There's Nothing Social About Social Media

[3taliac]

Link to Can We Auto-Correct Humanity?
 


I think this video really shows how social media and technology have affected our world. The way of communication has changed and the definition of human-interaction has been altered. Posting our opinion through Facebook, or messaging someone using emoticons has become more significant than sharing your thoughts and emotions face-to-face. It has become more normal than meeting up with your friends and having a real live conversation, which has made all users less social, and more obsessed with their inner world in their accounts. Teens become obsessed with choosing the right picture to post to show how much fun they’ve had or thinking long and hard for the perfect thing to say that’s funny that will receive the most likes. This is one of the many examples of how social media allows us to show our “best-self” for display. Users get to pick and choose what to post, say, or like. They can hide all of their flaws and all of the bad things that they don’t want to emphasize, which is why social media is not real; it’s fake.




This rapper says so many ridiculous things such as: “I don’t want to take a picture of my food, I just wanna eat them” and “if I wanna post an old photo, who says I have to wait till Thursday (#tbt)”. I laughed at all of them at first, but then realizing that so many people online do these things. I’m guilty of some of these things myself and it makes me wonder: will we ever go back to eating our food in the moment and actually enjoying it? Is this the new normal? For many of us this is normal. We never spoke to our friends on our phones because by the time we got them technology had advanced and we could instantaneously “interact” without the need to truly interact. We depend on these gadgets to get us through the day. The gadgets control us because we let them. It’s time to start remembering who’s in charge.

[3hsamori]

I think that our society is so too dependent on technology to the point where they let it control how they act and what they do. Sometimes even people’s confidence can depend on their status in social media. For example on Instagram the main goal for most people is to get a large amount of followers, once they get those followers their confidence and self-esteem grow as their number of followers grows. Technology can even affect people’s relationships and friendship. Sometimes when I see couples on the train, they aren't even conversing with each other because they are too busy with their phones which basically defeat the purpose of the relationship. Sometimes I’m guilty of going on my phone too much while I’m walking with my friends which eliminates any chance of conversation or halts the conversation all together. Overall people have let technology takeover their lives which isn't a good sign for the future.

[6sjulia]

For me personally my phone is never much in use. I didn't have any form of social networking until entering high school and even after I had created a Facebook I got bored two weeks in. I see what the video is trying to say, that today's society has become too preoccupied by a computer or phone screen to see what is really happening around them. I believe this is because today's society is weak. People satisfy their need for flattery through a picture or, like Samori mentioned, a funny joke they pondered on hours before posting. People are afraid of rejection, social networking has the benefit that it doesn't require one to respond right away like a face-to-face conversation does. People have all the time they need to think of a smart comeback or take the perfect picture which is most flattering to their image. People crave praise, flattery, and compliments, three things which they receive in large amounts with the use of social networking such as Instagram or Facebook. At this rate, people will no longer have the ability to communicate with each other properly.

[3diegol]

From personal experience, I believe our world revolves around technology and social media too much. It’s nearly impossible to not let social networks and smartphones be a part of our lives. With constant peer pressure and in an era of technology that is constantly advancing, it is especially hard for a teen to not “keep up with the times”. Communication will no longer be the same and a person’s priority in this day in age may simply be to obtain more followers or get more likes on a social network. One prefers to video chat another than to physically go out and meet someone face to face. It has even led up to a point where a person can not go 5 minutes without checking their phone even in the company of others. The attention span of the average person has significantly decreased and we were so reliant on our smartphones that we jump at the sound of receiving a text. At this point, checking our phones constantly is like an involuntary movement, which implies that the modern world has become addicted to our phones and social media. We have let it dominate our lives and although it may have been seen as an innovative way of communication in the past, it is becoming more like a plague that seeks to infect entire populations.

[6WElahe]

The strong points made in this video are extremely accurate and very influential. Today’s society is quite dependent on technology. It is used for work, entertainment, and also to “stay connected”. However, the effect that these devices and social media are showing in people are not as social or constructive as they are believed to be. True, the advanced technology used by today’s society has made life much easier for the many individuals who use it, whether to quickly acquire information or contact others. However, it has also caused a few setbacks. People are sometimes too engaged in their devices and social media puts restrictions on actual human contact. These situations occur because some people become overly attached to their devices and others are easily distracted by them. Even in the company of another person, people pay more attention to the phones than the person they are with. It has become an innate part of too many lives.

    Like many others, I am guilty of overusing my phone as well. My phone has caused plenty of setbacks for me. The most common, reoccurring problem is my phone when it comes time to do homework. Once in a while while doing my homework, I will make the mistake of picking up my phone. Then, it is as if I am in a trance. I sit there and pointlessly open, close, and re-open the same apps, over and over. This wastes an incredible amount of the time that could have been spent finishing my homework, so most often it affects the time that I go to bed. Also, when I am out, different groups respond differently to phones. When I am with people from my generation, everyone seems to be on their phones. However, if I am with an older group, such as my parents, they (mostly my mother) comment on how much I’m on my phone, threaten to take it away, and ask if it never gets boring, which is funny because even when it does get boring I still can’t seem to control myself when it comes to putting it down.

     Humanity has changed. Piece by piece we are losing the ability to really communicate. Letters are becoming a thing of the past. Receiving a letter is an honor for some people nowadays. The amount of likes and followers are what seem to define a person today. Abbreviations used online are accidentally making their way into essays and papers. The uniform rules of social media are devaluing the “rules” of what it really means to interact and live without social boundaries.

[10bsamantha]

This video was very inspirational and thought provoking. It completely brings to light all the problems in our society when it comes to socializing. It is sad to say that most teenagers in our generation are guilty of most if not all the things that the rapper brings up. I agree with the fact that Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are ruining any hope for us to communicate creativity with one another. It is hard to believe that in just the last decade we have become much more reliant on our cellphones and connecting through the Internet, and that it never used to be like that. I wonder what it would be like for people to take a whole day and not use their phone. It would be a very interesting social experiment but i don't think many of us could complete it. What's even worse is that our younger brothers and sisters are even worse. Its not strange to see 6 year olds glued to their ipads and other devices. Although apple has made great improvements to their products and completely transformed the technology of today, the world would have been better off without it.

[3akaidya]

I have watched this video before, and each time I watch it, I realize how great of an impact social media has in the way we think and interact with other people. I agree with this rapper when he says that social media is actually making us lose touch with reality, and it is making us lose touch with people as well. People would rather communicate through a screen than see someone face-to-face because it is easier to do, and less time consuming. We record our memories rather than truly living them. We “gain” friendships without really knowing who are real friends are. I thought that the purpose of social media was to make it easier for one to communicate with another, but it does the complete opposite. For example, often times it becomes difficult to talk to a “friend” in person that you talk to over social media. The only thing you can talk about is that one comment they liked, or the picture they posted, and the conversations begin to lack substance. I dream of a day where people become less dependent on social media, but as technology continues to be innovated, that dream slowly becomes more impossible.

[10pmadison]

This video definitely does show the consequences of social media through technology. The speaker brought up a lot of reasons of why social networking isn't really something people should consider as a way of truly socializing with others. I myself do not have Facebook, Twitter, or even Instagram. All I have is an email and text messaging as a way of "social networking." And my reason behind why I do not have them relates to the video's ideology of those social networks being more of anti social networks. Nowadays, I see a plethora of people from a range of 10 to 80 years old taking selfies of themselves by time square or some elite restaurant. This is just to share with their so-called "friends" to prove that they are, and I'm going to refer to the elementary term children use here, "cool" and attain more friends and followers. The social media today, like the guy in the video says, engenders self-esteem issues. Additionally, social networking generates impatience among each individual waiting for a "like" or a friend request. But of utmost importance on why social media is not such a benefit to humanity, is that it augments the diminishing human contact that we can have with one another face to face. There are more adolescents in 2014 sitting at their homes checking or posting on Tumblr or snap chat than actually hanging out with their friends at a particular place. In this sense, people are losing the empathy and compassion of human contact that can be obtained from being with their friends face to face. Thus, it must be acknowledged as it was in the video that the technology and social media we have today is neither a place where we can meet a true friend nor gain any confidence from.

[3risabel]

This video is incredibly interesting and unfortunately true to our society today. Social media has become the center of so many lives. What starts as a simple way to keep in touch can so easily become a way to isolate oneself from reality and sever true bonds and friendships. So many of us today are so focused on obtaining a high number of followers on Instagram or getting a million likes on our profile pictures of Facebook that we can forget about the special, real life friendships we have. Social media is supposed to be a method of keeping people together but in actuality, it does the opposite. We become so detached from the world in utilizing technology. We become hungry for mind blowing amounts of likes or optimal praise or a substantial round "You're so pretty"s on our pictures. However, we often lose the desire to deepen our relationships and strengthen our bonds with those around us. As stated in the video, social media is all about "I" where it is far more important to focus on "us." We need to recognize the superficiality of the approval we receive on social media and work harder on creating long lasting, real relationships.

[3smaya]

Ive watched soon many videos and read so many aritcles on this topic but this video really made the message sink in. I appreciate technology in all forms because it has had so many advantages to our society but I also know the damage it can cause. Ive seen so many friendships destroyed over transpires on social media and its sad to think about how that relationship could have been saved if people talked face to face and worked out their differences. One thing i feel very strongly about that the video talked about was how people feel the need to record every special moment when that could end up ruining the moment. Or even at concerts today. All the artist see now are a see of cellphones recording the show instead of actually taking the time to really sit back and enjoy the show. 90% of the time these videos that the concert goers record are never watched again. People post a clip to social media to inform people of their experience and then they delete the video. I know this talking from personal experience which i very sad to me. I did enjoy myself at the concert i went to but I know i would have had a much better time if i was not worried about capturing it on video. Another point i wanted to make is that social media has become so embedded into our lives that it even plays a huge role in people's dating lives. Meeting someone in person and talking to them and getting to know is so important when it comes to relationships and dating but even that has been overtaken by social media. Its so easy to be a totally different person online than your true self which isnt the best way to start dating. Thanks for sharing Thalia!

[6bmatthew]

    Louis CK makes some excellent points here. The idea that one cannot be alone is false. Even if it were true, phones and social media do not provide a true connection with another person. Instead, they supply a drug that provides something the body creates itself, dopamine. By providing on-demand pseudo-comfort, one gradually numbs his or her response to dopamine. A couple of likes is suddenly disappointing. Nice comments seem routine and boring. This is because the emotion is not genuine. The dopamine release from real interaction is much larger than what is supplied from the internet. The ambiguity of the internet also makes true emotional connection impossible. There is no way to know if that comment was truly heartfelt or just someone making the rounds. You can experience this for yourself. Instead of simply commenting "happy birthday" on someone's facebook, go up to him or her in person and tell him or her to have a happy birthday; or, if you're feeling adventurous, write him or her a note. You will be surprised at the response it triggers in people.

[10hdakembay]

It's ridiculous how dependent people have become on technology. Technology is improving and evolving faster than humans are and I remember reading somewhere when I was younger that by the year 2048 that robots will be their own species. Remembering this just makes me thinks about I-Robot, you know that movie with Will Smith. Robots are not self sufficient, yet, but Siri shows that one day they may be. Bringing back the point of evolution, humans I feel are mentally devolving. With Siri always there to answer any question we ask, and reminders that we set on our phone we don't have to think or remember for ourselves anymore. Also, kids with social media get less sleep, in my opinion. I do not have any social media and to be honest I don't so much mind this. I get about seven hours of sleep, because when I get home I have few distractions, besides my phone. Kids that have facebook, twitter, and/or instagram get home and spend hours on their social media before they even look at their homework. Just the other day I was with my friend as he went through his news feed, and it just seemed like so much work. Quickly skimming through hundreds of pictures, and post, deciding whether you like it or not. Furthermore kids aren't as good at socializing in person now, because they are used to doing it through a laptop. Almost all parts of the brain are not as active as just twenty years ago. Social media is a blessing when not overused, but you have to remember when to log out.

[6pkatherine]

I find it amazing and inspiring that there are so many people who are opened to being against something as influential as technology. There are many who believe that it is important and mandatory to be involved just because it is labeled "the future". At this rate of indulgence, I wouldn't be surprised if there was no future. People of today's generation always place technology on such a high pedestal and label it as a priority. I also tend to fall into that category, however, I do believe that technology does in fact prove it's place.
As for it being useful, I have many family members that live in other states and countries, making it harder to keep in contact. Granted, people can write letters; however, it isn't the same as hearing someone's voice or laughter that you sincerely miss. There is also the topic of contacting a person during an emergency.
Even though these connections can act as a last resort, many use this as a way to keep in contact with everyone that they know. That is such a waste of the friendship or relationship that a person created because it is an irreplaceable bond that links two people. Humans are constantly taking everything given to them for granted and just this can lead to another new generation; a generation with less passion and affection than the already-drastically low rates today.

[6cgonzaleznunez]

I agree that social media has become a dominant factor in our lives. Today, almost everyone owns a smartphone and an account on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. Most of our interactions occur on the internet through an instant message. Due to this factor, most of our relationships and conversations have become impersonal. We begin to lose our social skills because we adapt to messaging someone online and we forget how to approach someone in person and things just get awkward. Everything revolves around technology because we check our phones constantly. in fact, I don't think anyone ever turns their phone off. People even take their chargers to school with the fear that it will discharge. We also shop online, pay our phone bill online, check our bank accounts online and basically keep records of all of our personal things online. Things are definitely more efficient and quicker, but we are also at the risk of identity theft, cyberbullying and credit card fraud. Things are so open and out there which puts us all in danger. Social networking is not a bad thing because it has helped the world come together by helping us get in touch with people in different countries and get informed quickly, but it is our responsibility to know when we've had enough and how not to get addicted or obsessed.

[6gzelda]

This video raises a very good point about the lack of real communication between people. The convenience of social media just makes it that much more practical for people and their laziness. Social media has formed a barrier between people in a way. To an extent I believe it is very beneficial especially for people trying to communicate across a large distance which is what it used to be. But now it has just turned into a reflex. If we aren't doing anything at that exact second it becomes second nature to just whip out your phone. Many people our age, especially because they grew up surrounded by the quickly developing technology, can't even imagine their lives without it. I too am guilty of this but I also think its awful because its completely halted real conversations and human interactions between people.