There is a danger lurking in almost every home these days which is wreaking havoc on families, children, relationships etc. This danger is social media! Yes, I know it has many benefits to it and if used correctly, it can certainly be useful . In fact, when Moshiach comes I am sure it will get announced around the world in about two seconds due to social media!
But parents and educators must watch carefully and reduce the amount of time children can be on social media, if at all. At every age it becomes an addiction. Todays society is full of addictions. I think almost everyone is addicted to something, be it their phone, ipad, movies, television, sugar, drugs, alcohol etc. etc.
Why do we feel the compulsive need to check our phones every two minutes? Nothing much changed in that time. But all day we hurry to finish praying, we hurry to finish eating, we hurry to finish our work or homework etc. so we can go on our phones, go back to the ipad or watch a movie. Why??? What is wrong with today’s society? What do we gain by constantly checking our phones? What do we think we are missing out on? Is it because we are unhappy in life, desperately trying to get happiness or inspiration from outside ourselves?
People have lots the “art” of communicating. People have lost the ability to think properly. I see people forwarding thoughts or sayings or ideas of others, without even taking time to analyze them. In previous generations, people would voice ideas, opinions and speak about them and analyze them until they came to a conclusion or their own ideas. Nowadays, people bypass the speaking and thinking stage and simply, like robots, forward every idea that comes their way. The problem is so many ideas give wrong values, give ideas that are contrary to Torah or morality, and people do not even think twice. They just click and send those ideas to others.
Movies are full of violence and immodesty and disrespect. People don’t think twice: they just watch those movies or allow their children to do so. And kids stare blankly at the screen, absorbing everything as if it is all normal and part of life. How terrible! How tragic! Then we wonder why children are lacking morality or are more violent than they used to be or are disrespectful to their elders. People have lost their sensitivity in life. People have lost their values. People have lost their joy in life.
Nobody even knows how to be happy anymore. We try to find happiness in our phone screen, in a video, from technology….but it does not work. We become more depressed as a nation….and more addicted.
Solution? Cut out or cut back social media. Get off your phones at least for several hours of the day. Get off the videos. Just go out and exercise, take a walk, swim, get together with friends (do we even understand what that means anymore??). Get together with family members. Visit your parents/grandparents/uncles/nephews….build relationships. Social media destroys relationships.
And do something to upgrade your spiritual life. Find meaning in the right things so you no longer need the nonsense to keep you busy or happy. We have to say no to the garbage in society. We have to stand up for what is right so our children see that or what can they possibly understand of normal life if we don’t give it to them?? Teach your children values. Teach your children love and respect and kindness. We , the adults of today, are producing the next generation. It is a responsibility. Let’s not shirk our duties entrusted to us by the Almighy.