Plato and Conversation

Plato wrote his works in the form of conversations.  He felt that the full meaning of a statement couldn't be understood until it was challenged, questioned, clarified, etc. by another person.  Just as Plato employed human conversation as a way to more clearly define his points, people can use social media (which might be looked at as a gigantic conversation) to more clearly understand or define themselves.  As humans, we understand we are funny only by having people laugh at us, we understand we are talented at writing only when we share a piece and get positive reactions to it, we understand we are worthwhile because people interact with us and pay attention to what we do.  Hopefully we can all have inner understanding of who we are without a need for constant reassurance, but outside reassurance is a large part of how we understand ourselves as human beings, and get to know our strengths and weaknesses.  Plato might see good social media as a large conversation that can help us to more fully define or understand ourselves and become familiar with our strengths and weaknesses.  This also means that the authenticity of what one puts on social media would largely impact the authenticity of the self-image one forms from it.  I think the best social media would not only promote self-expression but authentic self-expression so as to help us best come to understand ourselves.