Social media connects masses of people with similar interests across vast geographical distances. In our technological society, social media has become so ubiquitous that many people are not fully aware of how it can shape attitudes across the globe.

Recently it was revealed that the U.S. Government was involved in a clandestine effort to harness the power of social media and create social unrest in Cuba. Social media played a large part in the social upheaval in the Middle East that became known as The Arab Spring.

It seems that our government is aware of how social media can shape society and planned to use it for that specific purpose.

On a smaller scale, social media also shapes our local world. Often while browsing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other sites I come across members of our community who for one reason or another feel the need to complain openly about residents, businesses or organizations within our populace.

Often this type of complaining is one-sided and does not help to uplift the people we live and work with. Attitudes are contagious, and negativity spreads like wildfire.

No one is going to speak good things about our neck of the woods if we can’t. If we don’t seek to hold Warren County up as a great place to live, work and play, then who will?

Our corner of Mississippi is a great place, and there are many things that make it unique and special that only we can verify to others outside our area.

Just like we need our city and county governments to work together, we also need to work together. We need to promote our community in a way that will encourage growth and investment. We all live and work in our community and want the best for our home.

The city needs the county and the county needs the city to grow, but both need positive engaged residents in order to advance our community.

If people that we are friends with outside our neighborhoods see us bickering and hurling insults at one another, what does that say about the places we live and work?

The next time you feel the need to send a negative tweet, post or photo, take a second and think about the reach it will have and how it can or will affect our community.

If you were face-to-face with that person, would you verbalize those things? Remember there is always more than one side to a story and would you rather be a part of the problem or part of the solution?

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Paul Barry is the managing editor and can be reached by email at paul.barry@vicksburgpost.com or by phone at 601-636-4545 ext. 123.