Social Networking: Has It Replaced Face-To-Face Interactions?

2219 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Technology on culture

Ten years ago, if you were to ask a random person on the street how many friends they had, they probably would have thought a short while and told you anywhere from 5 to 20 people in their lives were considered friends. Ask an average college-age person today, and the answer might very well be several hundred. The term ‘friend’ has taken on a whole new meaning thanks to the advent of social networking technology, and the degree to which our culture is now connected to the internet. Computers were just the beginning of our layers of connections. Cell phones, video game systems, and even TV’s are now wired into the net. Connecting to friends and loved ones who are located a world away is now instantaneous thanks to email, instant messaging, and web-cam programs like Skype. The past decade has certainly seen society become much more tech-savvy and electronically linked.

One has to wonder if all this increased instant communication has taken a toll on our culture. The tradition of sending letters and greeting cards has been overtaken by email and e-cards. The same sentiment is there, but does the recipient feel the same effort was made to contact them? If we want to visit a relative but are short on time and funds, we just hook up the webcam and have a family video conference. We’ll get to talk to our loved ones and see them, but no hugs or warm embraces can be exchanged. Can it possibly be the same?

Let’s consider the example we started with, a random college-age person today might tell you they have several hundred friends. If so, they are probably considering their online friends from social networks like Myspace and Facebook. Many of those people may only be casual acquaintances, met once at a party or social function where the...

... middle of paper ...

...Center for the Study of Technology and Society. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

The Social Network. By Aaron Sorkin and Ben Mizrich. Perf. Jesse Eigenberg. Columbia Pictures, 2010. DVD.

"Social Network: the Interaction Is Involuntary." Web log post. Jack's Opinion. Mar. 2011. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

"Social Networks/Blogs Now Account for One in Every Four and a Half Minutes Online | Nielsen Wire." Nielsen Wire. The Nielsen Company, 15 June 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. .

Wallenstein, Andrew. "Why Can't Facebook 'Friends' Accept Rejection?" Day to Day. NPR. 7 Aug. 2008. National Public Radio. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

Watkins, S. Craig. The Young and The Digital: What The Migration To Social-Network Sites, Games, and Anytime, Anywhere Media Means For Our Future. Boston: Beacon, 2009. Ebook.

Show More
Related

  • Scott Brown's Essay Facebook Friendonomics

    566 Words  | 2 Pages

    5). By never losing touch with acquaintances made throughout life, we lose what has made “good old-fashioned” losing touch so good (para. 5). We lose real friendships and “long-forgotten photos and mixtapes” (para. 5). Without these natural aspects that are so important to friendship, friends have not only lost their worth, but the whole point of a friendship has been lost as well. Arguing that losing touch is a necessity of friendship, Brown suggests that maybe the issue could be resolved if only social networks would create a “Fade Utility” app that would allow unintended friends to gradually blur into a sepia cast, similar to the way unintended friends naturally fade away from our lives (para. 6). Maybe if networks treated friendships the way nature does, providing opportunities for people to reach out to lost friends if they choose, then online friendships might hold the same meaning as natural friendships, where the title “friend” is not just a banner of status, but a position in a

    Read More

  • Analysis Of It Is Not About You. It's About Us By Wortham

    682 Words  | 2 Pages

    She recalls a disagreement that took place on Facebook between her and a close friend over a few comments placed on her timeline. Wortham describes how she felt embarrassed over the pointless argument. She discloses “I’m the first one to confess my undying love of the Web’s rich culture and community, which is deeply embedded in my life. But that feud with a friend forced me to consider that the lens of the Web might be warping my perspective and damaging some important relationships” (171). Introducing her personal feelings and perspective of how she feels Facebook is taking over her own emotional response online weakens her argument. Wortham reasons that others feel the same as she does. She says, “This has alarmed some people, convincing them that it’s time to pull the plug and forgo the service altogether” (171). Wortham does not bring in other testimonies of those who feel the same as she does, therefore the readers are only introduced to her personal

    Read More

  • Youthful Indiscretions: Should Colleges Protect Social Network Users from Themselves and Others?

    974 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fleming begins her argument by paralleling the transformative properties of the invention of the telephone years ago to social networks today (Fleming). But, Fleming states that “students’ online identities and friendships come at a price, as job recruiters, school administrators, law enforcement officers and sexual predators sign on and start searching” (Fleming). Social networking websites like MySpace and Facebook are frequented favorites, especially by college students. These sites have become so popular that “friending” a person is now a dictionary verb. However, Fleming believes that students are not as cautious as they should be. In fact, “thirty percent of students report accepting ‘friend’ reques...

    Read More

  • The Limits Of Friendships By Maria Konnikova

    817 Words  | 2 Pages

    Have you ever made any friends via Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat that you have never met before? I know I have through Twitter due to having the same interests. Some may say those friends are not really your friends, but virtual ones instead. In the article, “The Limits of Friendships,” by Maria Konnikova, she talks about friendships that are made virtually and in reality. The author argues that the use of social media has hindered friendships and face to face connections within one’s social circle, however, she does not address that they have met their closest support group through social media. Face to face connections help identify who one’s true friends are and they are more realistically made when it is in person rather than over social media, but there Konnikova fails to address the fact that social media has allowed many to connect

    Read More

  • Essay On Effects Of Social Media On Interpersonal Relationships

    1007 Words  | 3 Pages

    When someone “friends you” on Facebook, it doesn’t automatically mean that you have some special relationship with that person. In reality it really doesn’t mean that you now have the intimacy and familiarity that you have with some offline friends. And research shows that people don’t commonly accept friend requests from or send them to people they don’t really know, favoring instead to have met a person at least once (Jones). A key part of interpersonal communication is impression management, and some methods of new media allow people more tools for presenting themselves than others. SNSs in many ways are podiums for self-presentation. Even more than blogs, web pages, and smartphones, the atmosphere on a SNS like Facebook and Twitter enables self-disclosure in a focused way and permits others who have access to ones profile to see their other friends. This merging of different groups of people that include close friends, family, acquaintances, and friends of friends, colleagues, and strangers can present issues for self-presentation. Once people have personal, professional, and academic contacts in their Facebook network the growing diversity of social media networks creates new challenges as people try to engage in impression management

    Read More

  • Ray Bradbury The Pedestrian Analysis

    846 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are numerous studies on the impact of advancing technology on adolescents, usually leading to the conclusion that social media networks often take part in creating the teen to isolate themselves from anything other than the internet. Social media however, does allow anyone to connect to the people living on the other side of the world. It is a way to keep in touch with old friends, and meet new people no matter where they live. Social media is often used to keep up with the latest news and often informs users of what is going on before the news channels catch it. It is obvious that social media has various positive uses. While these points are important, the fact that the younger generation spends most of their time with their heads down looking at a screen rather than engaged in conversation takes precedence. An article by Morgan Hampton states that,“children and teens spend 75% of their waking lives with their eyes fixed on a screen.” Social media connects people through a screen, but cannot excuse the fact that people are being disconnected from what is right in front of

    Read More

  • Growing Up Online

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    I find it disconcerting that teens live much of their lives in a virtual society. “Growing Up Online”, barely scratches the surface of the breadth and depth to which technology permeates modern society. Teens continue to struggle for independence and self-identification, but with less face-to-face interaction than in the past. Many view e-communication as reaching out to the masses.

    Read More

  • Impact of Social Media on Relationships

    1047 Words  | 3 Pages

    from someone upon first meeting them; their name, age, where they’re from. Beneath this biographical information things began to grow more personal, from religious and political views. to the core concept of one’s own self” (Pennington, 2008, p.6). Due to social networking, the idea of moving through the onion layers is nonexistent. Upon becoming “Facebook friends” with someone, one can find out where that person is from, whom they have dated, where they were last night, and what is their family’s favorite Christmas tradition.

    Read More

  • Technology Is Destroying The Quality Of Human Interaction

    917 Words  | 2 Pages

    Arts & Entertainment Editor, Melissa Nilles describes a nightmarish dream of disconnect and isolation using modern technology by texting and e-mailing, later revealing that it was in fact reality rather than just a dream, as most interaction has taken on an impersonal feeling during advances in technology. Phone calls, texting, instant messaging and e-mailing are more simple forms of communications and they’re achieved at great personal costs. This informality spills from our personal lives into our professional lives, forcing examination of the quality of our connections, focusing us less on the quantity. Citing examples from Facebook where people employ thousands of ‘friends’ lends merit to evolutionary psychologists research indicating a smaller circle is perhaps more effective; further proving technology cannot make lasting connections.

    Read More

  • Dangers of Social Networking Sites

    914 Words  | 2 Pages

    and family, and also “meet like-minded people” ( Metz, par. 1). In some cases, business people such as Ron West, claim that he uses Facebook “to become acquainted with new customers”( par. 8). Yes, these types of websites are great tools to stay in touch with old classmatesand faraway family members. It is a great source of communication, but there is always a con to every pro. Even though users are connecting with others, users of social networks never know exact...

    Read More

  • The Pros and Cons of Social Media

    1296 Words  | 3 Pages

    The use of social networking has both its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is “an Internet social network can help you connect with other people who share your interest, and find resources to ga...

    Read More

  • Effects Of Social Media On Interpersonal Communication

    1036 Words  | 3 Pages

    As you can see, in a society where interacting and over-sharing online is a trend, you probably speak to friends and family through electronic devices and social media than face-to-face. Many surveys have been addressed that one in four college students and adults would spend more time socializing online than they do in person. Whenever you attend a classroom, party or club, you can see that there is someone with their head down looking at the phone, ignore the group and reject to speak in a conversation. Moreover, if they have free time in the weekend to hang out, they tend to want to stay at home and chat or text through social media. As a result, the relationships is deteriorating,

    Read More

  • The Internet Increases Social Isolation

    1232 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...ally socializing face-to-face. The technological shield inhibits proxemics and makes it impossible for those communicating to see the involuntary body movements of their counterpart, leaving a dislocated and artificial feeling. But, increases in online networking will lead to social skill atrophy. By increasing online networking, people will become left experiencing life vicariously.

    Read More

  • Social Networking’s Influence on Socialization

    2021 Words  | 5 Pages

    Overall, the scientific method affords a way to follow comparable practices to ensure the standardization of research processes and equivalent results in all areas of science. Using the basic principles of scientific method, it can be concluded that social networking has overwhelmingly influenced the way we communicate and socialize. It has changed the way we keep in touch with people, how we do business, and how we can influence. Decade after decade, cultures go through an abundance of changes, and recently ours has been more impacted by social networking than anything else. There are only 4 periods in the last 500 years where networking has changed enough to qualify as a revolution: the printing press in the 1400’s, the telegraph/telephone in the 1800’s followed by photos, recorded sound, radio and television (Clay, 2009).

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Social Media

    1365 Words  | 3 Pages

    Social media is a phrase being thrown around a lot these days, but it can be difficult to answer the question “What really is Social media?” Social media is essentially the websites and applications we use to create and share content about our every day lives, through participation on various sites. Information technology (IT) is the category that social networking falls under, and is rapidly changing while being integrated into many areas of modern day Australian life. The reason being, children of the 21st century are considered the digital generation. It’s the latest technology that spreads information faster than any other media around the world; and this is why social media is appealing to the ‘digital generation’. Social media has a number of positive characteristics in every day life, however there are also a number of negatives that correlate. The negatives of social media have not only been proven to damage the well being of individuals, furthermore their families and communities also feel the effects.

    Read More

More about Social Networking: Has It Replaced Face-To-Face Interactions?

Open Document