Tuesday 27 September 2011

Social Media; Helping or Hindering Us?

We are all aware of the benefits of social media through prominent examples such as Facebook and Twitter. People are able to reunite with friends they haven't talked to in years, companies are able to broadcast a message to a following of people, fans are able to keep track of their interests, and so on. Society prospers from the social networking sites available to us... or so we think.


As society modernizes rapidly, so do the social media applications we use. It was once MySpace, Bebo, and Habbo Hotel. In my case it was all about Neopets. Now it is Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, WordPress, Twitter, LinkedIn, the list goes on and on.


Most people these days will say social media is a wonderful invention; I can even go as far as to say some people are addicted to social media applications. However, they are only as wonderful depending on how we use them.


Kids born in the 21st century have grown up in a very technologically advanced world. Therefore, using social media applications comes nearly second hand to them. However, what doesn't come second hand to them is actual socializing in the real world.


When I talk about "them" I am referring to Generation Z, which I am a member of. So I know first hand, when you're in a room full of new people, rather than walking over to introduce yourself, you immediately whip out your cellphone to send a BBM, check your Facebook or Twitter, play a quick game of Brick Breaker, or review your photo album in which you've already scanned over 10 times that day.


Rather than making a connection with anyone, we isolate ourselves by jumping on the nearest social media app. This is one habit we all know we do, and see happening numerous times. Although we know these applications are great, we need to get back into the habit of face to face socializing rather than face to screen socializing.


My question to you as readers is do YOU think social media is making our society anti-social?












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