Being Exposed to Social Media During Childhood. Is it worth it?
Mid 2011
Innocence was my primary virtue, an ordinary 9-year-old Pakistani growing up in Saudi Arabia with positive energy driving throughout my body. A curiosity-filled mind had finally started to develop an understanding of life, and lo and behold, an unknown device that opened gateways to knowledge was in my possession.
Nostalgia has really swarmed my train of thoughts recently, as this seems to me like a vivid dream. Awoken from a long, breezy night, I was miraculously gifted a handheld device; unbeknownst to me at the time, it was so powerful that it could alter my perception of life. Although my silly, underdeveloped brain could not comprehend that, I thereby wrongly accused it of being some sort of quirky toy, perhaps.
An introverted personality had eventually discovered a universe of user-generated posts and fields upon fields of countless pieces of knowledge that could be extracted from this very medium! At the time, I underestimated the impact and sheer concept of being exposed to the outside world simply by looking at the only thing separating us, the screen.
Being the curious kid since childhood, social media was visibly the most sensible platform for me to express my curiosity, and lo and behold, over the course of 9 years, I lurked through every mainstream platform that exists within this medium, and believe me, this beloved introverted personality may not be so introverted anymore. To express my personal view, I perceive social media as the cigarette of an addicted smoker (ironic, isn’t it?), who inhales clouds of smoke (potential information) every day.
It was about time I started noticing changes. Through the course of time, it severely affected my personality and mindset in a way I could never have imagined. My prior laughable vocabulary was expanding rapidly as general knowledge was taking over my curiosity. In terms of personal development, you wouldn’t believe the signs of maturity I observed in my thinking process.
Current Moment
Hear me out, you must realize, the social media effect, which you’ve been exposed to your whole life. The device you’re using right now to view this articulate piece of writing, can be utilised to share your personal experiences too. Go on! Show the world what you really are. Stipulate the depth of this quote:
"A person who has something to prove moves mountains."
Although this may seem cliché and generalized (which it probably is); I’m grateful for social media for making me realize my actual potential instead of me daydreaming my personal fabricated beliefs. Expressing it in simple words, social media is indeed a powerful weapon if utilized effectively, A mere curious kid is capable of producing ripples of influence that will truly make a difference in our beloved world.
About the Author
I am Shah Saud Zaman (18), an undergraduate university student at Asia Pacific University (APU) in Malaysia and a Pakistani from Hyderabad, I envision providing editorials and personal perspectives on a range of Pakistan-related topics. I consider myself as a student of knowledge, aspire to become a writer, influence the masses & embrace positive change within Pakistan. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering.
