It’s no secret that social media has reshaped the way the world communicates, but it’s important to consider what the consequences of that change have been. For instance, you might be wondering if social media can kill creativity since it encourages constant connection and interaction with other people instead of letting users be alone with their thoughts. In this post, we’ll take a look at the ways social media might be hurting creativity and the steps you can take to get your creative juices flowing again.

The Argument For Social Media

Social media platforms have grown beyond all measures. Facebook has 1.65 billion monthly active users, while Instagram has 300 million active users and Snapchat has more than 100 million daily users. Many of these users are over 35 years old and use social media in place of other social settings or to connect with others online after their kids go to bed or when they’re too busy at work to meet up in person. Social media allows us to cultivate connections that would otherwise be impossible or difficult, creating an avenue for individuals who may not even live near each other but share a passion for dogs, parenting, dance parties, or Disney World trips to maintain contact. These connections foster deeper bonds and even lead to marriage proposals between people living on opposite sides of the world but connected through Facebook. Social media can also give individuals a platform to showcase their creative abilities by sharing photos and stories with friends and family. From there, some folks take it one step further by using Instagram as a means to grow their personal brand or create an online business based off something they love doing—from crafting furniture out of reclaimed wood to making hair bows out of vintage clothing. But what happens when we spend hours upon hours scrolling through Instagram feeds? Are we killing our creativity? Do we no longer want (or need) to be creative because we already have something so easily accessible? Have social media sites created new needs within us that weren't there before? Or are we just wasting time that could be spent actually being creative instead of just looking at pictures from other people's lives?

The Argument Against Social Media

A study by Stanford University claims that social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are disrupting our ability to be creative. At an event called The Future of Creativity held at Stanford in March, creativity expert Scott Barry Kaufman explained how you can use social media to help generate your next big idea. If you spend too much time on these platforms, though, it could hurt your ability to develop your imagination in real life. Experts caution that prolonged exposure to digital stimuli can have a negative effect on cognitive development; studies show that we’re less able to imagine without making associations and references through images or sounds. However, there are a few things you can do to counteract some of these effects First, you should take regular breaks from Facebook and other social media sites. Second, try reading fiction—research shows that people who read fiction are better at imagining events and characters than those who don't read fiction. Finally, if you want to come up with new ideas for businesses or products (or even just improve your work), think about what might make someone laugh instead of cry. People who enjoy humor tend to be more imaginative than those who don't—and they're also more open-minded when it comes to new ideas. So get out there and laugh!

What are your thoughts on this matter?

Social media has been getting a lot of blame lately. It’s easy to see why—social networks encourage us to make decisions based on popularity and perceived convenience, rather than the actual value. But there’s also a lot of discussion about what social media should be used for, with some people saying it needs to be utilized less for news and more for communication, others arguing that social media has actually helped them connect with friends and family. One thing most people can agree on: It shouldn’t just be used as a distraction from reality. In fact, using social media in moderation might help you develop your creativity. 

Can we coexist with social media in our lives without losing our creative mind?

We create because it’s in our nature. We are born with a desire to make. But what happens when we are bombarded by oversharing, curated posts and endless selfies? While everyone’s using social media every second of every day, we have to ask: Is social media helping us or hurting us? Are we becoming slaves to our devices? At GWS, we believe that technology should never get in between your passions. So if you feel like you’re spending more time on Facebook than writing your novel, it might be time for a change of pace. Get back to doing what you love — and leave your phones at home. It will be hard at first, but soon enough you'll see how freeing it feels to step away from your screens. Once you do, go write something! Create something! Make something! And remember: You don't need an app for that.

In Conclusion

It’s easy to get sucked into social media. In fact, it’s downright addicting. Facebook alone has more than 2 billion users—that's more than a quarter of all people in the world! While social media can be an incredible resource for finding inspiration, networking, and even starting a business, it can also prove destructive to creativity if you don't use it wisely. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) may be real but so is FOCUS (Fear of Confronting Unpleasant Situations). Social media isn't going anywhere anytime soon but that doesn't mean we have to let it take over our lives and drive us away from what makes us happiest: creating beautiful art. There are plenty of ways to balance your time between work and play without sacrificing your creative process. You just need to set boundaries. Take control by limiting how much time you spend on social media each day or week or month. If it helps, try using apps like Freedom or Self-Control which allow you block certain websites for specific periods of time. And remember: when in doubt, turn off your phone! Your creativity will thank you later!