SOCIAL MEDIA CONSUMPTION

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil." Eph 5:15

On Friday 12^th April 2019, as I listened to the radio, my heart was grieved at the cry of a mother who lost her baby at a maternity clinic in Zambia because the nurse on duty was consuming social media while the mother was in labor. The women went on to indicate that all she needed was a little attention, but that was exactly what the nurse unwisely deviated to social media and as a result, the child’s life was lost.

The social media apps

Who’s to blame? It suffices to say that the invention of Social media (Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat etc.) is one of the greatest interactive achievements of this generation. It has made the world smaller and collaborate. A lot of good is credited to it. However, like with any other invention out there, when excessively consumed it is not void of harmful trivia.

Therefore, though blamable, I don’t think social media is really running and ruining people’s lives today. Rather, it is their relationship with it and the ways in which they consume it which leads to good/bad consequences. People spend an extraordinary length of hours consuming it at the expense of numerous important responsibilities. If pleasure consumption was quantifiable, it wouldn’t be a wild guess to say that social media consumption is a quantum leap ahead of all other pleasure consumptions.

Consumed consumers

More often than not, the uncontrolled consumption of social media has left a lot of people careless, unwise and failures with the use of their best time. They have become so uncreative and terribly passive all together. Posts, shares, followings, and likes of wrong things, obsolete news and unnecessary tête-à-têtes has become the order of the day. As a result, that most needed carefulness and responsibility of life are quickly eroding away unnoticed. To some extent, I think, it is worse than the effects of alcohol consumption.

How much social media do you consume? God says, in relation to social media, be careful, responsible, wise and manage your time well. Though virtual, it is as important and valuable as your real life. With its consumption also comes lasting consequences. Remember, social media never

switches off when the screen does. Instead, it still lingers in your mind, virtually represents you on its platforms and your followers are ever watching out for you.

Consequently, from the first day when you landed on ‘planet social media', you became part and parcel of its consumers. As a result, God expects you to be more responsible with your consumption of it. Yes, as much as it has a lot of good, it still possesses the potential to leave you careless, unwise and a regrettable failure in relation to the use of your best time. 

Therefore, ensure that social media does not run your life; take charge and rule over it. Become more responsible with your real life, family, friends, and work. Otherwise, it will ruin you.

If only she had managed her social media consumption well, our dear nurse would have saved a life.