Stories, Narratives, and Borrowed Media
Things that are objective are outside of us, and bigger than us. Things that are subjective, like opinions, are inside of us, and a reflection of how we feel. Our opinions and how we feel are important, but don’t mistake it for truth. Someone’s opinion and perception is not your reality.
Social media is mainly about narratives. There is value in social media, so long as you’re also committed to reading and researching objective and expert sources. Social media by itself perpetuates “low information” like only watching television news.
Pontificating (just saying stuff) on Facebook is easy. Writing, publishing, or posting fully developed points of view is harder, but it’s necessary if we’re going to rise above narratives.
Facebook is “borrowed media” (it belongs to Mark Zuckerberg). What we also need is “owned media,” such as your own website, blog, or publications, in order to fully express points of view, and move beyond the world of narratives and false narratives.
Social media is no substitute for connecting with people and providing fully formed insight. Social media can be a starting point, but it is far too shallow to trust as a source.
