Are people forgetting their real lives because of the virtual life offered by social media?

‘Social media’ is the term the millennial is most familiar with. It is the most dependable instrument for communication now-a-days. Not only in the field of communication, social media has left a deep impact in the fields of education, business, entertainment and so on. This argumentative essay looks at social media through an analytical prism. This essay throws a little focus on the benefits of social media, but major parts of this essay highlights the argument how social media is disconnecting people from their real lives. Hence, the purpose of this study is to throw lights on different roles played by social media in our lives. The thesis statement of this essay focuses on the argument that social media is disconnecting people from their real lives. This main argument is supported by two logical reasons. There is a counterargument which is again supported by two logical reasons. Finally, there is conclusion section which sums up the entire content and a provides a concluding statement.

It is true with the advancement of science; social media emerged as a virtual platform of communication and transcends all the geographical as well as the technical barriers to communication. The attractive features offered by social media is making the life of the mass faster, easier and full of fun. Social media has become the ‘virtual best friend’ to people who feel lonely. It does not only allow people to transcend their boundaries and mix with the world, but also makes them aware of the current affairs. According to experts, people now-a-days are more dependent on social media as compared to their own family members, which is interrupting their real-life communication.

Argument 1:

Social media is disconnecting people from their real lives:

Logical and clear reasons 1:

According to Hawi et al. (2017), the attractive pots on Facebook, twitter, Instagram LinkedIn, enhance the engagement of people with different social media platforms. People of every age, especially teenagers get engrossed in the attractive posts as well as all these amazing features provided by different social media platform. This deep engagement turns into social media addiction. Most of the people now-a-days spend maximum amount of time over social networking sites, YouTube channels. They keep on scrolling down to their profile, watching YouTube videos even when they are with their family. According to van den Eijnden et al. (2016), social media are flooded with news or posts which makes teen-ager, social media lovers excited every moment. Sometimes all of this exciting news are not true, but the illusionary effects created by social media collapse their power of reasoning and they start believing whatever social media offers them[1]. Thus, they become addicted to social media. They are unable to find out that kind of excitement in real life which they are able to find out in their virtual life as reality do not offer us fake excitements[2]. Hence, then start ignoring the reality. This is the reason they do not interact with their real friends and family. According to Andreassen et al. (2017), often teen agers are reluctant to understand their emotional attachment with their parents and real friends. In fact, Eijnden et al. (2016), argue that, the illusion created by social media is destroying emotional attachment of people with their family and friends and disconnecting people from their real lives

Logical and clear reasons 2:

According to psychologists, different social media platforms summon people, with exciting features, people can play games, gossip in live video chats, ask their friends’ for on live chats while shopping. The main reason behind this is to grab more and more viewers as well as account holders. In order to be successful to capture users, they flourish their websites with instigating and impulsive contents. This is casting a deep negative impact on human psychology. As a result, people are suffering from impulse control disorder, the effect of which is similar to the effects of using intoxicating drugs[3]. According to Andreassen et al. (2017), people of every age, especially teenagers are becoming excessively dependent on social media. This is harming them as drug addiction, as they start perceiving that the kind of peace or satisfaction, they receive from their engagement with social media cannot be received from anywhere[4]. According to Hawi et al. (2017), they become restless if there if they are unable to view their social media profiles for more than 5minutes. Social media addiction also give birth to self-obsession, selfishness. As a consequence of all these people are reluctant to interact face to face with their near and dear

ones. According to Eijnden et al. (2016), often social media addicted people find its difficult to conduct face to face interaction. This is the reason why they surround themselves with virtual friends instead of their real friends and families. Thus, social media is disconnecting people from their real lives.

Counterargument:

Social media is basically attaching people with their real lives more deeply

Elderly people of families are trying to learn skills to use social media from the young generation which is bringing them closer. Also, school friends can have a reunion over social media even if they are far from each other. People staying away from their families are able to see their family members over live chat on Facebook or video call using Google Duo. Long distance relationship and marriages are surviving over social media interaction. Hence experts consider social media a new platform to be close to our near and dear ones.

Logical and clear reasons 1:

Allcott, Hunt et al. (2019), argues that, social media is actually bringing people close to each other. In order to cope with the fast pace of digital life both the young and older generation are inclined to social media. Thus, social media is bringing the younger and older members of a family closer. Kim, consider that, in case of studies, students can easily contact with their professor or tutors over social media ask them for help or clear their doubts, even if, they are unable to attend lecture due to illness[5]. Students can keep contact with their favorite teacher or professor over social media even after their education was over. School or college friends can conduct reunion over social media, even if they are not in the same city or country. Hence, social media is attaching people with their real lives.

Logical and clear reasons 2:

Kim et al. (2016), argues that, social media is the most essential part of the lives of people who have to live far from their family because of their occupation of studies. Social media has brought them the opportunity to keep in touch with their families, enjoy beautiful moments with them through video chat. People are able to maintain long distance relationship due to social media. Not only friendship, even marriages are happening over social media Thus social media is a boon to the world which has connected us deeply with our near and dear ones[6]. People are able to protect their relationships with their family, spouse, transcending the limitation of distance, due to social media. Hence, social media is attaching people with their real lives.

                Hence, in the conclusion it can be said that, social media has both positive and negative impacts on the real lives of human beings. People need to balance their virtual and real life in a way so that the benefits of the social media can be enjoyed the most.

References

Allcott, Hunt, et al. The Welfare Effects of Social Media. No. w25514. National Bureau of Economic Research, 2019.

Andreassen, Cecilie Schou, Ståle Pallesen, and Mark D. Griffiths. “The relationship between addictive use of social media, narcissism, and self-esteem: Findings from a large national survey.” Addictive behaviors 64 (2017): 287-293

Hawi, Nazir S., and Maya Samaha. “The relations among social media addiction, self-esteem, and life satisfaction in university students.” Social Science Computer Review 35.5 (2017): 576-586.

Kim, Yonghwan, Yuan Wang, and Jeyoung Oh. “Digital media use and social engagement: How social media and smartphone use influence social activities of college students.” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 19.4 (2016): 264-269.

van den Eijnden, Regina JJM, Jeroen S. Lemmens, and Patti M. Valkenburg. “The social media disorder scale.” Computers in Human Behavior 61 (2016): 478-487.

[1] Hawi, Nazir S., and Maya Samaha. “The relations among social media addiction, self-esteem, and life satisfaction in university students.” Social Science Computer Review 35.5 (2017): 576-586.

[2] van den Eijnden, Regina JJM, Jeroen S. Lemmens, and Patti M. Valkenburg. “The social media disorder scale.” Computers in Human Behavior 61 (2016): 478-487.

[3] Andreassen, Cecilie Schou, Ståle Pallesen, and Mark D. Griffiths. “The relationship between addictive use of social media, narcissism, and self-esteem: Findings from a large national survey.” Addictive behaviors 64 (2017): 287-293

[4] van den Eijnden, Regina JJM, Jeroen S. Lemmens, and Patti M. Valkenburg. “The social media disorder scale.” Computers in Human Behavior 61 (2016): 478-487.

[5] Allcott, Hunt, et al. The Welfare Effects of Social Media. No. w25514. National Bureau of Economic Research, 2019.

[6] Kim, Yonghwan, Yuan Wang, and Jeyoung Oh. “Digital media use and social engagement: How social media and smartphone use influence social activities of college students.” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 19.4 (2016): 264-269.