The Importance Of Social Media

850 Words4 Pages
Social media usage in recent years have soared and it has changed many aspects of our society. It has become an integral part of our lives that is here to stay. The first trend points to the increasing use of social media as a tool to promote interaction between individuals. Specifically, social media helps to bridge the gap between the disabled as well as with other members of society. Furthermore, it increases political discussion through the use of social media. Therefore, it is important for our organization to recognize and act on these trends. Based on these developments, I propose that our school should introduce and eventually integrate social media into the curriculum. Social media can be the vehicle for promoting a more inclusive…show more content…
Cancer patients are turning to social media to connect with others facing the same plight. Crane (2014) suggests that social media can help to cancer patients combat social isolation and there is preliminary evidence indicating patients’ gratitude for social media platforms. Similarly, Bryne (2013) that some autistic social media users visit forum discussion pages such as Wrong Planet to share problems and seek help and opinions from others, making friendships and connections. Given that social media transcends physical barriers that some of our disabled students face, it can help them connect to others who can empathize with them better. Another possible outcome is that other members of society who are willing to help can access these sites and this provide the disabled with even more support. This can help to reduce the social stigma that the disabled often face. The mutual support that social media enables can truly inspire and empower our students and the connection it provides will go a long way in strengthening the social…show more content…
There has been major growth in political activity on social networking sites since 2008, and discussions on social networking sites can lead to further engagement with political issues. Smith (2013) claims that the proportion of adults who use social networking sites to share political news has grown from 11% in 2008 to 28% in 2012. Also, some social networking sites facilitate communities that campaign and encourage advocacy and awareness of ASD. For instance, Bryne (2013) claims that Scottish Autism and Autism Speaks have Facebook pages for people to connect to for updates, news, information and discussions. Too often, the nature of our democratic nation governed by the idea of “majority wins” trumps the needs of the minority. Now, expressing our views and raising political issues have never been easier thanks to social media. The openness of social media enables individuals to make a greater influence. Therefore, we should seize this opportunity and nurture our students to make full use of social media so that they become politically active citizens who will stand up for
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