"What do you think about social media as providers of useful social skills - is it true? What are these skills and how will they be beneficial once youth move into a more adult world?"
I've been doing a bit of reading on social skills and youth and social networking sites. And I'm thinking about all of this and asking questions at the tea table and not really delving into it further. I don't know if it's lack of interest or something else but I've pushed it kind of aside. So I suppose this is my way of trying to reinforce my motivation: a blog.
I'm honestly not sure if social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter teach social skills. Well, I'm sure they don't "teach" them. But *can* we learn something by using them? I think the answer to that question is yes because there's some sort of social skill to be learned from any experience. But whether teens actually *do* pick up any skills using Facebook is negotiable.
Both my mom and dad pretty much automatically said no. But I could be misrepresenting this as it was at least a month ago that I brought it up.
"But there has to be something," I said so naively, "There has to be one skill that can be taken away from using Facebook or Myspace or whatever. One beneficial lesson that not everyone will pick up but some will."
With no idea of what that skill could be, though, my argument is flat.
I don't know whether online social networks are more harmful or helpful. But I do think that those kids who already have some sort of social IQ are going to use their online network in a more fulfilling way than the people who aren't already fulfilled IRL. Because email and instant message do hinder us in a lot of ways. As much as I love writing, not everyone can express themselves in empty characters. I hope we don't lose the ability to read tone and expression simply because there's no smiley emoticon to send into the world.
Anyway, as you can see, I don't have a formed opinion. But this is kind of an assignment and I thought I've give a half assed attempt to ask the question to someone.
Can social media provide social skills to youth that will be useful in our lives and, if yes, what are some examples of those skills?
If you feel like attempting to answer in the comments, I would be grateful, but if not, I will get my responses elsewhere (or cry in my room). Do what you want with your life.
p.s. This article talks about kids reclaiming their private space. Our lives have become so structured with homework and extracurriculars and juggling all kinds of relationships that we struggle to hold onto the space where we can be together without a schedule--online. One of the resources I read that I found interesting. Just wanted to share.
1 comment:
The one thing I think social media has taught us--see, conscious use of inclusive pronoun!--is that the world is bigger than what we can see. There are people we sometimes can't exactly prove physically exist, but that we care and know about on some level. This can be put to important, global use, (e.g keeping up with world news), or not, (e.g "Oh, hey, it's cold in Canada. Alex is in Canada--> therefore Alex = cold--> my personal concern. There's a better example in there somewhere; I trust you to get what I mean.) Whether or not this is a "skill" remains to be seen, but it's worth noting.
Does Nerdfighteria count as a social network? To me it does, and the things Nerdfighters accomplish is pretty solid evidence that teenagers benefit from social media. It provides both a desire to make a difference, and the opportunity to make a difference, and has spread to an IRL level. Taking an interest should count as a skill.
(Did I answer the question? That's one slightly detrimental thing about the Internet-- its boundless empty space to be filled. I've edited this to the point where I feel I've expressed my thoughts correctly, and no one can tell me when to stop typing these things. If I were just spouting all this to your face, I'd have crossed some social boundaries. This wasn't a real conversation, and won't be even if you comment back. There was no real-time exchange of information and opinions, no awkward pauses or lulls wherein one of us feels the need to bring up something completely off-topic and let this discussion derail.)
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