My Social Capital

I believe I joined Facebook about 8 years ago. Mostly pressured by relatives from across the world as an easy way to stay in touch and to share news and photos of new family members and to watch them grow up. 

Over the years, I also have evolved to use Facebook as a means to follow organizations, public figures and topics of my interest. 
I often find myself going to Facebook pages of companies' whose products I use and like, or even local radio and TV stations for faster updates on local and global events. I "like" them, and "follow" them, and in case of any local incidents, I can post to their pages so share any events I encounter that could have impact on other people in my community.
I have also "friended" people I have never met in person, but share similar interests or hobbies with, and have formed various networks for personal and professional interests. 

After reading Cultivating Social Resources on Social Network Sites: Facebook Relationship Maintenance Behaviors and Their Role in Social Capital Processes  ^{by Ellison et. al. (2014)}
(http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcc4.12078/full) I have become more aware of what I am actually doing when I "like", "follow" or "friend" people or companies on Facebook. I am creating networks and gaining virtual capital. 

With recent developments in France, and many other incidents of terrorism, I have changed my profile picture to stand with France, as a virtual hug of support. For me it is personal, I grew up about a four-hour drive away from Paris, went to Paris with my Senior Class, and have fond memories of my visits there. And some of my relatives go to Paris on a regular basis for various professional activities. 

When I was in my Senior year in High School, and my first year in Medical School in Belgium, there were various attacks of colleges and college auditoriums around Brussels and Liege, several explosions, several people were killed, many were injured. This was the work of a Communist Combatant Cell, trying to spread terror and communist ideology near State and Liberal-oriented Colleges. Back then, the only way one would get updates was through public radio and TV stations, newspapers, and old-fashioned rotary phone calls.

I also find it disturbing, that we as Social Media users, now also have come to share sad and terrible things, while, I personally thought that Social Media always had this fun and positive connotation. 

Maybe if we all shared the following on our Facebook pages, we could indeed create a better place.

Think of your fellow man

Lend him a helping hand

Put a little love in your heart

You see it's getting late

Oh, please don't hesitate

Put a little love in your heart

And the world will be a better place

And the world will be a better place

For you and me

You just wait and see