Social media is all around us and, for the past decade, it has hit everyone at full force. In a way it could be said that society itself is still adjusting to this new reality brought about by this change, but one has to wonder about what it means for humanity in general.

In my mind, social media does have benefits, of course, but these benefits seem to run into the same problem that people do when they hang out with those who share the same or similar views as them. Which does nothing more then reinforce their own views, when in truth it is always better to hang out or get to know people who you know will challenge ones views on certain issues and topics that effect people today.

Even better on this front is the fact that social media makes this so much easier, then ever before and so it isn’t much trouble to do so. On the other hand of this of course is the fact that people do have to be careful of the different views that they find on the internet after all but any veteran user will say, go looking hard enough and a person can much find plenty of weird things online from the meaningless to the useful. All it takes is a little searching.

Now back to the point at hand, namely that when it comes down to social media, by all means use it to stay connected with friends, relatives, and so on but also remember that it can be used to stay informed about the world. It can be used to explore different views other than your own. Just be patient and opened minded enough to be willing to take the time and consider the point that these other views are trying to make.

If at the end, it doesn’t work and the reader doesn’t like it, they can always ignore it and move on with life, which should be much easier with social media especially since it the interaction isn’t face to face, and is unlikely to result in a full blown fight between two or more parties when it turns ugly for one reason or another.

Don’t be sly about it. Don’t think that gun control is necessary or on the other side? Not sure about birth control and whether it’s right or wrong? Hell just pick a topic that is of interest and then move on to the next step.

Do a little, or a lot of, research and see both sides then make a decision. After all, a decision is best made when all the information available has been considered and not before this point is reached. If it was reached before all the available information was considered, then simply go back and reconsider it. That is one of the major benefits of social media and what it can bring to the table, if one is willing to get past the problem with it.