A Facebook and Social Media Outage Could Be Just What Oklahoma’s Youths Need

For a few hours this morning, Facebook was apparently down for not just everyone in Oklahoma, but worldwide. Instagram too.

I didn't realize it until I saw the Fudd's over on Oklahoma's biggest firearm forum start jabbering about it, and I'll be honest with you... What were we really missing?

Social media is the worst thing to happen to the human race since polio.

While it was originally conceived as a digital means to connect us all, it has done quite the opposite. If you have kids, you probably already know it's used as a social weapon to bully others beyond the school day.

I know I've talked in the past about how kids are weak these days and how a little classic bullying might create stronger individuals--it's hard to disagree with. Greatness always comes from adversity--but in a technologically connected world, it's hard to get away from those bullies.

Social media is probably the biggest contributor to our youth's mental health issues in this world, and turning off the servers would likely improve and enrich lives far more than being able to convince others of your larger-than-life online persona lies.

It's not limited to kids either...

As much as a break from social media would benefit your kids, it'd probably be beneficial for your parents too.

I'm sure you can envision a point in time when your parents embraced social media for the sole reason as to keep up communication with the family, but as time goes on it becomes a place where each person can be the commander of their own opinion.

Each American is entitled to their opinion, but we typically focus only on our own. If anyone disagrees, we hit the block button and shut out any differing points of view.

That is the opposite of communication and as much part of the cancel culture as what the so-called "blue-hairs" use technology for in their own politically driven lives. As older social media users are the most vocal opponents of cancel culture, it's quite the hilarious plot twist.

I can imagine that you're probably reading this thinking to yourself "That's right, but that's not me..." but it probably is.

The generations in between the young and old currently use social media to continually popularize an ages-old trend called "Keeping up with the Jones'."

The most common public persona we tend to share is that of a perfect family. Nice vehicles, nice house, perfect marriage, great kids, expensive clothes, rich tastes, etc... even when that's not at all indicative of the truth.

Social media has become how Fight Club described nightclubs:

The club is too loud to talk, so after a couple of drinks, everyone feels like the centre of attention but completely cut off from participating with anyone else.

While I'm positive the world would be better off without Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter/X, Reddit, etc... I use it, because everyone is on there too. And until we finally find a master switch to turn off, try not to get lost in the lies of strangers and friends alike. After all, how can you have any respect for the affirmations of people you don't even know?