War, hunger, poverty, inequality, injustice, natural disasters - everyday things happen all around the world and oftentimes we don’t even realize it. But the sad truth is that the world is going pretty crazy right now.
If we are being honest, it can get very overwhelming and we don’t always know what to do. There is no right or wrong in situations like these, but especially if you use social media, it can be hard to navigate what you should do. Now, you don’t need to be an influencer or a business in this situation. Even as a “private” person, you might feel the need to share something on Instagram, TikTok or any other platforms. But how do we know what is ok to post and what isn’t?
It’s a tough question that we don’t have all the answers for. Whenever we decide to post about big matters, we receive messages telling us we have no idea what we are talking about and that we shouldn’t say anything since we are not directly impacted by it. Though if we don’t say anything, we get told that we are being ignorant and that we should use our reach to spread awareness.
Of course we understand both sides, but that’s what makes it so hard to know what you should or shouldn’t do. And for anyone that might be in the same position as us, we wanted to share some tips which we believe are appropriate and how you can use social media in times like these.
Do proper research
It is normal that you want to share news, opinions and ways to help, but the most important thing before publishing anything is to always do proper research. Check your sources and make sure it’s reliable. Just because you saw it on someone else’s page or somewhere online doesn’t mean that it’s true or accurate. You should make sure to double and triple check everything and always use reliable sources.
Don’t just share because others do
It’s great if you want to use your platform to spread awareness, but sometimes it’s better to wait and get all the information first. Just because you see other people post about certain topics doesn’t mean that you need to as well. It doesn't mean that you don’t care or that you don’t know about what’s going on - you just let others with more knowledge talk first.
Be empathetic
Certain matters affect everyone around the world, but in different ways. Remember to think outside of your own situation, have empathy for others and try to look at the big picture, not just your own opinion. Always think twice before posting anything and put yourself in other people's shoes first. Also, take into consideration the tone of your captions and how it could be interpreted by people facing a different reality than you might be in. And as we mentioned at the beginning, you won’t be able to satisfy everyone. There will always be people that don’t agree with you or that need to let their feelings out somewhere. Don’t take it personally - try to understand where they are coming from and why they might react the way they do, which brings us to the next point.
Listen and acknowledge
If people get back to you and share their opinion with you, it is important that you listen and acknowledge their point of view. You don’t have to agree but you need to accept that people might have a different perspective on certain things. If you start to get offensive, it’ll just backfire and create more differences.
Contribute however you can
Unfortunately there is not always something that we can do directly to help out in certain situations but there are always ways that you can contribute. You could simply spread awareness, you can be there for people and talk with those that need someone, you can donate to an organization or charity and you can encourage others to help out as well. This doesn’t have to be huge amounts. Sometimes a little bit from many people combined can already be super powerful. Just be sure that you research the organization first and make sure that the money goes to the right places and the right people.
Sometimes less is better
Lastly, if you are not sure what to post or what to say, it is sometimes best to not say anything. There is so much going on in the world and we could talk about another issue every day. We know that it can make you feel guilty to just carry on with your life as usual but sometimes that’s just the best you can do.
And that’s it from our side. We know that these are hard times for many out there. One of our team members is also personally affected by the current situation and we are heartbroken for what's going on in the world and are scared of what the future might hold. But we can only be there for one another and help wherever we can.
We are sending our love to everyone out there,
Your Club Life Design Team
