Radiant Ginger

"Beam me up, George Lucas!" - The Terminator

The Reddit Machine

The typical social media platform dictates an objective to create honest social sharing. What actually occurs is a mix of media influence, advertising, and a dash of engagement. The honest sharing mantra has been thrown out for the prospect of growth. The power of social media is being used for evil. Then there’s Reddit; the site with bite. Not compromising has this the premiere platform for unaltered social media.

Communication, Honestly

The socially taboo is a specialty on Reddit. Debates over same-sex marriage, abortion, racism, politics, religion and more are commonplace. These forums are a safe space for users from all backgrounds to express themselves freely. Differing opinions are not only encouraged, they are celebrated.

Social Media for Social Good

The millennial generation has been known as that which would rather blog, tweet, or post about an issue than actually do something about it. As is usually the case, people need a catalyst. Reddit is that extra push.

Reddit received most of its press around the SOPA/ ACTA protesting. Turning off your site was a trend that caught on quick and made a huge impact. This platform spearheaded the movement and has been extremely outspoken on the subject.

Users have submitted stories about people suffering all over the world and Reddit has responded in big ways . A man in Africa who was brutally attacked after defending an orphanage was able to raise well over the amount needed to safeguard the building from future attacks.

The meme and .gif

To the average person these may seem like novel ways to have a giggle on Facebook. Any Redditor can (and will) tell you that these aren’t some fly-by-night development. Memes and .gifs have been digital comic relief for a couple years and now the rest of the world has caught on.

The meme and .gif are representative of the evolving culture of a digitally-centric 21st century. As these tools become more accessible comedic arts will evolve along with them. The Reddit Machine is leading a digital renaissance where graphic designers become painters, bloggers become scribes, and so forth.

Reddit is one of the few, true sources of un-doctored social media. The machine shows no signs of stopping as it consistently gains more influence in the digital landscape. This platform will be at the forefront of digital culture for years to come, so expect cats…lots of cats.

  1. radiantginger posted this