Pope Francis touched on a number of important world issues during his historic U.S. tour – from climate change, to Europe’s migrant crisis. But on Sunday, the Pope used his platform to warn people about how social media is changing our attitude towards friendship.
While speaking to an audience of American bishops at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Pennsylvania, the pontiff spoke out against today’s so-called consumerist culture.
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“I would dare say that at the root of so many contemporary situations is a kind of radical loneliness that so many people live in today,” Francis said in front of an audience of American bishops at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Pennsylvania.
“Running after the latest fad, a ‘like,’ accumulating followers on any of the social networks. And we, human beings, get caught up in what contemporary society has to offer.”
Francis himself is quite active on social media, with over seven million Twitter followers. In 2014, he was named the most influential person on Twitter by public relations firm Burson-Marsteller.
But despite his strong social media presence, the Pope blamed social media for a lack of close personal relationships.
“There is no longer that close personal relationship. Today’s culture seems to encourage people to not bond with anything or anyone,” said the Pope. “The most important thing today seems to be to follow the latest trend or activity.”
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