” Punk himself stated he isn’t sure why this generation seems to have a sense of self entitlement. Punk went on to declare that he bought his house with the money he earned working. Punk continued to ponder as to why people felt like he owed them something to which he concluded that our generation having grown up on social media and therefore had this sense of self entitlement due to getting anything they wanted instantaneous with a simple Google search.

The internet and social media allows everyone to have a voice while maintaining anonymity. Due to social media enveloping the world, people either have to or willingly reveal personal information about themselves on the internet where it can be used against them. Whether it is to steal their identity/assets or to stalk/harass them, criminals can use anything that a person has put on the internet for once it is put on the internet it is there forever. Websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Instagram, and other social media websites are the stalker’s key tool for their sick game. Once the stalker obtains their victims information, the individual then can and will use it to either psychologically abuse the person or physically stalk the person. The person they are targeting could be completely oblivious that a predator is watching nearby, a ghost haunting them at their every step, and going about their day as they normally would while a monster could be preparing their next move in this deadly game of human chess.

A prime example of stalking because of social media is the case of Cynthia Osokogu. She was a former model who was lured under false pretenses to meet supposed retailers who would offer her better prices on her clothes that came from her fashion boutique. However, the meeting would never occur as the woman was found dead in her hotel morning the next morning after safely arriving. The trip was arranged by Echezona Nwabufor, who claimed he had connections in the fashion industry, but in reality he had been stalking Osokogu for months by gathering information from her Facebook. He drugged her, beat her, sexually assaulted her, and finally murdered her. She was targeted because the suspects had assumed she would arrive with large amounts of cash and fine jewelry. If Osokogu had not had presented herself to the world as she did on social media, her death could have been possibly avoided.

Narcissism is an obsession with one’s own physical appearance or social standing. What does this have to do with social media? The younger generation seems to be overvaluing their opinion and using their Facebook or Twitter to make their opinion public. They do this hoping for likes or re-tweets in anticipation that they will be revered for their status on the situation. A study by the University of Michigan further delved into this topic by conducting a research. The study which was named “Computers in Human Behavior” was conducted by Elliot Panek, Yioryos Nardis, and Sarah Konrath. A direct quote from Panek states “It's about curating your own image, how you are seen, and also checking on how others respond to this image," he said. "Middle-aged adults usually have already formed their social selves, and they use social media to gain approval from those who are already in their social circles."

Panek went on to say in a direct quote, "Young people may over evaluate the importance of their own opinions," Panek said. "Through Twitter, they're trying to broaden their social circles and broadcast their views about a wide range of topics and issues." During one part of the study, they took four hundred and eighty six college undergraduates and gave them a personality test measuring their degrees of narcissism. Though they were unable to determine a definite correlation to social media, the study was one of the first of its kind due to social media’s sudden surge in popularity in the past few years.

The ALS Icebucket Challenge gained national attention and went viral just a few short months ago, but as all trends do, it has faded away in the shadows. The idea was to dump a bucket of cold ice water onto your own head and nominate others to do the same. You were then were supposed to donate funds to the ALS (Lou Gerig’s Disease) in support of research towards the disease. Not that it is to be a surprise, most just dumped the ice water on their heads without actually donating in the first place. While the notion to donate in such a way is unorthodox to say the least, it still was supposed to go towards a supposed good cause. However, it seemed people chose to stroke their egos and post it on their Facebook for likes rather than actually donate. People that may never have even heard of the disease suddenly acted as if they cared about the disease or cause. It’s the act of “hashtag activism” where the person feels as if they are doing something without actually having to do anything. It feeds their ego and convinces them that they are better person by doing something as meaningless as dumping ice water on their head and tweeting about it.

There is no cure for ALS. Every video where the participant dumped ice water over their heads was meaningless and done for their own sense of feeling good about themselves. Social media trends come and go. You may even remember some vaguely. They blow up the news headlines for a while and then they disappear. The issues do not, but people simply feel like they have done their part and move on. Other examples of social media trends would be the Livestrong bracelets, #Haiti, #Kony2012, The Red Equal Sign, #BringBackOurGirls, and #YesAllWomen. All of these drew national attention but where soon forgotten about. Armstrong simply had to reap what he sow, while Haiti still remains as decadent as it did before. Kony is still at large, the gay community still struggles with marriage rights, two hundred of the school girls are still missing, and the final movement was in vain. We simply fed our egos and moved on. We acted like we made a difference by blogging about it. We acted like we made a difference by tweeting about it. We acted like we made a difference by updating our status. In reality it solved absolutely nothing.

In conclusion, social media has become a huge part of our society. Chances are the average American uses it at least once a day. The effect it has had on us as a society can be overwhelming. It has linked our world together and has created a world where anyone with a keyboard can have a voice. Has it negatively impacted our society? Yes, it can be concluded it has. However it has also helped us as a society. With vast information at our fingertips at any waking moment and can help unite a group of people for a cause. All in all, it’s how the individual uses social media that determines who they become as a person. Society is always adapting to new ideas and concepts. In this world wired together we must not allow ourselves to be totally enveloped by technology. We have to learn that sometimes you just have to put down the smart phone and actually live in the moment rather than document every waking moment. Social media is something that will never leave us; it has been far too deep rooted into our society. How we grow and evolve with it will shape our world for generations to come. As is in all walks of life, you either adapt or you perish.