Social media maladies are conditions affecting productivity of the human network. It is often construed to be a social condition associated with specific symptoms and signs.
It may be caused by external factors, such as influence of technology or simply using technology in the wrong way and for the wrong purposes. It may also be caused by the influence of media. Causes include a lack of knowledge or wisdom by individuals or groups, sometimes both. The lack of knowledge and/or wisdom in use of this thing everyone calls "social media" has become a social media malady.
Social media maladies cause pain, dysfunction, distress, social problems, and lost productivity to the person(s) afflicted, or similar problems for those in contact with the person or organization. In this broader sense, it sometimes includes injuries, disabilities, disorders, syndromes and mental infections. Social media malady can also be classified as communicable and non-communicable "social disease" of the mind. Got it yet? You really don't want to get it.
An Epidemic of Social Proportions
Everywhere we turn in every form of media we are surrounded with this thing called social media. Facebook dominates magazine covers, stories, broadcast and our mobile devices "tweet" with content from " twits". The human network is more consumed with reading and watching "the latest and greatest" than they are about their own safety on the road or that of others.Technology is influencing our belief systems to believe the "popular and influential" vs. the "meaningful and significant" things that define life, if we can remember what the definition of life is.
Life is the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally. Living things are systems that tend to respond to changes in their environment, and inside themselves, in such a way as to promote their own continuation. A social media malady promotes the continuation of meaningless and insignificant things that do not promote progressive continuation of the human network.
The epidemic at hand is production and consumption of meaningless and insignificant things that do not enhance continuation of the human network. The continuation of the human network is fueled by knowledge and wisdom. Social media maladies are spread by not knowing or not using knowledge wisely. Said maladies include:
- Believing that life is shaped and fueled by marketing messages
- Believing that results are best achieved by manipulating those who lack knowledge or wisdom
- Believing that "popular and influential" means "knowledgeable and wise"
- Believing every tweet, status update, email or text is worthy of immediate attention
- Believing "friends" are more important that your "meaningful and significant relationships"
The commercial world knows that the human network suffers these common maladies and more. We are fed media that sustains our maladies existence and all "social media" are doing is creating an epidemic of social proportions.
The only cure for social media maladies is knowledge followed by wisdom. You are not likely to get cured by popular and influential Social Media Therapists because the reality is they are the ones spreading the epidemic with self centered promotional media disguised as knowledge and wisdom. Real knowledge and wisdom comes from the soul of the human network. If you put your head in the sand you won't find it because you can't see it.