I believe that social media is used in modern times as a way to show off. People post pictures of how they look or what they are doing. They want to show how they have an exciting life and how they are so busy or popular. The initial intent for social media was to keep people connected, and it was a way for people to keep in touch with those that they do not see on a regular basis. Now, social media is all about looking perfect and creating an image of an ideal life for others to see. Social media has become less about personal relationships and more about looks or making people jealous. People use social media to judge and laugh at others; whether it is behind their backs or directly on their posts. Social media has become a place where people can look exactly how they want, even if they look or act very different in real life. In my opinion social media is less of an inviting place for people to socialize and more of a place where people have to meet the high standards of others' expectations.
-Mikaela Vail
-Mikaela Vail
Hey, just a heads up but you need to put your name at the end of your post because weirdly the blog doesn't do it for you automatically.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with what you said about how social media has lost its original meaning, to connect people across the world. In fact, I think current social media sites now endorse that kind of activity as seen in their systems. I'm not very in touch with it nowadays, but what is the purpose of streaks, of likes, and of trophies other than to make the user feel good about themselves?
ReplyDeleteSocial media is a tricky subject. You're right. Many people use social media to post about the positive aspects of their day because, in the end, they want to reflect on the things, ideas, or people that they, like others, enjoy seeing. However, I think that celebrities and other important figures should be more aware of what they post because, like you said, it can create a false sense of reality. When these people post endlessly about their good experiences, and rarely their bad ones, it has the power of teaching young people that their lives should be perfect and that people rarely get sad, angry, or even depressed. However, it is also saddening that people in these positions often feel the need to post positive, happy pictures even when they don't feel that way. It creates what is known in psychology as a cognitive dissonance: where one's actions and behaviors do not reflect their thoughts or attitudes. On the other hand, I can see how someone would not want to post a picture of their "ugly cry face" for all their friends and family to see. Ultimately, social media can be seen as a positive resource as long as it is used in a positive manner.
ReplyDeleteMany people use social media as a way to brag and want others to be envious of them. Referring to what Nene discussed about celebrities, people feel as though they need to live up to those expectations. Celebrities post unrealistic pictures of their bodies, ideas, or just their life in general. Some people may not be affected by this, but young kids who idolize these celebrities are impacted. When they look at their role models post, this could result in them being unhappy about their own life. Many people will refer to other peoples post as "goals", which is exactly what the user wants. There is no harm in them being able to feel good about themselves, however, some people rely on social media as their only way to gain self-confidence.
ReplyDeleteSocial media is used by lots of people in today's society and there are different uses for it. I agree with you and it's true that most people use social media platforms to show off what they have and then I also agree with Nene when she says that social media users post the positive things throughout their day. Social media can be a good thing that can become a bad thing based on how you use it. It can be used to affect people's feelings and can possibly affect their lives based on what you post whether it be about them or not. People can also become addicted to social media since they might constantly be checking who posts something, who comments on their picture, how many views and likes you get, the list can go on. Social media can still be part of people's lives but can affect it based on how they use it.
ReplyDeleteSocial media does carry several advantages like being able to quickly communicate with people, but it can also have disadvantages depending on the way it is used. For example, lots of people voice their opinions on their page, but it can get out of hand as other people disagree, especially if you're posting something to directly target at someone else. I agree with your point on how many people use social media to show off their "exciting life" because nowadays, whenever people hang out or do something interesting, they are mainly focused on capturing a good picture to post instead of actually living in the moment.
ReplyDeleteHere’s the thing about social media: It’s often perceived as a very black and/or white thing as are a lot of other things in today’s day and age.There are obvious pros and cons to social media that have been and will be debated for forever. In this particular instance, it’s hard to take one side definitively over the other because as I said earlier, this is not a black or white subject. There are many shades of grey. Yes, social media has become in a way a platform people use to “show off” how nice their lives are, but are they really showing off necessarily? What it comes down to is that people get to choose what they do and do not share on the Internet for people to see. We have to remember that someone’s feed is their highlights, not their whole life. No one is perfect, but it’s easy to forget that and develop a skewed perception of someone. The other thing I think is important to point out is that we and our peers are especially fragile and sensitive at this age whether we realize it or not. We seek validation. We want people to tell us we look good. We want to be liked (both in real life and on Instagram I suppose). Social media has given teenagers a tool to give each other stamps of approval or disapproval, adding one more thing to the pile of anxieties and insecurities we are all experiencing. If you post things with the intention of sharing your experience rather than seeking affirmation, you’re on social media for the right reason. If you’re scrolling through your feed to check up on your friends and favorite celebrities instead of looking for people to envy, you’re on social media for the right reason. If seeing posts from others makes you feel bad and making your own posts stresses you out, then social media probably isn’t the best tool for you or your well-being.
ReplyDeleteSocial media is a part of almost everyone's life. Especially at this day in age. There are so many platforms to express one's self. It seems that most of the people around us have at least one or two social media accounts. But when we expose ourselves to strangers on the web, our peers, or just loved ones, we are putting out images and representations of ourselves. Obviously we want to look our best. Social media can expose so much of your activity such as who you follow, what posts you like, and what you comment on other people's posts. With this much exposure, some feel the need to always look their best. Even more so with young people. Today's young teens have practically grown up with technology so social media is where they express themselves the most but the person they try to be may be tainted by what they see on social media. Social media's impact on our behavior does concern me because it has changed some people's behavior by trying harder to look better as if it's a competition to get the most validation through followers, re-tweets, and likes.
ReplyDeleteSocial media nowadays is now seen as a competitive way of communicating with each other. To teens someone who has the best shoes may get more followers just by "shoe game". Also, if someone doesn't have the instagram "face or body" may be shamed and it takes a negative affect on some peoples lives without the attackers realization. Teens now may not be able to stay withut their socail for about at least an hour because they are so attached that they don't know a limit.
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