Social media has come under fire for various reasons this week – inappropriate pictures on Facebook and a report that states social sites make us feel more lonely.
Both of these stories are legitimate criticisms, of course, but two posts this week have stood out for me as a reminder of how positive social media can be in our lives if used for the right reasons.
In one Facebook post, a man shared a very touching story of why he buys flowers and presents for his ex-wife on her birthday and helps his kids to make her breakfast.
He explained why: “I’m raising two little men. The example I set for how I treat their mom is going to significantly shape how they see and treat women and affect their perception of relationships. I think even more so in my case because we are divorced.”
His post was shared by the Love What Matters Facebook page and has received over 217, 000 shares and 560,000 likes.
What a fantastic sentiment and hugely inspirational life lesson. It’s this kind of post, and the (mostly) positive comments that make you feel good on a rainy day.
In another post, a 19-year-old woman called Celine bravely showed selfies of herself as her mental health deteriorated over a number of years, along with her story of how she had coped with her mental health issues. Her story was told in an attempt to lift the stigma surrounding mental health problems and help other people like her.
So come on people, social media doesn’t always have to be about showing off, slagging off, naming and shaming, criticising etc… it can just be about sharing something that we think other people might enjoy reading, something that might make other people feel good.
http://news.sky.com/story/status-update-social-media-makes-us-feel-more-lonely-10792266
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-39145781