Mejia 1!

Jillian Mejia

Prof. Jennifer Rodrick

English 115

26 September 2017

First Draft

Social media smart phone applications such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and

Snapchat are gaining higher prevalence across the nation due to their better means of

communication. Each network encourages the idea of faster contact through the Internet as it

allows an individual to contact family, friends, and even strangers across the globe through a few

simple clicks on a digital screen. Though, are these easily accessible works of communication

really contributing to a more social society? The modern generation claims that smart phones and

social media contribute to a more social society, though it is deeming that they are

unintentionally creating a more anti-social commonality. As media users believe they are

forming more popular and social identities through the virtual world, they do not recognize that

they are becoming less interactive and skilled with face-to-face conversational skills.

The introduction of smart phones results in the separation of individuals and the outer

community as they become incapable of maintaining in-person communication with one another.

Kelly Coffey, a personal trainer and writer, believes that because smart phones are so

convenient, it is very easy for people to get distracted, which does not help our social

skills (Coffey). Coffey implies that through the usage of current-day technology, humans

becoming less socially active with one another. When a family is sitting at a table for dinner, it is

highly likely to see one member either scrolling through their Twitter feed, checking their e-
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mails, or Snapchatting the food they have ordered. As the demand for the Internet increases, the

sense of face-to-face begins to hit a downfall while the idea of face-to-screen association rises.

Though individuals are virtually connected, they become physically disconnected and unaware

of their surroundings and the genuine people that may be engulfing them. As excessive social

media and phone usage enhances the lack of real-life conversation, it grants shyer people to

remain hidden behind a screen as they are not encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and

branch out to meet new people.

The demand of technology aids introverts in hiding behind virtualized masks without

encouraging them to converse with the physical society. This is a critical issue amongst this era

because individuals are dehumanizing themselves and not interacting with the world like they

once did when items such as smart phones and computers did not exist. In Mucan and Nihans

article Relationship Between Personality Traits and Social Media Use, the authors reveal a

study that showcases how adolescents communicate with more people via social media than

they do in their real life (Mucan and Nihan). In the majority of all communities, media users are

too caught up in their online presence and reputation rather than their real life one. It enhances

the images of a catfish, a person who adopts a fictional reputation for themselves. The Internet

and new photo editing applications contribute to people developing false identities where they

are portrayed as more perfect, slim, and visually appealing to other individuals because the

public will never see what they authentically look like. They will only be exposed to the online

version. In this generation, all that matters is the amount of likes and follows a person has, but

not a sense of actual connection. Social media more so creates ghosts and not genuine beings

who socialize with each other outside a screen. This degrades proper human characteristics and
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results in undeveloped conversational skills and the lack of physical confrontation because it is

viewed as too difficult. The media intensifies an individuals lack of social skill, though the

general public is still attracted to it because of its benefits.

An individuals online presence is important because it brings a sense of validation,

comfort, and enhances easily accessible communication with family, friends, and strangers.

Applications such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat are highly valued for these purposes,

though what is not recognized is that users are virtually connected, but not physically. An

anonymous author addresses another cultural piece: that [individuals] are more and more

connected but not necessarily more invested in each other's lives. Instagram users may view self

portraits of each other in different countries or photographs of them spending time with each

other, though, the majority of them do not know more of each other beyond a picture. This

exemplifies how social media is increasing the rates of anti-social behaviors amongst individuals.

Modern day communities do not invest physical time into each other, but instead consider a

double tap on a screen as the best means and efforts of communication.

Though social media has a positive impact on society because it may help individuals

with confidence and communication with others who are thousands of miles away, it is majorly

negative because it is degrading important human qualities such as conversational skills and

optimism. As individuals are constantly glaring at the glass screens in their palms, they forget the

importance of looking up at the people in front of them. Predominantly communicating through

the Internet does not benefit a person because it heightens their online identity, but causes there

physical one to be nearly nonexistent.

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Works Cited

Coffey, Kelly. Social Media? More Like Anti-Social Media for This Generation. University

Wire, 2014. Global Newsstream. Accessed 25 September 2017.

Mucan, Burcu and Nihan zgven. The Relationship Between Personality Traits and Social

Media Use. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, vol. 41, no. 3,

2013, pp. 517-528. ResearchGate, doi:10.2224/sbp.2013.4.3.517. Accessed 25 September

2017.

"The Antisocial Side of Social Media." Toronto Star, 2011. Global Newsstream. Accessed 25

September 2017.