Social Media is About Connection

There’s a whole lot of sharing going on, but are we really connecting?

One thing that I'm finding fascinating watching people interact through social media is how much more important face-to-face has become even though we have up-to-the-second information sharing with the people in our lives. 

I think there is a distinction between the sharing of information through social media (pictures, links, videos, random political rants, etc..) and true relationships that involve trust and bonding. As businesses, we might use online search and social media to narrow down candidates for a job, but I doubt any of us would hire sight unseen. There's too much non-verbal communication that you miss without the face-to-face. When you need to build a true relationship with someone, digital communication doesn't fill that need.

I watched recently as a distant connection lost a child. The outpouring of support and sympathy came from all corners of this person’s life through social media. But then the pictures came - pictures of friends who went beyond social media and spent time face-to-face to console and grieve with their loss. Lesson: you can say you’re sorry over the Internet, but it sure doesn't take the place of an honest moment in person.

You can’t replace eye contact. You can’t replace a smile. You can’t replace the warmth of being with another person. And you really can’t replace the all the non-verbal communication that takes place where words are simply not enough. A hug says more than a thousand Facebook posts.