A part of me secretly wishes for the end of social media. As you shake your head, I am aware of the dissonance that exists in writing such a statement as I share this in a desperate attempt to be read. Believe me, I wrestle with this truth every time I hit the share button. So, maybe a rephrase is in order.  

I proudly wish for an end to social media as we know it. These tools have become revenue generators. In exchange for access to a free platform, we sell ourselves to the highest bidder. This bidder then sells us ads based on the information we have shared about ourselves. These tools are no longer about connecting us to each other and a broader community. They are a marketplace where you and I can be found on every aisle.  

I long for a social media platform mirroring a public square. I long for community, connection, and a positive exchange of ideas. If ads must exist, I want them to be focused on connecting me to others with similar passions as they are to selling me something. I long for a square where the loudest voices no longer dominate the conversation. I need a space where venom and vitriol are not rewarded. I think we deserve a social media that looks a lot like the spaces we share together.  

Think of all those places where face-to-face discovery is allowed to flourish; the dinner table, a corner booth at a bar, over coffee with someone new. Now, think of those larger spaces where the same thing occurs; a concert, a museum, a baseball game. I think we deserve a social media modeled after these shared experiences and one where the same rules apply.  

In these spaces, we are allowed to uncover the truth through conversation. We are given space to be vulnerable, passionate, and open. If done correctly, everyone is invited into the conversation. No idea is labeled bad, false, liberal, conservative, or anti-something. Instead, we commit ourselves to a journey of understanding.  

I think we also deserve a space where it is okay to not know things; a space where ignorance is bliss. I think we deserve a space where lightning responses aren’t rewarded. I think we deserve a space where the chaos of responding to horrendous events doesn’t score you points. Instead, I long for social media where thoughtfulness is the ultimate goal. I long for social media where we all agree that no one has all the answers, but a journey toward truth is shared.  

I write all this knowing I have backed myself into a utopian corner. I write all this knowing utopia isn’t possible because man is flawed. I write all this knowing such a place can never exist because some men just want chaos. Knowing this, all I can do is change my behavior.  

Using the tools before me, I can attempt to model behavior. I can create spaces, groups, and events where the mission is to exchange ideas. In those spaces, I can work to make sure all voices are given equal time. When people respond with venom, I can refuse to reward them for their behavior. The space I hold can feel more like a dinner table and a lot less like Fox News or MSNBC. I can show the world my mission is to learn and I am willing to change my mind. I can show the world it is perfectly fine to find yourself on a continual journey toward truth and understanding. My social media can feel more like a face-to-face conversation and a lot less like a battlefield. Knowing utopia isn’t possible, all I can do is model a social media environment I hope to see in the world.  

Be good to each other,  

Nathan  

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