Don’t just ‘refresh’ and forget

Home Opinion Don’t just ‘refresh’ and forget

We millennials exist in a world formed by social media. We are vocal about causes, using social media as a tool to spread our ideas with greater speed and broader range than ever before.

But we lack commitment. We post about an issue once. As soon as we press ‘refresh,’ our post moves down the newsfeed and out of sight. Soon we have forgotten about what we once were so passionate.

Millennials seem to be impassioned about ideas; we love to fight for a good cause. But often, our love for the cause just means enough enthusiasm to post on social media. Many times, we go no further than sharing the post. Sometimes, we don’t even respond to the comments.

If you posted an article, opinion, or comment on social media expressing an opinion about any big summer cause (i.e. Planned Parenthood videos or the legalization of homosexual marriage), perhaps you were a victim of the cycle.

Have you thought about those videos in the past week? Have you seen any posts about the videos this week on your newsfeed?

Though social media’s negative aspects are unavoidable, it is also a tool that can be used powerfully for good. Rather than letting the constant ‘refresh’ cycle dominate you, use that constant refreshment to add a new thought or angle to the discussion. Be careful not to ride the wave of good intentions, but instead use social media intentionally.

Commit to a cause, then develop a habit of regularly posting about your cause on social media. Be the voice that brings the issues back into the continuous present. Create those apt, well-timed, gracious, and pithy statuses that might provoke someone to thought. Call the issue to life yet again by reviving the conversation that social media creates.

As millennials, we are uniquely positioned to understand ourselves and social media. We know the trap of the 90-minute Facebook break and many of us want to find ways to dedicate ourselves to these causes we love.

We can avoid the ‘refresh’ cycle by pairing our real love for a good humanitarian cause with our first-hand knowledge of social media’s dangers and benefits. We can show older generations how we can break out of the millennial stigma.