With todays technology and social media, we are constantly being exposed to a multitude of varying opinions and viewpoints on a day to day basis. These can include topics such as racism, political viewpoints, gender inequality, etc. Issues like these can receive a lot of mixed reactions from people. Some groups of may praise an idea or policy, while other may criticize it. With division of idealisms in social media and themes of “cancel culture,” often times, we feel pressured into thinking with the majority, and may feel forced to agree, disagree, or tolerate something we would not normally. When we do this, we may feel as if our true opinion on a matter is wrong, and we might try to shut out how we truly feel. As human beings, it is natural to try to fit in with the norm and go with the flow when we are offended, but it is also important to take in mind our own feelings and opinions. Sometimes we have to sit back and ask, “Am I gaslighting myself?”

With many topics in the news today being so black and white, some ideologies spark much controversy and some groups of people are demonized for differing opinions or viewpoints. On social media, some internet users have come up with terminology to disclude groups of individuals who may be easily offended. With whatever subject it is at hand, the internet has coined terms such as “Karen”, “snowflake”, or maybe even “social justice warrior” to make others feel bad about what they had to say. Intimidation is just not only in the form of cyber bullying or name calling, but it can also be subliminal programming as well. When we see a certain viewpoint or idea being portrayed on social media frequently, this can lead to a majority of us into believing this ideology, making it the new “norm”. Programming can also lead us to second-guess our own ideals in more political topics, leading us to wondering if our own opinion is the problem, rather than the problem itself. With all this in mind, it is easy to be intimidated to express how you truly feel about a topic, and this may lead us to feeling muted in a lot of conversations.

As we all come from different backgrounds, it is understandable that we all have different boundaries than the peers around us. Due to different exposure and stimuli in our past environments, we all form our own opinions on what is and what is not appropriate. Some of us might find certain information on social media to be a bit too explicit, while others might find some political topics to be too controversial and might be uncomfortable discussing it. It is important to note that because of this, there is no such thing as normal when it comes to what is and what is not offensive. When we keep this in mind, criticism means nothing as that the problem lies not within ourselves, but in those who refuse to open their minds to the viewpoints of other people.

Eastern has a diverse community of students, who each have their own unique stories and understandings of today’s issues. This makes EU a great place to learn different ideas and philosophies. We just need to  surround ourselves with the right people, so we can share our ideas in a safe environment. 

 

I believe all of us here at Eastern are old enough to be familiar with the Vine app. For those who might not be, Vine was a social media app established in 2012 that allowed users to share six second video clips online. It did not take long for the app to gain a huge following, and in just one year it garnered over 100 monthly users worldwide. This social media giant held its place as one of the biggest social media platforms for a little over a year, but just as quickly as it rose to popularity, the app died shortly after when instagram launched its video sharing feature in June of 2013.

In September 2017, a new video sharing app was launched, TikTok. It included a lot of similar features that Vine had, such as being a video exclusive app and allowing users to edit their videos. This time however, instead of six second videos, users were able to upload thirty second videos while incorporating the sound feature. For those who are not familiar with the sound feature, this allows users to take a popular audio and place it over their video. The two compare in various aspects in function, but which one was better? 

As millennials and older Gen Z adults, we are all apart of the giant inside joke of vine references. Even today, we still hear a multitude of these references, with one of my favorites being “Road work ahead? I sure hope it does!” This, along with hundreds of other quotes have been engrained into the back of our heads. Why? Because they are simple and short. The simplicity of Vine has made these quotes easy to remember and still remain iconic after almost a decade later. TikTok on the other hand, does not include short and simple quotes. Rather, it seems as if the users are taking already existing audios and just creating video trends or challenges out of them.  We reference TikTok just as much as we reference Vine, but how many of those sounds are actually produced by a creator, rather than a movie or a song? I have to say, TikTok lacks originality in this aspect when it comes to creative content.

Aside from memes and trends, Vine and TikTok are very similar in nature. Although both platforms were used for sharing videos, TikTok seems far more advanced when it comes to the production behind these posts. TikTok allows users to use special effects such as a green screen or interactive games within their videos. The app also includes beauty effects such as makeup filters so users can change their appearances as they like. It is clear that TikTok excels in overall function and aesthetic as Vine videos were often uncut and without filters. 

Although Vine and TikTok are very similar yet different in nature, there is no clear say in which is better. One may argue that Vine is better because it is more iconic, while others may argue that TikTok is better based on the features that the app provides. Although some may argue that one is better than the other, it is safe to say that Vine was the iconic blueprint, opening the door for modern day video sharing apps, while TikTok is the newest, best, big thing, as it incorporates newer features in its app everyday.