In February, I encountered two strangers (separately) in San Francisco. One, 50+ at age, and another one of around 30. I happened to spend quite pleasant times with them (again, separately).

Their age, lifestyle, profession, preferences, mindset, everything seemed out to be different from each other, except one.

THEY ARE NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

How strange. How anyone in 2020 is not on social media? Someone who is educated, professional, with a stable source of income. Someone who holds an iPhone. Forget it. Someone who lives in America. The USA. I mean, isn’t it strange!?

That was the thoughts I was having until I knew them somewhat closer.

I threw an obvious curiosity, why don’t you use social media?

They find social media a total waste of time and energy. The guy said to me, “I don’t need to know what strangers are doing on the internet, I don’t need Facebook to see what my best friend ate last night. Those who are closer to me, I have their phone numbers and I am happy to personally connect with them. Also, I am not desperate to flaunt how I spend my days, on social platforms. I am what I am and I am grateful for this.”

He was not wrong.

The uncle whom I met at Starbucks told me that his life is happier without social media. He loves nature, he loves to sing, travel, talk to lush green trees, he has been living his life as happily single for more than 25 years, as he told me.

I understood about that uncle but that 30 years old one!? He is young, vibrant, ambitious.

Is social media only about meaningless stuff? Being an avid social media user, I had this unspoken responsibility to make him understand the positive aspects of it.

I shared with him a couple of beneficial experiences that happened to me on social media. I shared how I leveraged social media and flourished professional networking. Social networks unite like-minded people from all around the countries and how this nexus is helping this world become a better place to live in.

I agree that there are multiple demerits but for those who have done great things on social media, their lives have changed for benefit. If not financially, surely for mentally and emotionally.

So, it’s up to us which way we want to move on. Nothing is good or bad, we humans make so.

Not fully, but I sensed, he was partially convinced, which was at least some gain for me.

PS: The blog was first published on Quora

Originally published on leenachitwan.com on July 17, 2020.