A beautiful sunset is rare – especially in Syracuse, where clouds consume our days. But when hues of orange and red encapsulate the sky, it is difficult not to take out my iPhone, take a picture and post it.

I rarely allow myself to actually absorb the sunset’s beauty. Instead, I share its perfection with my Facebook friends.

Why can’t I just live in the moment without social media standing in the way?

We are more likely to share our life experiences with others through text and images posted on social media than to actually indulge ourselves in living out these moments to the fullest.

When something funny happens among our friends, nowadays we are more prone to say, “I need to tweet that” than we are to laugh so hard at the situation that tears stream down our cheeks.

People express grief or sadness through social media by tweeting or posting, rather than reflecting on and coping actively with their emotions.

What’s more, the texts and photos we post on social media platforms reflect our inability to act independently on how we feel or what we experience, without the rest of the world validating them for us.

If it isn’t social, it isn’t real.

On our daily excursions around campus, we hardly just witness any event like a squirrel scaling a building or a couple proposing in an auditorium. We have to share them – from the most mundane details to the things that shake us to the core.

All is fodder for social networking.

When the Dalai Lama made his appearance at Syracuse University this past fall, how many photos and statuses were shared? But ultimately, can those who posted about him still remember one significant thing he said? Focusing on the hashtags and posts dedicated to the event distracted from absorbing the actual, potentially once-in-a-lifetime experience.

In addition to other generational phrases – dare I mention YOLO? – we have coined “Pics or it didn’t happen,” a tagline expressing how pictures and the documentation of events are the only proof that it occurred.

Of course, we photograph for the sake of remembering our experiences. But how many photographs are taken purely to gain the attention of others? Are we really sharing or merely showing off? Are we expressing true emotion or simply speaking to hear ourselves talk?

While social media allows us to engage and share our lives with others, it also interferes with our ability to be present and live in the moment.

I can count more than several instances in the past 24 hours where my conversation was limited because of phones buzzing with texts and notifications.

Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”

The scary thing is, this is already coming true.

The moments we take for granted or lose altogether because of our constant focus on sharing are precious. If your phone is buzzing while your best friend is speaking, let it buzz.

Oh and that sunset? Actually observe it. Let it be your own little slice-of-life moment.

We don’t want to be the generation known for being shallow about life because we were too busy tweeting about it to pay attention.

Anna Hodge is a freshman magazine journalism major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at ahodge@syr.edu and followed on Twitter at @annabhodge.

Published on February 14, 2013 at 3:00 am