Growing up can be challenging, especially in a social structure of ethereal ideas and sound bytes, wherein reality is often clouded and even replaced by popularity. We find ourselves at the behest of people in our social structure, who go to “ethics training” classes to learn how to manipulate us, without bothering us.
At times, even some of us who are adult and seemingly responsible citizens, can be dragged into believing a “blurb” is real, or even “news,” simply because it gets repeated ad nauseum. And no, that isn’t just my opinion.
How will we bring up this latest generation of youth to be morally and ethically aware, and solidly planted in their own space, when they are bombarded daily with a constantly changing barrage of social drama? Again, this is not just my opinion.
The founder and CEO of “Social Capital” doesn’t allow his own children, (all under the age of 12), any social media at all. It’s always been my sentiment, that personal one-on-one exchange of ideas, debate, even argument to an amicable end, develop in us an attention to topic and to detail that cannot be learned through a 3rd party. Only through eye contact and tactile experience can we learn to resolve differences and conflict successfully. Our children and grandchildren deserve the opportunity to develop a real sense of self, without extra input from phantom unknown “whoevers”, hiding conveniently behind a screen.
Isn’t growing up difficult enough already, without the added burden placed on them artificially through social media?
Esther Ramos