M1A5 Personal Reflection and Analysis

 I am not new to technology; my generation was one of the first to have access to computer skills classes in high school. I watched cell phones birth into existence and was lucky to have my very own personal computer during my late teens. Despite that, I have never really been interested in the social media aspect of the internet. I have used different applications and interacted briefly on those, but I still come from the generation of "we don't air our laundry in public."   However, now that technology has expanded to its degree, not becoming familiar with or using it would be detrimental in some ways.

I am very fond of video calling my son from my cellphone or tracking him when he is traveling or driving great distances using location software or applications like Life360. They comforted me by knowing where he was should something occur and that he was safe. I also like the safety features the devices have now. With the push of a button, I can send my location and coordinates to friends and family, thus alerting them that I am feeling unsafe or, in a true emergency, automatically dial 911. I have also come to rely on my home security system and cameras to monitor both the inside and outside of my property; although I use it quite often just to check in on my dog, we certainly don't want her to be lonely. Therefore, I rely on technology and social media for "breaking news" or weather alerts.

However, with ease and comfort comes a feeling of foreboding, especially in the realm of social media. It has become easy and almost expected that everyone with any opinion on any topic feels they have the right to judge you, your photo, or something you believe. Please don't misunderstand; I am all for the rights of free speech and for everyone to have an opinion.   What I cannot abide is strangers, for the sake of a better term, degrading someone else simply because they disagree with them at the moment that post was made. What I find further disturbing is that teenagers, children, and yes, even some adults allow these notions to have a role in defining what they do, mental and physical behaviors. This is seen so often with "Influencers" and "branding." 

The harsh truth, however, is that there is no escaping it; even I picture a TikTok dance when I hear a particular song. The question then becomes how we manage the technology, access, marketing, and constant barrage of information. More importantly, how do we sort that information to find credible and valuable information?

That is why I am here. It is vastly important for us to learn the application of these social media outlets and platforms and discern credible information from unverified thoughts. I want to learn how to merge technology to create a better informed and participatory social construct.