Enhancing Thought Processes

I'm not usually in support of social media. As much as I rely on it and as addictive I find it I can't disqualify it for the benefits it provides. A discussion in my Psychology of Social Media class stirred up this argument within myself of whether social media takes away our tendency to ponder and study questions out in our mind before turning to Google for the answer. Others argued that social media, namely search engines such as Google, take away the thought processes of trying to figure things out for ourselves, that it is making us lazy. This time I have to disagree. I wouldn't say that social media necessarily replaces or eliminates the thought process. I think that, in a way, it furthers it. It's hard for me to explain, but let me attempt so now. 

Say we didn't have technology, internet, and social media and you had a general question that came to you and you wanted to know the answer. You would probably think about it, try to figure it out for yourself, maybe ask someone who you believe knows more, then what? Usually, if you had not formulated an answer by then it would end there (unless you were really determined).You question is either answered or it isn't and you think no more of it. Now, back to today’s world, say you have the same question. You think about it, maybe you ask someone else or maybe you just skip straight to Google, because Google has all the answers right? However, it doesn't end there. Google may answer your question, may it won’t, and maybe it will just open up even more questions. 

See, my point is that Google, or social media, doesn't always limit your thinking or strip your creativity; sometimes it enhances it. I find that when I have questions I am motivated to figure it out for myself first, because I enjoy the challenge. Then I have the amazing opportunity to search it online and am provide with many different answers that I have to filter through. Commonly, what happens is that I spend a lot more time pondering, researching and possibly even learning about that which I otherwise would not have had the opportunity of doing so. I’m sure I’m no exception. Yes, I would agree that social media makes us lazy sometimes, but I think it’s important to remember that there is always a balance and social media can always induce more thinking, and more growth.