Pentecost and Social Media: An Opportunity for Communion, Activism or an End to Real Human Relationships?

According to a recent study, 1 out of 4 people use social media worldwide. The fast growing phenomenon has taken the world by surprise. Created only in 2004, Facebook has become the newest and most popular social media network and also become a powerful wealthy corporation estimated to be worth nearly 8 billion dollars. But, with the fast rapid integration of technology and social media, countless studies and research are pointing out the effects and impact that social media has on individuals and groups alike.

There seems to be several diagnosis or social problems that describe the use of social media. Many studies point out at the sense of belonging that social media creates. Whether it is in facebook, twitter, pinterest or instagram, upgrading status, publicizing photos or tweeting, creates a sense of participation worldwide. Participation that everyone seems to be seeking desperately due to the great inheritance of past movements that left humanity feeling alienated and desolated. The existential movement raised questions of individual meaning and existence and has emphasized the personal will rather than the integration of a group, the industrial revolution alienated the individual from purpose, the economic exploitation of capitalism has alienated the individual from his work and has maximized the power of individual choice leaving people wondering if they have any real impact or meaning in the world. With the turn of the century no one predicted the great need human beings will face as suddenly corporations and technological advances were making the news instead of their personal opinions. Social media seems to be a sort of cheap remedy to this global disease. Through social media, people regain a sense of meaning and participation--by having their 'voice' be seen or heard across the globe. While it provides an artificial sense of meaning, it also provides for a sense of communion. People find a sense of brotherhood in social media that they find in social-life, whether it is rooting for your soccer team, praying for a world-cause, or supporting a political agenda--social media unifies people of similar minds and interests.

This takes us to what some people would argue is the most important reason of social media--activism. The revolution in Egypt, one of the first of its kind was predominantly achieved through social media. By the

spread of 'the word of mouth' or to be more precise, the rapid spread of facebook comments and tweets, created awareness and a social movement that eventually became the revolution. From hashtags that show empathy with 200 Nigerian families that miss their abducted daughters to the rapid spread of campaigns seeking to popularize a political vote, social media not only informs but it brings about support. While many also argue that social media desensitize people from events, as cases are becoming frequent where bystanders choose to record an emergency rather than take action,  the power for spreading communal support for a cause is clearly larger.

Research shows however, that the greatest challenge for the use of social media is the disconnection that human beings have in interpersonal experiences. Millenia are already showing a great deficit in social skills--not being able to communicate clearly when it comes to doing it face to face due to the lack of verbal communication. If communication becomes primarily a written medium, researchers say that we are creating a society that would be brilliant in explaining written complex ideas and helpless in communicating a simple greeting face to face.

The Church just celebrated Pentecost. As described by the Church, this is the event where the Holy Spirit descends on the apostles as promised by Jesus Christ as they were hiding from the jews in fear of persecution. It marks the birthday of the Church because it signifies the beginning of the proclaiming of Jesus Christ to all the nations. So what does Pentecost have to do with social media? It turns out, a great deal. Whatever the position is on social media and technology in general, it cannot be ignored that it has grown to be a global culture. You embrace technology or you are left behind in the world. Social media has become a great medium that unifies the world--and therefore a big metaphor for the Holy Spirit if applied in the right manner.

Scripture says that after Peter was touched by the Holy Spirit he no longer feared the jews and proclaimed Jesus Christ that very same day and three thousand people were converted. Today, with social media--our post, photo, or tweet goes far beyond three thousand people in a matter of seconds. The question now is, do we seek for communion in God, seek justice through righteous activism or do we find ourselves losing our interpersonal humanness in the process?