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Pinning Pinterest

Researching Pinterest gave me the opportunity to learn more about the social media platform that I did not previously know. There were aspects of the application that I never knew existed. For example, there is an option to take a photo of an object and search for pins similar to that photo.  It was really great working with my group on this project. While we all had our own separate parts, we each contributed to every aspect of the project. My part consisted of teaching others how to use Pinterest, as well as giving an overview of all of our research. However, in that, I got to explore the positives and negatives of Pinterest and look into the history and background of it too.  I have personally always enjoyed Pinterest. I've had mine for several years. I use it for recipes, workouts, and cute pictures of dogs. I also use it for future planning, like cute ideas for a wedding, or a future home, or parenting tips. It is so diverse with its content and perhaps that is wha...
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Eager to Share

We are eager to share, to retweet, to hashtag for good causes. We change our profile pictures to support things like the shootings in Paris. We do all these things and we tell ourselves we are making a difference now. The question is how much of a difference are we making? Is it enough to post on social media? I believe that it will absolutely raise awareness and perhaps even invoke questions within those who see your posts. BUT if everyone ONLY shared things, what would happen? Where would we get if everyone only did their fighting on social media? Would a change ever occur? What would have happened to the people who were affected by the hurricane if everyone had just kept everything on social media? What actions would have been taken in response to #MeToo if it was only on social media? My point is not to say that social media isn't valuable because it totally is. However, we cannot let the fight solely reside on social media. Let's make a stand.
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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Social media is a tool that can take many forms. There is certainly good to it as it amplifies many good causes and charities. It connects people with old and new friends. It serves as a way to build an online portfolio and community. There is also the bad aspect. This aspect might involve the time it consumes and the addiction that it many times causes. The ugly would have to be the way it amplifies bullying and trolling. It can bring out the worst in people because many times those people can remain anonymous. We can choose what our own personal social media broadcasts. Will it be good, will it be bad, or will it be ugly? I personally hope that we all choose to put more good out in the world with our social media. Lets start a revolution of positive posts.
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Quicker than Spreading Butter

When you post something online, do you ever think to yourself that it will go viral? That you will be an overnight sensation? That your entire life could be turned entirely upside down by a single tweet, Facebook status, or Instagram post?  I'm sure that most people do not put things online with these thoughts in mind. Most people do it to share a moment in life or to make a funny joke. They do not do it with the intention of being famous by any means. However, this is what happens. One tweet, status, or post grabs someone's attention. Repost. Then another's attention. Repost. Then 5 more people's attention. Repost, repost, repost, repost, repost. Before you know it, your post has been shared hundreds of thousands of times and you have become either the praise or the joke or the target of the internet. Many lives have been ruined and many have been amplified from a single post.  The saying goes, "Expect the unexpected." Maybe we should all post things a...
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Social Media in the Workplace

Social media has many pros and cons. It's an excellent platform to express yourself. However, if used inappropriately, it can also ruin your reputation. There have been several instances of people not being hired or even getting fired because of something they've posted on social media. What kind of things cause this? Posts that are inappropriately captioned or have inappropriate things in them such as alcohol can lead to such unfavorable outcomes. Users of social media must be wise about what they're posting. One must express themselves in a professional and responsible way. One must truly think through what they post before they post it. It is so easy to do these kinds of things without thinking because of the ease of doing so. So what are some things you should ask yourself before posting online? 1. Why am I posting this? 2. What would I think if I saw someone else post this? 3. Is this post truthful? 4. Am I posting this to show off or simply to share? 5. ...
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What if I came up to you and started telling all the things I ate today and every small, silly thought I've had? You would probably think I was weird and you most likely wouldn't be very much interested in the conversation if I had to guess. Isn't this what we share on the internet? We share many meaningless posts that many people that follow us don't really care about most likely. Often times these "meaningless" posts could actually be giving people too much information. Is it telling them when your home and when you aren't? Is it giving away sacred information that could be used to find passwords for your accounts or information that could later be used against you?  Why do we feel the need to share? To invade our own privacy and make our entire lives open to the general public?  While it's wonderful to share our lives with others, I also think it is important to be cautious about what exactly we are sharing. What if what seems meaningless...
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In A World Without Adventure

When I was little, I spent most of my time running around, playing outside, and daydreaming about life. My young self was filled with a need for adventure and wander and joy. I had not a care in the world. I simply lived for each and every moment. In modern times, I feel as though that wander and adventure have been lost. There is no room for imagination because children's minds are being filled with what the internet is telling them on their phones and tablets. Parents put a screen in front of their children's face to keep them distracted rather than having them engaged in the real world. Rather than venturing out into a world of imagination, they play in a world that's been created for them within the safety of parental control. Everything is created for them. They are passive participants in a mindless virtual reality. With this comes the loss of critical thinking skills, imagination, and adventure. It encourages kids to stay inside, to isolate themselves, and to act...
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