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Devin Fisher

English

Outcomes Assessment Essay

Spring 2016

Superheroes Need Social Media Too

As any superhero would know, life is full of endless battles, villains, and

missions. In their crazy lives they are expected to spend time away from home in order

to complete these missions and, in the end, save mankind. Until my cousin joined the

military and my best friend went on a church related mission, I never knew superheroes

could exist in reality. Just like Superman or Hercules, my loved ones had to leave home

on a mission in order to help others. The superpower my best friend and cousin have that

Superman and Hercules didnt is social media. Not only do we get to communicate with

them through letters, emails, and Facebook, but with the help of advancements in

technology we also get to talk with them face-to-face via Facetime or Skype. It doesnt

matter if they are half way across the world or in combat; we still get weekly updates and

are connected to them. Social media is one of the most profound technical

developments in the last century. (Werbach). It has expanded human connection

through marketing businesses, personalizing networks, and reconnecting society.

Before I had to rely on social media as my main way of communication with two

very important people in my life, I didnt fully realize the extent of its power. In the past

I used social media as a way to talk to my local friends or stay in touch with people in my

community or even across my state. In a way I merely abused its power by not grasping

and utilizing all it had to offer others and myself. I dont think Im alone finding myself
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in this predicament. In this day and age we are fortunate enough to have been accustomed

to the capability of associating with millions of people across the world. We need to take

advantage of this.

Companies and business have tapped into the potential of reaching millions

globally by using social media. Facebook currently claims 59 million active users. This

allows businesses to reinvent how they market their products. While scrolling through

Facebook it is not rare to see companies like Coca-Cola marketing their products to the

online communities. Carol Kruse, vice president of global interactive marketing for the

Coca-Cola Company said, With Facebook Ads, our brands can become a part of the way

users communicate and interact on Facebook. (Hodgkinson). The fact that social media

sites are free to the public means that they are easily accessible for anyone with a

smartphone, computer, or laptop. This enables businesses to market their items globally

to all classes of people.

Along with name brand companies, gaming networks also have a great

opportunity to expand their reach to gamers. Mark Pincus, founder of the game network

Zynga, says he hopes to, transform the world through games. Valued at $5 Billion, the

company derives most of its revenue from Facebook. (Werbach). Some games like

Farmville offer duel purposes. This particular game expands the gaming community

while reintroducing agriculture back into society. This is accomplished by having gamers

do various activities that help them excel at the game. These activities include purchasing

and taking care of farm animals and equipment and growing and harvesting crops. For

those who arent adapt to agriculture a new door is open to them about a different aspect
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of society (Werbach). Through these games they are able to get a dose of something

unfamiliar and connect with other gamers along the way.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and other social media sources are

helping our small-scale interactions become translated into large-scale patterns.

(Werbach). The sources I just listed are also great examples of how the structures of our

Internet sites are personalized to every individual. Each of them allows us to express

ourselves in different ways. While logged onto Instragram it is common to share our

experiences specifically through pictures. Someone on Twitter might update their status

while including hash tags of trending topics, all in 140 characters or less. There are

counter arguments that suggest the time spent looking through feed and updating statuses

is a waste of time or a hazard to relationships. But deep down dont we all like to see

whats on other peoples minds?(Rosman). Individualizing ourselves and understanding

the diverse thoughts of others is not misusing our time. Social media is simply a tool.

Just like any other tool, its about how you use the tool that determines its effectiveness

(Klinenburg).

Just as we determine the effectiveness of our time online, we also decide whether

we use our online personas to reach out or isolate ourselves. Vague claims put out the

notion that our society is getting lonelier, virtual friends are turning into surrogates, and

in return we are losing touch with our original way of doing things. Of course we are

changing our ways, but the change is for the better. When the telephone arrived, people

didnt stop knocking on their neighbors doors; they called and then knocked.

(Klinenburg). John Cacioppo, a psychologist at the University of Chicago wrote about the

subject of creating fake virtual lives in the place of reality. It is evident that our online
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relationships wont make up completely for the absence of the real thing. For most

Facebook friends are supplements, not surrogates, to our social lives. (Klinenburg).

Although it might seem as if we are lowering our face-to-face communication, we are

actually increasing communication in general. Increasing our levels of communication

with others will allow us to view all walks of life.

Being able to see many personal aspects and ways of life through the Internet and

social media will aid in reconnecting society. My grandparents probably couldnt have

imagined how far our world has come in innovation. In their generation events like

family and high school reunions were the only way they would be able to see and keep in

touch with important people from their family or schools. Now, in the twenty-first

century, I have no doubt that when I graduate I will continue to stay connected to all of

my friends. Various networks provide me with the opportunity to stay updated on their

lives and share what is new in mine. This will carry through with us as we continue to

grow and travel in our lives. As technology has advanced, past generations have taken

the opportunity to reconnect with past friends and form acquaintances with new ones.

This can be taken on a national and local scale.

My hometown community of Homedale, Idaho, has reaped the benefits of group

events with the aid of social media. Facebook has allowed my entire community to be a

part of an events page for our annual Angel Walk. The Angel Walk is a community-

sponsored event where each year one child in need is highlighted and a 5K walk is held

around the town. The profits for that year go directly to the child being highlighted in

order to help their family pay for medical travel and expenses. On a larger scale,

Facebooks Causes application now has 375,000 individual causes, and more than
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20,000,000 people have played a role, mainly small, in an online cause. (Werbach). For

those who claim the Internet is an outlet for bullying and scheming, think about all the

good that can be created through this mass media. Bullying will always be present with or

without the Internet. Internet isnt the problem. We can manipulate this outlet and use it

to be either negative or as an instrument to change the world in a positive way.

At a time when technology and social media are thriving, opportunities to market

businesses, personalize networks, and reconnect society through human communication

are endless. Businesses and gaming networks are reaching out to the online community

in innovative ways. With their success come many opportunities for communities and

students. These businesses are key sources in charity donations, event sponsors, and

scholarship donors. Our online profiles are serving as a method of self-expression and

are personalized directly to every individual. Each of us has the ability to use social

media in a positive way and as a creative avenue to share our own stories and

experiences. Through this personalization we are reconnected with our past and get to

look forward to our future. Superman and Hercules might think their lives are crazy, but

so are ours. Although most of us dont have super strength or the ability to fly, we have

the power of social media to help us fight our battles and make a positive impact.

Wherever our missions in life take us, we are always connected to our friends, family,

and online community. Whether its on a local or global level, it doesnt matter.

Superheroes need social media, too.

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Works Cited

Hodgkinson, Tom. "With Friends Like These." The Guardian. Guardian News, 14 Jan.

2008. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.

Klinenberg, Eric. "Facebook Isn't Making Us Lonely." Slate. The Slate Group, 19 Apr.

2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.

Rosman, Katherine. "On Twitter and Instagram, Hiding in Plain E-Sight." The New York

Times. The New York Times, 08 Nov. 2014. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.

Werbach, Adam. "In Defense of Facebook." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 01

Oct. 2010. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.