Persuasive Essay On Social Friendship

Something remarkable has happened over the last decade. For the first time in history we have gained the powers to build relationships with people all over the world, and to maintain those relationships with hardly any contact. We never need to lose touch with anyone, ever again, as our Facebook friends and Twitter followers grow by the day. There is something wonderful about reconnecting with an old school friend with a poke and a message; so much easier than having to actually talk to them (what would I say after all these years?). Who hasn’t felt the thrill as your number of friends crosses the 1,000 or 10,000 barrier?

This must be a good thing. Surely more friends equals more happiness?

Not true. The growth in the number of our friends has actually been accompanied with an increase in social isolation, as Sherry Turkle describes. We are more connected, yet more alone. It turns out that there is a correlation between Facebook use and

It’s just that we need to be clear on what matters most. There is definitely joy to be gained from throwing a great party with loads of people and following the lives of our otherwise long-lost friends. It’s just that, from a well-being perspective, these should be thought of as what social psychologists Wendi Gardner and Cindy Pickett call social snacks, not proper nourishment. More than that, in the battle of priorities in our over-burdened lives, we need to be careful that managing more “friends,” does not come at the expense of our few real relationships. It’s crucial we make sure the bubble-gum transactions with the many, and the ego-enhancement of growing an ever bigger network, don’t entice us away from the really important stuff; growing the depth of our closest relationships. We need to guard against the ready distraction of the hundreds, stealing our attention from the private moments with those who share our