Social media such as Twitter allow people to draw attention to situations and problems that might not otherwise get much focus. It also lets people share information and connect quickly and easily. But what has happened to the value we place on interacting and connecting in person? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss the immediacy and emotion of social media and the value of personal interactions. The idea for this episode came from Ed. He says he’s sensed something among young people (and he would know – he’s been teaching and working with young people for decades). Ed wonders if it has become “cool” to be angry. And, he wonders if that phenomenon is fueled by the emotions often displayed on social media and the responses they elicit. Also, hold onto your hats; you’ll get the solution to last week’s puzzler about who’s wearing what hat.
This episode was recorded on October 4, 2016.