Dear Social media, where is our legacy ?

From the human culture is born a « bond tradition ». Indeed mankind survives by transmission of lessons from the past. It’s like a wire tight between the past and the future that is nowadays fading away.

The traditionnal media and the social media fall within two differents traditions. In one hand a noble tradition, where information is dedicacte to the elite. In the other hand a mass culture that ban the difference. In other terms everyone has access to all the information with any distinction. Historically media like newspaper, radio ou television has always been in the hand of those who have power. The only exception is indeed social media. As a matter of fact internet had a revolutionary impact on the access of the information. Everyone can post and report on his own version of news.

The consequences ? Nowadays skills and knowledge are quantify with the likes. Our position on the social ladder rely on the number of likes. It is a new form of celebrity. Voltaire or Rousseau’s pen has been replace by computers keyboards use by anyone wishing to express. Thumbs up or down define now the post legitimacy. The like may not be well-argued, it remains a point of view? But can we really trust a thumb ? A rushed opinion instead a well-considered advice.

The like culture shakes the « bond culture » up, especially because it takes place in the present. It is a culture of the instant, of the temporary that sometimes take a seat in the future. Like if suddenly, the bond culture get over the « like culture ».

So now we need to choose. It is no longer just about the likes. It deals with a history that need to fall within the time. Which should not be eclipse by anything else that « bond culture ».

Fleur ANTIGNAC