#connected

If the hash-tag were a person it would surely have been the unpopular kid in school that no one really took any notice of and then, years later, grow up to become one of the most well known influential people in the world earning thousands of dollars a minute like Bill Gates.  

Where did this phenomenon come from? This symbol that at one point in time was only used as the lazy persons replacement for the word 'number' and barely received any recognition in comparison to it's counterparts 'exclamation mark' and 'ampersand'. All of a sudden, sometime in the new millennium after being around for aeons before that, this once neglected key was now appearing on Twitter feeds, Facebook feeds and Instagram worldwide, launching to fame quicker than Justin Bieber. 

There's probably not a person out there who at one point in time didn't question why, when or where the hash-tag came from. In fact, in the beginning it was not so well received by users and has only now started to gain worldwide momentum seven years after it was first originated. The official use of the hash-tag is to assist in categorising content used on social media. It works by making a connection between the word that proceeds the hash-tag and any other like words posted on any other social media platforms. e.g. a #connect will match any other #connect's in the world wide web.

Using hash-tags for specific topics can become quite useful and save users a lot of time searching through pages and pages of content, however I believe the hash-tag has a more significant meaning - it connects people. 

It is a symbol that represents connection in an era where the world is more connected than it has ever been throughout it's entire existence. One symbol has allowed millions of people around the world to share their stories, gain knowledge of what's important to them, find information on subjects or issues affecting their countries or cities. People have been able to find connections with others, they have been able to understand that they are not suffering alone and that maybe somewhere in this huge world someone out there has been through the same experiences as they have. 

I talk about being in a world where we are more connected than ever, however ironically, in this same world we are more disconnected than ever. We are in a world where our digital connection outshines our physical one. We are so tied to routine and driven by the hands of time that the only physical connections we maintain are in our immediate social circles. We often put the effort to explore outside these social circles in the 'too difficult' basket. We look at the people outside these circles like weird strangers with a hidden agenda. Little do we know that out there in this world full of individuals just like us there are people who can add value to our lives in many ways, we just need to let them in.

Fundamentally all humans value connection which is why the hash-tag is such an important symbol in today's era. It's time to open up to the world around us, speak to a person you usually wouldn't speak to, follow a hash-tag connection, create a hash-tag connection and network with like minded individuals, for it's within the connection of individuals that real social change can happen. 

It's time to get #connected.