The Power of Social Media: A Double-Edged Sword

We all know that you're very big on social media, and I think that social media can be very good at bringing people together. People who are into niche things, people who have different needs and concerns, but also it can be used for really really crappy things. Mike, I have a two-part question. How do you think it would have affected you if we had social media when you were a kid? Number two, if you got in trouble with your dad, would you have handed him a broken cellphone before going to bed?

I must admit that I can relate to having my kids turn in their phones every night at 9:30. No young boy should have that much access to porn. While I may not be able to eliminate it entirely, I can contextualize it and take steps to minimize the exposure. At one point, my son was caught handing me a dummy phone for six months. It's really hard to hide the progression of respect you have while you're punishing a child. To that end, I made him use a flip phone for a year. And at one point, he said something like, "Great, that's how I know it's working." It was a small victory, but it showed me that my approach was working.

I'm sorry to admit that middle school was much worse than high school. Everybody is dealing with their echo chambers, the echo chambers that have been created for us by these giant behemoth corporations. They need to be broken into smaller chunks for humanity's sake in my opinion. But I do try and use social media, as it really helps me personally. In addition to giving volume to the causes that are important to me, I utilize Twitter to hear other people's experiences.

I believe that the biggest problem our country has right now is that nobody's listening to each other. Specifically, no one's listening to the communities with the most to lose on the front lines of the cultural battle we're fighting right now. That's what we can do. We can reach out and try and follow people who you don't understand. For example, I have a co-host on Brain Candy Live named Michael Stevens, and his political reddit is the opposite of my own beliefs every single day. While it might seem daunting at first, I really appreciate that he does it because he wants to understand where these people are coming from. He doesn't want to listen to politicians or policy; he wants to hear the people.

Ultimately, what we're all really individually doing is trying to protect our families and ourselves and our friends and making the world better. Whether you're Republican or Democrat, whether you're on one side of the aisle or another, I believe that we're all motivated by a desire to do good. The trick is that we've all got to listen to each other if we want to make progress. And while I may not be a politician myself, I believe that's an important message to spread.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwe all know that you are very big on social media and we all know I think that social media can be very good at bringing people together people who are into niche things people who have different needs and concerns but also it can be used for really really crappy things and Mike I have a two-part question how do you think it would have affected you if we had social media when you were a kid and number two if you got in trouble with your dad would you have handed him a broken cellphone before going to bed yes I would have gotten in trouble with my dad if I'd handed him a broken so this is my son I made my kids turn in their phones every night at 9:30 because no young boy should have that much access to porn I can't eliminate it but I can contextualize it and at one point thing too was caught handing me a dummy phone for six months and his yeah it's really hard to hide the progressing respect you have while you're punishing a child I made him use a flip phone for a year and at one point this is him why this is why my kids are great at one point he's like great that's how I know it's working and he went oh right I see that checks out if you had a first part of your question no social media Jesus I can't imagine being a teenager in middle school with social media let's let me middle school so much worse than high school yes I'm sorry about middle school look everybody is dealing with their echo chambers the echo chambers that have been created for us by these giant behemoth witch who need to be broken into smaller chunks for Humanity's sake in my opinion but but the thing that we can do the thing that I try and do is use obviously I'm very active on Twitter and my various channels but what I really try and utilize Twitter for personally in addition to giving volume to the causes that are important to me is to hear other people's experiences the biggest problem our country has right now is that nobody's listening to each other and specifically no one's listening to the communities with the most to lose on the front lines of the cultural battle we're fighting right now and that's what we can do you can reach out and try and follow people who you don't understand Michael Stevens my co-host on brain candy live and these are Michael Reed's the political reddit's that are the opposite of his political beliefs every single day I I could not wait it into that mire but I really appreciate that he does because he wants to understand he wants to understand where these people are coming from not the politicians not the policy but the people because ultimately what we're all really individually doing is trying to protect our families and ourselves and our friends and making the world better I believe that whether you're Republican or Democrat that you're just that's you're motivated by that the trick is that we've all got to listen to each other I'm not a politician though but thank you for that amazing question thank you youwe all know that you are very big on social media and we all know I think that social media can be very good at bringing people together people who are into niche things people who have different needs and concerns but also it can be used for really really crappy things and Mike I have a two-part question how do you think it would have affected you if we had social media when you were a kid and number two if you got in trouble with your dad would you have handed him a broken cellphone before going to bed yes I would have gotten in trouble with my dad if I'd handed him a broken so this is my son I made my kids turn in their phones every night at 9:30 because no young boy should have that much access to porn I can't eliminate it but I can contextualize it and at one point thing too was caught handing me a dummy phone for six months and his yeah it's really hard to hide the progressing respect you have while you're punishing a child I made him use a flip phone for a year and at one point this is him why this is why my kids are great at one point he's like great that's how I know it's working and he went oh right I see that checks out if you had a first part of your question no social media Jesus I can't imagine being a teenager in middle school with social media let's let me middle school so much worse than high school yes I'm sorry about middle school look everybody is dealing with their echo chambers the echo chambers that have been created for us by these giant behemoth witch who need to be broken into smaller chunks for Humanity's sake in my opinion but but the thing that we can do the thing that I try and do is use obviously I'm very active on Twitter and my various channels but what I really try and utilize Twitter for personally in addition to giving volume to the causes that are important to me is to hear other people's experiences the biggest problem our country has right now is that nobody's listening to each other and specifically no one's listening to the communities with the most to lose on the front lines of the cultural battle we're fighting right now and that's what we can do you can reach out and try and follow people who you don't understand Michael Stevens my co-host on brain candy live and these are Michael Reed's the political reddit's that are the opposite of his political beliefs every single day I I could not wait it into that mire but I really appreciate that he does because he wants to understand he wants to understand where these people are coming from not the politicians not the policy but the people because ultimately what we're all really individually doing is trying to protect our families and ourselves and our friends and making the world better I believe that whether you're Republican or Democrat that you're just that's you're motivated by that the trick is that we've all got to listen to each other I'm not a politician though but thank you for that amazing question thank you you\n"