If you're under the age of 25 it's pretty normal to not have to imagine your world without the heavy reliance of social media platforms. As a generation we remember our younger years of msn messenger, MySpace to now Facebook, Twitter and a long list of others I won't begin to try and list. With so many social media platforms today is it possible to feel more alone? With the idea of bringing people closer together how has it supposedly worked to do just the opposite?
I do remember the early part of my teenage life with very little care for the internet; we were too busy being out there, or wanting to be. Now we know more about people's ongoings and social media tweaked, diluted or exaggerated versions of themselves than ever before. We've access to a timeline of photos documenting their slightly more chubbier self to their Instagramed n pic-stitched replicas. But do we know these people? Or is it a medium for us to simply pry rather to engage and socialise? Would we dare 'meet up' more than hit the like, share or retweet buttons? Or are we all just a bit too comfortable and reliant on social media to give the illusion of our presence amongst our inner circle of friends whilst we work, study, travel or raise children?
Yes people are more tuned in to peoples thoughts, activities or where they've checked into recently, however a study in Australia showed that "42% of Australians who used an average of four methods of technology to communicate (SMS, Facebook, Twitter) were lonely compared with 11% of people who used only one" (ABC Health and Wellbeing, 2012).
Facebook has received constant criticism since launching as it single handedly changed social media forever. Jaron Lanier, a critic of Facebook and also one of the inventors of virtual-reality technology stated "I fear that we are beginning to design ourselves to suit digital models of us, and I worry about a leaching of empathy and humanity in that process". With this is mind, would it be fair to say we are drawn to uphold a somewhat picture perfect view of ourselves to showcase to the world via the internet. To present a sense of false happiness seamlessly avoiding our true feelings has become easier and easier as anything less may not be socially media acceptable. How many "likes" do you think a status update of 'I've realised social media makes me more lonely' would get compared to status quo alternatives?
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I agree, wholeheartedly.
ReplyDeleteDon't get me wrong, I think social media has its benefits, such as its use in necessary causes - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2149152/Facebook-appeals-living-kidney-donors-surprisingly-successful.html - (I'm aware the Daily Mail is shady, but the general point is there).
Plus, there's always the added benefit of the simple things: knowing where your favourite street food stall is going to be; finding out how ridiculously delayed your train's going to be today; or finding out when your favourite band is playing next.
I find it a drag, however, that it's dictating peoples lives to the point where it's felt that it's a necessity to share what one's doing, however trivial. Why invite your mates over for a barbecue when you can simply take a photo of your culinary accomplishment and post it on the web?
Sadly this, and the need to post for social acceptance, is far outweighing the benefits of such media. I therefore find it a bittersweet irony that something which is intrinsically built to connect people is infact pushing us further apart.