Words: 1098
Social Media: Necessity vs.. Nuisance “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand, they listen with the intent to reply (Stephen Convey). People view society as a lost cause: we rely so much on technology and social media that we lose Important values that make us unique and Ideal citizens of society. We’ve become so subconsciously narcissistic that we forget to take the time to understand someone else’s needs. Social media and technology has changed the way we interact with people because we center our lives around an imaginary world.
In that world, we post pictures of our breakfast on social media to see how many “likes” we can get instead of enjoying a meal and spending time with our mother. You may ask yourself, what is social media? Social media is the interaction among people in which they create, share, or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks (Wisped). Social media websites range from Twitter, Backbone. Mainstream, Linked, Google+, etc. And are all globally connected.
Society is moving forward and craving the latest and greatest in technology. To what extent is social media necessary? To some, social media Is a necessity and plays an Important part In one’s life because It Is their virtual Identity and Image. To others, It Is a nuisance that depreciates the meaning of life. We must find a common ground and truly understand how social media Impacts our lives. Social media allows people from all over the world to virtually interact with each other.
For many, this is a great step in implementing technology into our everyday lives. For others, it is absolute chaos because of the lack of privacy and the ignorance it entails. Twitter, a very popular social media website, has become a hotshot for communication and exploring breaking news articles from across the globe. Twitter also allows its users to see what is “trending” around the world and makes it easy for users to search for a specific topic and see what others are saying. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s convenient.
Previous generations did not have the accessibility of social media and were forced to conform to what they were taught and could not branch out to learn differently and connect with others who share common Interests. Before he ease of social media and the Internet, people were confined to sending letters and calling a number out of the phone book to satisfy their needs. In 2006, the Oxford dictionary introduced the term, “Google”, to Google, as a verb. When someone needs a question answered, one now says, “Oh let me Google it!
Society is becoming a freight train, adapting new technology to everyday life rapidly. Social media gives us a new outlook on life; people can express themselves and are exposed to different views and opinions that they can learn from and formulate our own thoughts on as ell. No longer is society suppressed from reality. People have a voice and are free to say what they want and share it with everyone. No longer can people be ignorant to the problems of the world. Social media has created a lost generation.
We have become so consumed with our Image and how people perceive us that we have forgotten what It means to be a teenager. We would rather sit In our room and Judge people behind our smartness or computers Instead AT going on a DIKe rare on a Delightful sunny cay. Social media has created narcissistic individuals who solely care about “rewets” and “favorites” on a 140-character text message seen by others and could care less if it was aimed to hurt someone, otherwise known as a “subtlest. Our youth has no feeling of shame or compassion towards people when it comes to social media. It is lowering grades, getting people fired, and affecting others instantly. Negative outcomes aren’t necessarily social media’s fault, but the user itself who influences others and the people who allow the actions of others to affect them. I have asked any of my friends on their feelings towards social media and many of them agree that it makes them feel an array of emotions by the things they see and read.
Intimidation sets in and we begin to feel excluded and assume things, which weakens relationships and friendships by the lack of trust and communication. For couples, seeing your significant other talk to and favorite the opposite sex’s “tweets” and pictures on Mainstream, a popular picture sharing application, can cause Jealousy and tension between you, the person, and your significant other. It too creates lack of rust and can ultimately lead to breaking up, or even a divorce if the arising issue is not fixed immediately.
It sounds silly, but it is a major problem in many young relationships. It is human nature to Jump to conclusion and assume, but you want to give someone the benefit of the doubt because we want to believe humans are not twisted and evil people. For me personally, social media has had both a positive and negative impact on my life. Knowing campus news or homework “tweeted” by your teacher is Just a click away leaves a peace of mind, but seeing the ignorant tweets of there and witnessing cyber bullying is appalling and irritating.
Students are actively trying to combat cyber bullying by creating anonymous accounts on Twitter that complement many students of both Livermore and Granddad High. These accounts, these students, are genuine people and want to make a difference in the world and I admire their effort. My generation needs to wake up and smell the roses, the world is not going to change itself and we need to set an example for others on how social media should be used. People are constantly looking for ways to improve their ivies and by implementing new technology, we are able to find a mutual standpoint.
Social media allows people all over the world to connect and share information and constantly learn new things to benefit them and grow as a person. With the wide availability and convenience of social media, we must create boundaries to prevent a flood of ignorance because in the long run, society will never truly be “done” with social media. We must educate ourselves in order to preserve the life we have in reality, not virtually inside a social media website.