Picture this: you’re at a family gathering; full of drama and gossips. Everyone is just enjoying the moment as it happens with the closest people in their life. Fast forward a few years, that’s gone.
You see friends & cousins reacting to your social media posts about the gathering. They were not there, or even if they were, you’d see them in the corner, grinning at their phones. Believe it or not, that’s the impact social media has had on us. Take my example for that matter.
As I’m on my desk, my family’s having fun downstairs, and I’m penning this article; continually switching from one social media app to another. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook… you get it. I can name a thousand such websites which are distancing me from my social life as we speak.
Here’s the irony:
They’re “social media applications” – designed to promote social interaction. But why does their sense of social make different sense than what it actually means? Social media websites offered people convenience. Who’d give away the chance to talk to their lovely friends who don’t reside in the same city as you? Or, perhaps they live in a different continent?
Well, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Let’s take it up a notch, and discuss the actual impacts of social media on our lives, next.
Impacts of Social Media On Our Lives
Time to shed some light on how these fantastic social media applications managed to crawl into our hands and made themselves comfortable up there. Tell me something: you’re a reasonably normal person; what do you do when you first open your eyes in the morning?
You take your phone from the side drawer you left it on last night when you were brutally scrolling your Facebook feeds. Checking your notifications, hoping someone remotely ‘your friend’ has left you a message. Well, that’s the start of your day. Feel anything wrong?
Unless you’re a famous, trendy figure on one of these social media apps, you might get what I actually mean here. You’re always running after something so virtual; it’s never going to make sense. We’re distancing ourselves from our friends, families, and all modes of social interaction.
Not to mention; the depression these applications bring with them. But, that’s a different story… Let’s take a look at the actual pros and cons of using social media!
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Pros and Cons of Social Media
Believe me when I say this; depression is not the only negative from your time on social media. Before we move on, I’m not against social media here. Technological evolutions of this era are beyond amazing, and no one can deny those. For that matter, here’s a list of some of the pros of social media:
Convenience
You could talk to anyone, anywhere. Just call your friend right now and chat for hours without actually being there.
Memories
The pictures you so gladly share on your feeds? Unless these media websites get taken down in the future, it is highly likely your data is always going to be protected, and forever yours to indulge in the past.
Real-time Discoveries:
Your cousin just passed her exam. Your father’s having a blast at his friend’s party. See? You’re always up to date with what’s happening in the world. Be it in your neighborhood or somewhere far, far away.
Enjoyment
It’s fun to be so close to your friends all the time, even if you’re on your summer break or just taking a minute off of work.
That’s the good part of the social media. No social media website would want you to actually face the facades they control on the back. Here are the cons of social media our affected minds can’t easily understand:
Depression
You’re always going to want to achieve something someone in your friend list has. Unless you have great control over yourself, you’re likely going to feel offended at your inability to lead the same life. That distances you from the blessings you already have and makes you ungrateful.
Draws Valuable Time
Does your phone show statistics on how long did an application run in a single day? I won’t be relating you here, but my own social media application stats were off the charts once. We’re all so into this technology that our subconscious minds can’t help the urge to open the application. Students can study better; office workers can perform better; the use cases are endless.
Cyberbullying
You can’t help the fact; everything you do, or see, that’s public. Anyone can view, comment on your status or your opinion, and be as rude as the person wants to be. This demoralizes you and sets a bad picture of yourself in your head. Even if your family member pokes a small joke at you, you’ll feel offended.
Addiction
All sorts of addictions are wrong. You can’t merely say using social media apps regularly isn’t an addiction – it most certainly is.
The list doesn’t end. Unhealthy sleep patterns, fear of being antisocial, and negative body image are just some more to say. Amidst this run against finding the perfect thing on our social media platform, we let go of people who actually care for us, nurture us, and love us dearly – our friends and family.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been following this article, you do know we’re in this dilemma together. It’s not just you or me; it’s everyone who’s ever held a smartphone. You can only repel its effects if you’re actually so dedicated to your roots that you prefer your authentic values rather than chasing a virtual dream.
It’s simple – if you’re seeking a social out of this bubble that you’re currently residing in, limit yourself. Indulge in better activities, socialize with people in your real life, meet your friends in the park, take them out to dinners, whatever gets your mind going without picking up the phone. It’s for the better, and you’ll see the change in your behavior yourself!
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