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Online versus IRL: How Has Social Networking Changed how we Relate to One Another
The activity of increasing or expanding one’s business or social connections is termed as social networking. It is done through social media sites, for example, Twitter and Facebook, and it expands the social contacts of an individual or a business. Social networking has influenced people’s way of interacting with one another both positively and negatively. One can connect to other people easily and instantly and it brings fun and enjoyment. It has its shortcoming on the relationship between people: it brings distraction and procrastination, individuals replacing online interaction with offline interaction.
People can send and receive texts at the tap of the send button/icon. They do not have to wait for a long time for the receiver to respond to inquiries sent for example the use of mail to send and receive messages used to take several days. When using calls to communicate people are usually distracted by noise or other activities around them but when using social media they do not have to seek a quiet place to write a reply as it is when making calls.
Through social networks, people can connect with other people anywhere around the globe. They can make contact with old friends with whom they lost connections for a long period. They can make new friends with whom they can discuss a lot of issues. This enlarges one friend’s circle.
When a friend posts either a picture or a video his/her friends get to see, share,like or comment on it. People get a feeling of happiness or satisfaction when they see what other people think of them. Some videos and pictures posted by people for their peers to see are entertaining and often relaxing. Therefore they view social networks as a place of fun. It makes the planning of events such as fundraising drives and ceremonies easier. A person connects with his/her friends or families when in need of financial aid. People discuss a lot of things on social media. Whenever one is going through some problems and shares online they listen to it and helps him/her deal with it for example by giving advice.
Social networks hurt their users. People are interacting more on social media. They are living their lives on social media therefore replacing real life with social networking. They have more virtual friends who are unseen and mostly untrue. The true friend’s circle is greatly reduced. People get more and more unsocial with increased social networking. When a person posts on their page friends look at it and whatever earlier opinion they had on you usually changes since they believe what they see in social media is true about you.
When using social media people get too much involved in the news and messages and thus end up not concentrating on what the next person who is with them is saying. This leads to a lack of gaining someone’s full attention when conversing. It has lead to the destruction of relationships as social networking has provided an opportunity where people cheat in their relationship. With too much personal information on social media, friends might decide to destroy one another reputation thus leading to a broken relationship.
Social networks can have either positive or negative impact on how people interact with one another it all depends on how they use it.