Social Media for the Next Generation

This rambling moment brought to you by reading a headline to a news story..."Her last text message before she took her life."  I can't believe that we can get our hands on something so personal, so intrusive and share it with the world.  It's a sad, sad thing to me.  Now don't get me wrong, I understand that everything written on the internet can and will be shown, at some point, to someone, shared with so and so and read by ____.

I am in the gap generation.  The generation that still remembers having a pager, than a cell phone and when Facebook came out my freshman year of college in 2003.  I can think back to going to a party and no pictures were taken when things got out of hand.  Or wearing the same thing two days in a row when I went out on the town because the only evidence would be from my own camera.  Or my friends and then we made photo albums, real ones.  Or scrapbooks of memories, things we could touch, flip pages and laugh about.

It's weird and it's cool at the same time.  The generation after the upper-twentysomething's will suffer.  No doubt about it.  Hard, cold facts right hurr.  They only know instant gratification.  It's a generation of "I deserve it quick."  Not, "I worked really hard for this and feel I've earned it."

The depression & anxiety rates are increasing at a freaky speed and it's because we are so disconnected.  I say this as I've sat home all day working from my computer.  I usually have 2 days a week where I hang out by myself or with my boyfriend and we read, cook and watch tv.  Enjoying the day for what it is and just doing nothing.  It's amazing.  And yet, I still feel guilty, I feel that itch to check my email and respond immediately.  I love looking at instagram for all the pictures.  I LOVE PICTURES.  2 hours go by and I think, "Shit!  How did that happen??"  So I plug my phone into the charger in the bedroom and hangout in the living room.

Seriously, unplug.  Detach.  Stop looking.  Stop checking.  Put your phone away.  Keep it in your purse or your car and be present.  It feels so good.  I promise you.  You won't be wondering if your pocket vibrated, you wont be anticipating a phone call, email or text.  You will be too busy just being.