Social media and Emoji.

First, social media possess really important literacy, which is accessible and adaptable to most users. It increases engagement. The framework of thin/thick engagement is a continuum, not a binary. With the popularization of social media, social media lowers the threshold of engagement and makes participation easy from the start. Once a broader user arises the awareness in the first place, more and more people will take action to the next step. The hardest part is the raising of awareness, but social media makes it easier, then the "thin engagement" will gradually become the "thick engagement". I think social media carries forward activism, broaden people's reach and accrete the diversity of the audience. But, with this been said, social media also broaden people's reach to fake news and accurate online information. We must always oppose our own critical mind in order to identify what is accurate, what is wrong and what are the sources. Secondly, social media gives us a platform for self-branding. In the age of social media explosion, we manipulate our online image and market this image as a product to others. For me, this trend is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the online application provides us with a platform to showcase ourselves and expand our network by building up the weak ties. But on the other hand, we spent a lot of time dealing with news and information, we are easily affected by others and tend to follow the trend. As the result, it is impossible for us to find the inner balance and the inner peace. We are messed up by the information overload and we ignore the importance of the offline relationships with others. I can't stop wondering do we gain more freedom or imprisoned by the hyper-activated social media? One interesting production of social media is Emoji. Emoji could reduce embarrassment in some situations. But it also masks our true feeling. Once we get used to disguising our emotions behind the emoji (because it is a more efficient and simple way to communicate) our interpersonal relationships with others will become hypocritical and superficial. I am afraid that we will gradually lose the ability to deal with the awkward situations. However, thanks to all the bothersome trifles, it helps us create "bonds" between each other rather than "connection".