How do you view the world now?

Source:
Social media and your changing world view - TNW Social Media

Sometimes you have to read an article to realise it yourself. Our way of communication through social media has changed and still changes the way we view our world. First of all, you can keep in touch with friends in other countries and learn the news from their point of view. Not to mention that you can also read about what's happening from everyday people you never knew (see Twitter) and will probably never meet. Using social media made each one of us a reporter and news consumer at the same time. Every post an tweet is a small article about what's happening around us as we see it. From the tinyest to the biggest events.

First time I realized this power was some months ago with the events in Egypt. Having a friend of mine there and following his tweets made me feel as I was right there. Reading tweets and posts from real everyday people such as me and you those days made you feel you were there. Second time was in Japan earthquake. Same feeling. Empathy and realization of what's going on. Followng the events from the source, from everyday people living them right there, right now, changes the way you understand them. And that's a first step in breaking the barriers societies, religions, cultures are building.

Living events is one part of the change. The other is reading about other people's opinions. You don't have to necessarily agree with them. Having firends with different cultural backgrounds and reading their opinions in various subjects takes you in their place. Makes you stand in there shoes. Even if you disagree you can at least understand why they are thinking the way they are. The only way to feel that up to now was by reading news from newspapers, listening or watching them on radios and tv channels. Nowadays you can see the real people's opinions without the media's filter. That's a big change. Mass media's filter distances you from the actual events and in many cases alters reality. Well now, with social media... that filter is gone and the distance is closing. You can find out what real people are thinking just by some clicks and that's... magic. Let's just hope it works for good!