Remember these song lyrics?

I want you to want me.

I need you to need me.

I’d love you to love me.

Those words are from the song, I Want You to Want Me. In 1977 Cheap Trick was already summing up the hook that makes social media run.

We spend time posting things online because we want someone to hear us. We want to be wanted. When your tweet gets retweeted or your Facebook post gets “liked” it’s validation from someone else.

Every person runs a “racket”. A racket is the facade we all wear when we go out into the world. Deep beneath the surface, each one of us is a soft ball of goo. We’re sensitive and need human interaction. Unfortunately, humans have the innate ability to treat each other terribly. If you’ve ever been lied to, taken advantage of or yelled at, chances are you built a shell to keep your inner self protected. That shell became a racket.

When I was in high school, my racket was the “class clown”. As I got older it became “the deadhead”. It’s a character.

But the human need for connection to other humans didn’t go away. This new space provides human beings the ability to share themselves and still have a layer of protection. We’re social creatures by nature, and when we can get responses to our online content, it’s validation and it feels good. We need to be needed. Some of the most successful personalities online are also some of the most reclusive in real life. Funny how that works.

The next time you are on any of the social sites, be conscious of what you’re seeking, and also be sure to give that to others who are seeking the same thing.

via Cheap Trick Figured Out Social Media 30 Years Ago | justbrand.me.