media reduces a person’s social skills in face to face contacts. This lack of social and people skills, as some may call it, can lead to an anti-social lifestyle or personality. These types of people can develop social anxiety when they are around groups of people, especially those they do not know. One study found that online social communication skills and self-esteem are correlated. This indicates a link between the strength of offline relationships and time spent online (Jacobsen & Forste, 2011). Some may argue that social media sites can help people that have preexisting social anxiety and low self-esteem, however the weak ties that are formed between many people on social media are not necessarily basis for good relationships and progressive social interaction. Websites such as Facebook favor those who have close relationships by suggesting friends, tagging photos, asking family and relationship questions, and so on, which may cause others who are already feeling low self-esteem or social anxiety who don’t have as many friends to become more introverted. Also, people with low self-esteem may express themselves in ways that are not liked by others whether it is sadness, anger, or overcompensation to be liked, which can make them less likely to make new friends (Forest & Wood, 2012). Social media is another forum that impacts society. There are many recent stories of online bullying, among teens especially. It has also become a form of bragging or competition almost. Who has the most followers or virtual “friends”, who did something better than someone else, who looks good, who has the nice clothes or car, these are all influences on people engaging in social media these days? In my opinion, there are two very good things that I appreciate about social media. The fact that it keeps me in touch with my family that lives far away is one. It allows us to keep up with each other’s lives and share pictures. The other thing is being able to view informative web pages from, for example, psychology magazines, art pages, or music stations. Another big impact social media has had on society as a whole is that it has taken away from the value, willingness, and desire to communicate and interact in person instead of online or through a cell phone, if possible (2003). In addition to its picture windows, the new post office will have a flush toilet—another federal first for our town. The old office
has no toilet; the postmaster just walks home—a pleasant break in any man’s day. Soon, with the new conveniences, he will be cooped up in the office for the entire working session. In some respects, this is a backward step. I am a great believer in a person’s getting out into the air every chance he gets. We have a brand-new mail-delivery system in
Maine now, called the Metro system. Instead of letters’ being sorted in a nearby office, the way they used to be, they are now sorted in the county seat. This has greatly stepped up the distance a letter travels if it is just headed for somebody in the neighborhood. Many a letter that would formerly have gone a mile or two is now quite well travelled by the time
Comments
Post a Comment