Social Media Craze Essay Sample
Social media is an unavoidable part of modern life. It has become a fundamental, and often necessary, a way for people to connect with one another. Social media can be used as a tool for public discourse and the exchange of ideas and information, but it also has many drawbacks that need to be considered before using it.
Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram give users the ability to share their lives with others in real-time through pictures or videos posted online. These posts may range from personal milestones like weddings or graduations to mundane activities such as eating breakfast at home or going on vacation abroad.
Social media has rapidly become a part of people’s daily life and they find it difficult to deal with the craze for this medium.
People spend most of their time on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. instead of interacting with the people around them in real life. The obsession with social media is seen to be disrupting social interaction in the outside world. People have adopted online means of communication through email and messaging services so much so that they have given up face-to-face interaction which is detrimental to society at large. It is said that “the reality is likely to be a bit more complex”.
In spite of this, social media seems to have its advantages.It helps in maintaining long distance relationships and also plays a role in recruiting new business connections. As people spend less time outside their homes, they are not likely to meet the wrong type of people who may harm them physically or psychologically.
According to Gargiulo (2010), “online networking sites could be used as electronic support groups for those having experienced traumatic events.”
However, online interaction can adversely affect relationships between parents and children. They tend to use texting services instead of talking face-to-face with each other. Also, this medium is used for cyberbullying in which people are harassed through online messages and emails.
People have become so preoccupied with social media that they tend to ignore their physical appearances. They prioritise their virtual life over real life which has an adverse effect on their mental health because one cannot maintain a healthy mind without physical exercise and outdoor activities. People also tend to share information about themselves on the internet such as family background or diagnosis of a disease without thinking how it could affect other people around them.
There is a growing number of people suffering from internet addiction disorder(IAD) due to the excessive use of social media. Excessive social media usage is also found to be associated with negative psychological well-being.
Thus overall it can be concluded that there are both good and bad effects of social media on people’s lives. It is important to control the craze for this medium in order to lead a happier life.
All said and done, it could be concluded that while there are advantages of using social media, its drawbacks will certainly outweigh them if not dealt with properly. The addiction towards using these sites has to be curbed for a happy and healthy life.