Social media speeds up idea of what community is

Social media: a dramatic force for good, or bad?

Mt. Hood’s Diversity Resource Center hosted a lecture on Jan. 29 focusing on the role of social media in communities. Speaker Tod Sloan, professor of psychology at the Lewis and Clark College Graduate School, led a group discussion among 15 people who attended.

“The Internet connects us in new ways, while isolating us in other ways,” Sloan said.

He developed this idea while traveling in Latin America, noticing the effect of modern technology on foreign communities.

“The modernization of society there (Latin America) was undoing much of the basis for what they had preserved in communities. With the rise of television and other technologies, people have forgotten how to talk face-to-face,” he said.

Sloan engaged with the audience, asking guests to form groups and discuss various topics. “How do communication technologies based on the Internet affect the way we create communities?” was one question he asked.

That question garnered differing responses from those in my group.

A mother of two expressed concern teaching her children about social media. “I just feel like they won’t learn to communicate with people face-to-face,” she said. “It’s something I think about all the time.”

The group did not focus primarily on the pitfalls of social media, as a whole.

A Mt. Hood instructor taking part had a more optimistic view. “I don’t think we should be focusing on the negative aspects,” he said. “We should be thinking about ways to improve upon it, and create easier access for everyone.”

The sharing of polarizing ideas created an environment that fostered new thoughts and discussion.

The event’s focus was on the concept of community, the audience would realize. Simply put, innovations in technology have accelerated the way people talk and relate to one another. This leaves most people two choices: catch up, or get left behind.