Tag Archives: #Empathy

Sharing who we are

@PerrinKyla

Social media environments are able to mobilize people to seek social change by providing a different outlook on life. Social media allows people to create a new outlook of their own lives. They create a person that they want to be and when people show interest in that person they decide to change themselves in real life. Characteristics of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are being able to post statuses about your daily life, posting pictures and videos of yourself and being able to see others pictures and videos, and being able to make friends with anyone without meeting them in person. In Catfish the movie, Nev met a young girl Abby and her whole family and fell in love with a girl who did not even exist. According to Deanna Zandt when people tell stories they build trust with other people, they “build empathy.” “We’re sharing information about ourselves and our networks online, which leads to ore connections with other people and other networks” (Pg.7). People can share all sorts of information about themselves but how do you know if it’s real or made up?  How can you tell if their profile picture or any other pictures on their profile? I think that something about the unknown brings people together. “Diversity in the social network sphere is critical for generating fresh perspectives on old problems…” (Pg.19). Social media allows people to come together on issues and change not only the way they are in social situations but to change bigger issues in the world.