What Does ‘The Social Network’ Teach us About Current Reality?
Social media is a force to reckon with. It has broken multiple barriers, making it very easy to communicate and reach out to our friends and loved ones far and wide. One would think that this break in barrier would mean that nobody will ever be lonely again, but that isn’t the case.
Averagely 35% of people still claim to feel lonely often. Loneliness is still very much a present feeling, in fact, some people argue that social media is contributing to loneliness.
These questionable claims are what we will discuss in this article. Most importantly, we would show you how you can use communication platforms like Livebeam (a modern type of social media platform) to curb this increasing negative feeling worldwide – starting with you.
Firstly, let’s talk about a related concept called the social network.
The Social Network VS Loneliness
Platforms like Livebeam, Whatsapp, and the likes, that we use to communicate, are social media platforms. However, the people we interact with on these platforms are our social network.
That includes the new friends you make online, the distant family you keep up with, and even the acquaintance that you sparsely converse with on topics like sports and entertainment.
The true reality about feeling lonely in a world that seems to provide limitless connectivity via social media lies in your social network. You begin to unravel why this feeling of loneliness lingers among several people worldwide.
Take a second to ask yourself “Do I talk more with people online or in real life?” “Where do I talk to most people, online or offline?” If the answer to any of the questions is in favor of online or you are unsure of your answer, then you could be leaning towards loneliness, as opposed to solitude.
What happens is that people get comfortable with online chatting, but do not create a solid social network. Some others make the mistake of having a social network filled with family and work partners with whom they only have a few things in common. Luckily that’s about to change if you keep reading.
5 Ways to Use Social Media Well With Livebeam
Here are 5 ways, brought to you by Livebeam, on how you can use social media well to create a solid social network and prevent the loneliness that creeps up on this generation.
1. Make Long Distance Friends
Loneliness is a psychological concept that involves feeling isolated. Although social media doesn’t prevent you from being alone all the time, it can keep you occupied during this time.
And what keeps you occupied will majorly be your social network. A good way to use social media to evade loneliness is to be occupied with people with whom you have a lot to talk about. Those who have varied experiences from you. This way, the chat can go on and on.
Livebeam makes this solution easier. You see, Livebeam is a global platform. It supports diversity in so many ways. In doing so, it provides you with the choice of making new acquaintances with people from all over the world – both far and near.
With this resolve, you can always have something to discuss with these acquaintances as you share culture, news, and events.
2. Share Your Thoughts And Experiences Online
If you are the type who doesn’t know how to find people, you can position yourself to be found. Social media has helped people who do not enjoy crowds to stay sane. However, if you cannot be the one who reaches out, make sure to make it easy to be reached out to.
One way to do that is to share content online randomly and spontaneously.
Most social media platforms provide this avenue. You now have timelines, stories, statuses, and different features on different platforms where you can share your thoughts, your talent, or your story.
By doing this you can make yourself discoverable in your own way by talking about the things you love and using hashtags and keywords that make people with similar interests find you.
The best part about this is that the people who would communicate with you from your posts will already have something in common with you that they want to discuss. If they are quite shy like you, they will begin with a comment on your post, and you can take it from there.
3. Watch Streams
As much as you can chat with anyone at any time using social media platforms, people are not on their devices all the time. This is another point when reality hits you. You are all alone, and the people you chat with aren’t online, then you really feel lonely.
As earlier stated, if you can’t immediately use social media to not feel alone, you can use it to get occupied and a good way to achieve this is by streaming content.
Following live sessions like Twitter spaces and Instagram lives will keep you in a virtual gathering and this can reduce the level of isolation you feel.
Of course, for you to stream something, somebody needs to be online. That’s another advantage that Livebeam possesses. Livebeam has streams readily available for you to watch and enjoy at any time. Though a communication platform, it provides entertainment for its users.
4. Use Social Media To Set Up Physical Meetings
Constant virtual connections can increase the level of loneliness one feels at times. This is why it is important to use what you have to get what you need.
After making your new friend online, discovering similar interests, and consistently keeping in contact, how about you hang out? Because the truth is physical meetings are very important.
This is the right way to use social media as a means to an end, that “end” is creating an offline relationship that will thrive. Social media can create fame, create friends, and even create financial partnerships. These are made stronger when the bond can grow out of our devices to real life.
5. Don’t Be Scared To Make The First Move
You have to be intentional about being happy and comfortable even with only online communication. This intention is highly dependent on you reaching out. Being the first to reach out doesn’t make you weak, it confirms your availability and interest.
Reaching out doesn’t have to be only with close friends, it can go as far as new acquaintances. Just like on Livebeam where you can invite people to chat, probably after searching for them with different criteria or meeting them while watching a stream, other platforms also provide this avenue to reach out to new people.
Remember, you can’t make a new friend if you don’t communicate with them. If you use social media this way, you conform it to your wants.
Conclusion
So, what’s the current reality? It is that we have everything we need to create strong relationships with the social network we build but it’s not as easy as it sounds.
The platforms we use, the people we relate with, and the other things we do to keep ourselves occupied will be the deciding factors about how we feel in the end.
These 5 methods are good directions to take.
They are ways for you to look out for yourself online. In addition, signing up for a multidimensional platform like Livebeam will help you find the right social network by providing international connections and entertainment. With the right intentions, you will be miles away from loneliness.
