Social Media- Welcome to Life 2.0!!

The desperate loner guy has transformed into the cool online dude having managed to sway the popular online mood in his favour. His intellectual quips and wisecracks have got many a likes and re-tweets. On the other hand the shy lonely girl has transformed into an online heartthrob. Many a random guys flock her Facebook profile with wide eyes and dripping mouths. Her status update “Got up late, good morning”, got 117 likes yesterday accompanied by a dozen comments.
Welcome to the world of Social Media!!

From loner

To online Dude

The Internet was always here but it was only after the launch of major online socializing platforms like Facebook and Orkut that social media was born. Social Media has been at the forefront of Internet innovation in the 21st century. Predictions about online life began with the birth of the Internet and people who believed in it, were not only instrumental in shaping modern society but also made it big riding the Social Media wave. An example in light is our modern day online “Galileo”, Mark Zuckerberg whose rise has been as astronomical as the growth of Facebook itself. Even the technological giant Google with its offerings like Google+ and Orkut, is finding it hard to battle this new “Likes and Comments” giant.

Facebook has become the major online sharing platform for all in the modern world. With offerings in multiple languages, it is truly a global meeting place. It is in fact the 3rd largest country by numbers and has twice as many users as the population of the United States. Even in reserved countries like India it is slowly leading the force for an open world.

But Facebook is just the Index finger of the giant that is modern Social Media. Other platforms like Twitter and StumbleUpon are growing rapidly and have their own unique offering. People visit these sites to taste their own preferred flavour of online media. If a person is buzzing with thoughts and ideas he has Twitter to speak his mind. A photography enthusiast finds comfort in browsing the millions of pics on Flickr ranging from beautiful to abstract. Another individual likes to chat with strangers on Omegle. Even a country like China with a repressive regime has offerings like renren.com to cater the need of online connection. Social Media has provided the power to connect in a huge way.

Online chatrooms like Chatroulette and Omegle have become testing grounds for Internet Romeos and Juliets alike. People can now share, connect, like, comment, 1-up content and speak their mind. It has in fact become an extension of personality for many.

Chatrooms for all

Social Media has also affected multiple fields globally like business, economics, politics and education. Businesses today have their own online presence trying to engage customers on a more individual level. The power lies with consumers now and organizations are sensitive to what people speak and share. This has given rise to the growing field of social media marketing with large business houses hiring professional consultants in an effort to better reach consumers through more personalized and relevant content offerings.

Politicians are increasingly using online media in their electoral campaigns. Narendra Modi of the BJP in India has used online platforms to reach the youth and has gained a considerable online following. Even stock brokers and traders turn to Social Media to judge popular mood and make better bets at the exchanges. The spread of news and information is faster than ever with people being more involved and sensitive to content. The Arab Springs which resulted in tyrannical rulers being usurped from power was helped by people connecting more easily on twitter. Social Media has in fact transformed into a modern revolution for all masses

Globally Connected

If we look at other side of the coin, all has not been well in the garden of Online intermingling. Constant connection has led to an addiction, the non-presence of which leads to disconnect anxiety. In some respects the social network have become an uncomfortable mirror against which we measure our own worth.

In conclusion we should acknowledge that the large social phenomenon that is social media is here to stay and will continue shaping personalities in multiple psychological spheres. It is how we as rational beings choose to react to the offerings of this online network that will determine our individual futures.

Blog by:- Ved Prakash Choudhary

*** The views expressed here are the views of the contest participants and myRosys takes no responsibility for any views expressed here in the blog. The ownership of the blog lies with the contest participant and no third party is allowed to use this blog. ***