Our world seems to operate through short bursts of information that come in the form of quotes, thoughts, opinions, criticism, and advertisement. In 140 characters or less, normally accompanied by a picture or video (statistically open rates are greater if you add that), we provide the world or at best our followers with what we have to say. Years ago we didn’t have this ability and the only ones that could really be heard were the ones that had a voice; sports figures, musicians, politicians, news to name a few. Now everybody seems to have a voice, some louder than others, yet what are we really saying?
Facebook, or noseybook as some would call it, displays all the wonderful things in the life of everyone. It’s kinda amazing the things that people feel free to share on Facebook. We call our connections “friends” but at best most are loose acquaintances. All that to be said, it seems that life “exists” in and through Facebook and other social mediums. The generations that are coming up now are having a hard time engaging with a potential employer sitting across the table from them during an interview. Many would prefer to send a facebook message, snapchat, or text than talk. While technology continues to grow and evolve, the ability to communicate is one of the mainstays of human interaction. When I say communicate I am talking about face-to-face or talking to someone on a phone.
It’s safe to say that social media has become an easy way to communicate. It has also become a place for “hashtag this” and “hashtag that”. As a matter of fact you can watch shows and hear someone say “hashtag something” while describing something that is happening or has happened. I watch ESPN a bunch and you can’t get through Sportscenter without one of the anchors using that expression.
Hashtags have also become popular with movements and causes. They are attached to really good things in an effort to promote, raise awareness and more. How did we ever get by without a hashtag? It is easy to find out what is “trending” because that is mostly done through hashtags.
In my world, it would be easy for us to create clever hashtags for our kids through our after-school program. After all, we are in a community that has great historical significance being the oldest all-black community in the United States founded by ex-slaves in 1887. My wife and I are the only white, married couple in our town. We could make kids into a hashtag movement fairly easy; poverty, food, clothing, school, family and more are all things that could be a challenge.
As I am writing this, I received an email with this photo in it. Hashtags are everywhere.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that hashtags are not well-intentioned or that they don’t have the capacity to bring about good. They have the potential to create change. That being said it will take more than a hashtag, it takes love.
In my context, working with kids, it takes a great deal of time effort and energy. It takes patience, listening, correcting, guiding, helping, and most importantly it takes love because, without that, everything else could become a job or duty. Kids are so much more than a hashtag, at least that is the way I feel. Behind every hashtag is a face (at least the ones pertaining to a movement). In most cases there are multiple faces; people created and designed by God (my belief), and with a purpose and intention.
At a distance, we can retweet something, like something, thumbs up something but has that really accomplished anything? Sure, maybe we attach ourselves to whatever it might be but have we really affected change?
It’s funny. With our after-school program, we will post something on social media such as a funding request. Normally it will be something specific, a real need. Inevitably, multiple people will go ahead and like it or give it a thumbs up. While nice, that does nothing to help us or any other non-profit who needs funding, volunteers, or help. Hashtags, likes, thumbs up are all useless unless people engage and help. When we reduce people to a movement from a distance, change is practically impossible. Change only happens when others become invested in some capacity beyond “liking” or giving a “thumbs up. This makes things a bit more difficult because it causes someone to take action above and beyond social media. It causes a person to become invested in some fashion. For most people, this is where it stops because they are being asked to do more than merely “like” something, yet the only way that real change can take place is through action, love, and a determined mind to make a real difference.
Life was designed to something much more than it is. Hashtags are cool but if it stops there, we miss the chance to see the face(s) behind the actual tag itself. We lose out on the chance to create lasting change in the life of someone else. We miss out on the chance to give our time, talent, or treasure. We just keep on moving through life “liking” and giving “thumbs up” while the hashtag begs for our attention.
We need to understand that behind many hashtags exist real, live people that might need help or attention. Treating them as such might be one of the noblest things we could do.