Positive impacts of social networking
| Subject: | 📡 Media |
| Type: | Informative Essay |
| Pages: | 4 |
| Word count: | 1190 |
| Topics: | 🤳 Social Media, Communication, Facebook, Social Networking |
essay ASAP?
Technology has provided the contemporary humanity with different opportunities of which one of the significant possibilities is improved social networking. As of currently Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other networking sites have become embedded into people’s social life, defining behavior and how they free spend time. To some, the negative impacts are conspicuous, but they fail to appreciate the good that has come with social networking. Hence, this argument maintains that microblogging through Twitter are giving people a sense truly expressively themselves while possibilities like dating, improved connectivity and communication, and at best, giving people the opportunities for micro-fame to feel good about themselves.
The positive side or effects of microblogging has been outlined or identified by Manjoo when discussing the prospects and possibilities brought about by Twitter, which to a greater extent, is part of the microblogging community. An advantage is that social networks have taken over the corporate environment with many businesses currently using the platforms to advertise and even post job vacancies (Manjoo, par. 8). Therefore, spending the few days on Twitter is worthwhile because to a greater extent, a jobless person following, say a tweet from McDonald seeing a job vacancy can apply and get employed. For companies with significantly large fans, sites like Twitter have helped few of the people to find jobs. However, the only dangers of microblogging is that to a greater extent, there are always problems or issues with expressing one’s thoughts to strangers, but as long as one is okay and not worried about the horrors of have his or her feelings read by the public or strangers, social networking is a means of expressing views and opinions and contributing to the current debates. In supporting twitter or microblogging, Caroline McCarthy, referred to the growing trend in Twitter’s popularity, which was 310 million at the beginning of 2016 but as at 2017, the number has grown to 328 million. The reasons, as she puts, is that the stream-of-consciousness evident in micro-blogging allows individuals to view one another in a way more true-to-form in comparison to the curated nature of a bog, Instagram or Facebook post. Hence, microblogging offers the change for expressing true identities when expressing ideas and opinions which to a greater extent provide a profound sense of higher self-esteem.
Another critical and positive impact of social networking is that has improved connectivity and communication among friends. The social sites like Facebook or Myspace are currently exploding in popularity and as such, drawing as many users into their use or adoption every day. By creating profiles, linking to friends, posting photos, messaging and updating people about the daily activities, the sites have become a means of easy communication and linking up with friends (Lee par. 2). In essence, communicating with friends through the web is another and constructive way of spending time online, which to a greater extent, shows the positive impacts or side of social media. On the other hand, the positive effect of social networking is currently being debated as to the extent it is bringing about social fatigue on users or people. As of now, a person is bombarded with many requests, messages and the daily routines of keeping track with friends. Conversely, Lee argues that this depends, because, for instance, teenagers are at the critical age when they need to find and form social cycles, especially establishing new ties when joining college. It is the same as the older generation, those above 30 years who are moving on since they have more to attend to in life. For instance, Lee reports the fall in the social networking site following, especially Facebook’s audience dropping from 8.7 million to a surprising 7.8 million and MySpace dropping from 49.2 million to a worrying 47.2 million(Lee par. 5). In the real sense, depending on the age or stage in life, social networking connects and improves communication between and among people hence brings about positive effects although this should be balanced with the fatigue that comes with engaging or communicating on the sites. The dropping following of social networking means that a group of generation is leaving the bracket while new ones (teens and those between 20 and 30 years) and joining the networking sites.
Another positive impact of social networking is how it has created possibilities for dating. Most of the people who seek online or web dating have challenges because of their status, say short, but with online dating, they have the chance to meet partners. Although studies have reported that people lie a lot, they also indicate that fabrication is minimal and from a social perspective, lying can be considered “a social lubricant” thus part of life (E. McCarthy par. 9). Hence, with the interweaving of the dating sites into the social networking sites like Facebook, lying will be decreased, and people will get more chance to find partners. Essentially, social networking sites are currently connecting people and as such, presenting more possibilities in a busy and dynamic world where people have no time to attend social functions.
Accordingly, the most considerable success or achievement from social networking is giving people the opportunities and chances of becoming or being famous. Social networking has brought about a new era of people being famous, and as such, to some, it is improving their self-esteem. For instance, from Interprise poll in 2000, the results of the survey revealed that around 50 percent of the kids below 12 years believed that becoming or being famous is an embedded aspect of the American Dream, also confirmed from a survey on British children that confirmed that around 5 and 10 children agreed that being famous is the best thing in the world (Chaudhry par. 15). Therefore, social networking sites are providing people with the opportunities to feel good about themselves especially when they are praised from the pictures uploaded, videos shared or even the tweets posted. In this case, social networking sites are presenting people with the best opportunities to feel famous, which is an aspect or element of the teenage and younger adult life.
In conclusion, with social media, people have gotten the chance of expressing their true views to the world, mainly through microblogging. Another consideration is that improved connectivity and communication bonds people and makes individuals develop close relationships. Online dating for those who are disadvantaged or too busy to attend social functions is helping out people to find their spouses. Lastly, people admire and adore fame since it makes them feel good which they get through social networking.
- Chaudhry, Lakshmi. “Mirror, mirror on the Web.” p. 157-163. 11 Jan 2007. 3 November 2017.
- Lee, Ellen. “Social sites are becoming too much of a good thing.” p. 152-155. November 6, 2006. Web. 3 November 3, 2017.
- Manjoo Farhad. “Do I really have to join Twitter ” p. 148- 150. 10 April 2009. Web. 3 November 2017.
- McCarthy Caroline. “In defense of Twitter.” p. 150-151. 1 September 2017. Web. 3 November 2017.
- McCarthy Ellen. “Oh, what a tangled online dating web we weave.” 155-157. 20 Dec 2009. Web. 3 November 3, 2017.
Offered for reference purposes only.