before checking my Instagram for latest likes. For me, social media is the ultimate procrastination assistant and sometimes, I have to put my big girl pants on and minimise that window. I can’t quite close it… just minimise. That’s enough… oooh a whatsapp! Hang on….
Ok so you get my point. Social media is definitely a massive distraction, case in point – many employers ban it from work computers unless it’s strictly work related (pineapple on a pizza? I am not. Get OUT). Not only is it costing me time through interruptions, it’s completely thrown off my creative thought processes (fruit on pizza? But seriously…) and flow and therefore created more work for me in the long run (jalapenos definitely. But not pineapple).
Or has it? For me I enjoy dipping in and out of different projects and perhaps the people and sites I follow on social media platforms give me more ideas and improve my creativity. So perhaps that’s ok for an office environment but probably not ideal when you’re supposed to be focused on deck or interior duties on a superyacht. It’s pretty common to hear that wifi is only switched on for breaks, and limits are put in place on board, and even to say phones are restricted to cabins when on duty. Why? Because someone, at some point, abused the right to check their phone when they should have been working.
It’s a tricky one isn’t it? Finding a balance is key. So just for a moment, let’s say it’s not social media that’s the problem. What about if someone said it’s the smart phone? Remember a few years ago when facebook became a thing (I created my account in 2007 when I was living overseas after ignoring it for 3 years). Honestly I didn’t really get it but used it to keep in touch with photos of what I was up to for friends and family at home, it was easier and more efficient than attempting to download pics from my nikon digital camera (whooooo?) and email to individuals. It wasn’t really until smartphones became so accessible that the obsessive behaviours started was it? So maybe best we blame them instead of social media. When we could only check facebook by logging on to an actual computer, was it that much of a problem?
Claims that big tech is benefitting from everyone’s obsessive use of these platforms aren’t exactly true either. Poor old Mark Zuckerberg has been hauled up to court to be held accountable for crimes of facebook
(I don’t really know what they are) and as a result, Facebook spend thousands upon thousands of dollars trying to weed out conspiracists, terrorists, and anyone using the platform for evil purposes. Including my friend Ceri last week who mentioned a mouse and was told this was bullying and had her comment removed, but I digress. It’s sensitive ok? And the bots do get a little confused sometimes. They’ll get there but in the meantime don’t drop the F bomb too often or you too could end up in Facebook Jail.
the rest of people who generally just scoff at something fake, and carry on with their lives being normal and reasonable. So the shouty folk are reposting and barking that we all need to take heed of their views, so our news feeds and channels get clogged up with fake, nonsense, aggression and general pessimistic diatribe because the rest of us aren’t going to post “what a nice normal day it is out there today”.
So for a moment, it could look like social media is depressing us all and a source
I think it’s important we remember that social media is not a fair or realistic representation of the actual world. It’s a one- sided, false narrative of a world that doesn’t exist. Kim’s backside did not break the internet. So that’s why the more shocking, or more provocative posters are going to get more likes.
I’ve mentioned this before (sorry) but the problem with social media is the fact it does give people a platform to air their views. Whereas in “the good old days” (i.e. before tinternettage), if your buddy sat down at the bar and told you he was convinced the earth was flat, you’d all tell him he’s a complete idiot and cut him off until he agreed with you all and peace and harmony was restored. Then you’d just carry on with your lives. Effectively, his social network corrected his ridiculousness before he could do any, or come to any harm. Now, these people can head online and find new “friends” and create their own social network full of strangers who will validate and encourage their behaviours and opinions.
That’s not so bad when it’s something harmless like a crochet group, but there are a lot of very sinister people out there lurking on the dark web, waiting for new “friends” to recruit into their strange and often cult-like ways. So for that reason, I’d tell parents to look out for their kids online. Make sure you know who they’re talking to. Sadly we can’t insist adults get other adult supervision online although I’m sure you’ll agree, a lot of them could do with it.
Often, the ones with the extreme views are the ones who shout loudest about it. So that’s why we hear more about them than
of super negativity. But it’s not really is it? It’s Bob who you met in Antibes for 5 minutes several years ago who posted that far right rubbish about immigrants taking all our jobs and reposting something from Nigel Farage (you can unfriend these people you know).
I think it’s important we remember that social media is not a fair or realistic representation of the actual world. It’s a one-sided, false narrative of a world that doesn’t exist. Kim’s backside did not break the internet. People mostly only post glamorous, filtered, #livingthedream pics, and that’s especially in yachting. Nobody wants to give likes to someone scrubbing a toilet or picking up a used condom from a mohair rug, so the creators aren’t going to offer that up. People want to be entertained (Cue Russell Crowe bellowing “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?”). So that’s why the more shocking, or more provocative posters are going to get more likes, more interaction and more comments. And more shares.
So what’s the solution? Well, if you find social media negs you out, limit your time. Unfollow or unfriend people who upset you. Remember, it’s not real. Social media isn’t to blame for our problems, it’s just given people a voice who probably shouldn’t really have one. So the power is in your hands…. Use it wisely.
*Names changed for confidentiality
ONBOARD | SUMMER 2021 | 35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164
