SONGSOPTOK : The internet revolution has deeply impacted our modern society
that can be compared to the discovery of electricity. Today we can’t think of
the internet without the social media. When and how did you first discover the
social media?
EUNICE BARBARA: I discovered social media in 1999. At first it
was yahoo. Groups. Then in the early 2000, Friendster became the trend and of
course I registered. I learned from these through a news feature. But when I
was studying Master’s Degree at the University of the Philippines, most were
using Facebook because it was more user friendly. So, in 2008, I was already in
Facebook and started posting quotes, non-sense things, my political views and
eventually I started writing notes in one of its application. In 2014, I
started using twitter through the prodding of my then 12 year old daughter,
Karina.
SONGSOPTOK : As far as interpersonal relationships are concerned, the power
of the social media today is undeniable, allowing us to communicate in real
time across the globe. What is your opinion about this? What are its advantages
& disadvantages?
EUNICE BARBARA:
As I’ve said the social media, where I am actively participating are
Facebook and Twitter. Facebook is an advantage to me because I was able to
connect with long lost friends and relatives. I also use it to communicate to
my son who is in the Philippines.
Facebook is also my way of interviewing people whom I featured in Global
Pinoy, a section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer where I am a regular
contributor. In Twitter, it is advantageous to me because I can easily connect
with government official who helps the migrants like me. He answers in twitter
first before emailing confidential details. When it comes to disadvantages,
there are lots. People got fired because of posts; some friends “unfriended”
you because they are offended by your posts.
Posting pictures is also a disadvantage specially, in compromising
situations. Even if you deleted your posts and pictures, someone out there
could screen capture those and repost these on various social media.
SONGSOPTOK : We have noticed that social media has become a powerful vector
for personal expression and creativity, because we no longer need the approval
or approbation to publish. Our creativity has found a new channel for
addressing a global audience. What is your opinion about this?
EUNICE BARBARA:
Personal expression like photos,
images, quotes and other rants are okay unless these do not cross the boundary
between the ethical and moral. For the young people, it is a way to express
themselves freely. Thus, it is important for parents to monitor their
kids. There are many people who are
discovered because of the social media. Like for example, a poor young girl
singing was videotaped, posted in Facebook and it became viral, until the girl
was discovered and eventually joined a national singing contest in the
Philippines and won. Social media can make or “unmake” us.
SONGSOPTOK : In this context, it is also true that any and everybody today
can claim to be a writer, a poet, or an artist on any number of social media.
We no longer have a standard for appreciating true talent – a role that was
played by editors or different types of experts. What is you point of view? Do
you think that the power of social media have served to create more charlatans
than proper artists?
EUNICE BARBARA:
A blogger is not a writer. But a writer can be a blogger. I am a writer
since the advent of social media and I received rejection slips. My works were
edited. There are lots of trashes in the internet, bloggers posing as
intellectuals but if you read them, you would find out that they just copied
their “intellectual rants” somewhere! Even in posting beautiful or interesting
photographs, many stole the works of others and some created stories out of it,
simply because they wanted recognition as a writer. One example of this is the
photo of Graham Levery in Vietnam with a poor-looking kitten on his boots. This
photo became viral with tear-jerking stories, until such time Levery explained
that he could not take the kitten with him in the US and just let fate take
care of it.
SONGSOPTOK : Would you say that the social media has contributed to bringing
societies and cultures across the globe closer? If not, what can be done to
make it a more powerful tool?
EUNICE BARBARA:
Indeed it’s true. I learned a lot
from other cultures from chatting with friends from all over the globe.
Although many of my foreign friends are my personal friends even outside
Facebook, they share issues and trends in their countries which I find
interesting so I share it to the public.
Facebook or the internet makes our world smaller and closer, albeit, it
also causes rift between the people who do not respect each other’s
diversities. Facebook is an effective
tool when calling for protest actions and campaigns that eventually lead to
positive changes.
SONGSOPTOK : Would you say that in general the users of social media are
actually aware of its potential, both in the positive and negative sense? In
other words, do you think that the average user is aware of the possible reach
of social media and the consequences it may have? What is your own experience?
EUNICE BARBARA:
In my own experience, I even advised many of my friends to take down
their posts which are “too personal or offensive”. In fact, a lot of people
rely on Facebook or other social media to express their disgusts, angsts,
frustrations and even disagreements with family members. Social media is now a
tool to express ourselves, negatively or positively. I think they know how
powerful is the social media, but then, to many who do not have anybody to talk
to or leading a double life, they somewhat think that their posts do not reach
the other side of the world. One time, out of frustration because my son was
not communicating with me, I posted on his wall “KARL, CALL ME OR ELSE I WILL
CUT YOUR ALLOWANCE!” Then after a while, I was back to my senses and deleted
it.
SONGSOPTOK : Social media is often considered to be a true reflection of
human society. What is your opinion? How would you evaluate the image you see
today in the context of the society you live in? How true or false is the
reflection?
EUNICE BARBARA:
In the Philippine context,
although I now live in Thailand, social media is a microcosm of our society.
There you can find the intellectuals, the pseudo-intellectuals and the
stupidest people. It is a virtual society where we mingled. Like in the real world,
social media create animosity, and friendship. In the real society, we laugh
and cry, and it’s true in social media.
SONGSOPTOK : The advent and the trivialization of social media is today’s
society seem to be have erased the difference between virtual and real. Would
you agree? What is you own experience?
EUNICE BARBARA:
Yes. Many people I know brought
their disagreement from social media to their personal lives to the point of
confronting each other and sometimes lead to intervention of the law. In my
experience, I feel like living in a dual world.
Facebook is another world for me where I could believe what the people
or the posts. And then the reality where I am just an ordinary teacher. My
Facebook account is very private. So only few friends could take a peek of my
life in Facebook. But wait, I am inspired by many stories in Facebook. Famous people in the literary scene became my
friends and even outside of Facebook I tried to connect to them by sending
simple remembrance that I do exist in real life.
SONGSOPTOK : In your opinion, has social media contributed to breaking down
of traditional rules of social relationships? In what way? How would you
analyze the impact of social media in this context?
EUNICE BARBARA:
Yes, definitely. But it also
depends on the person.. Relationship is
a relative thing. I have a friend in Facebook who could tell his/her problems
to me and I also have friends whom I have not met personally, but I can freely
talk about my feelings and angst to them. Social relationship evolves and its
evolution includes social media.
SONGSOPTOK : Do you believe that social media can play a constructive role
for world peace and unity? Or on the contrary play a totally negative role by
fuelling existing conflicts between nations and communities?
EUNICE BARBARA:
We have experienced the Occupy
Wall Street, Occupy these place and that. Social media bring people together in
one goal because it can reach worldwide audience in real time. Again, social
media is a tool also to fuel conflicts between races. For example there are
Facebook groups making tirades to Filipinos or anti-Chinese sentiments, that
even in the real society they could feel hatred to certain ethnicity or
communities.
SONGSOPTOK : How effective can be the role of social media as a tool of
protest and action against all sorts of social ills and injustices?
EUNICE BARBARA:
In my experience our Facebook
group launched the 100% Brownout Free Occidental Mindoro Campaign. For 20 years
we have experiencing brownouts in our province in Occidental Mindoro. Then we
use the power of social media to launch it. At first it was just laughed off by
the local officials, but then media is more powerful. Now, our campaign already
reach the President, the Senate and the Congress, and even the Energy Secretary
visited our province; much to the chagrin of those who disapproved of our
campaign.
SONGSOPTOK : Lastly, we would like to know the impact of social media, if
any, in your own life. What kind of journey has it been? What are your own
expectations about the evolution of social media?
EUNICE BARBARA:
For six years, social media is a part of my life. This is where
I find respondents for my feature articles. I debated with ordinary and the
intellectuals in certain issues. I found friends, real friends although we have
not met. But you know, some people have this strong attachment to each other
even far away. Some of my Facebook friends already visited us here in Thailand.
Whenever I have time, I try to meet those “close friends” in Facebook. Social media made my circle bigger; it made
my world a little bit exciting. For years to come, social media would make us
one or divide us. Social media is a
tool, but it is not “life”.
EUNICE BARBARA C. NOVIO: POET AND
WRITER.
LECTURER AT VONGCHAVALITKUL UNIVERSITY
IN NAKHON RATCHASIMA THAILAND.
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