The MSN 'Loneliness Campaign' in the UK recently ran an interesting article about the social media paradox; essentially that social media sets out to be 'social' but actually leads to increased loneliness due to users spending more time in the virtual word of screens and smartphones as oppose to 'real' face to face interactions with friends. The above links provide the full articles.
Personally speaking I have certainly dabbled with social media, but since becoming a father I found I could no longer justify the time I was spending mindlessly surfing through pictures of dinner plates, taken by people I barely know. Thus the Twitter and Facebook addiction went four years ago, and I have no intention of going back!
Another thing I don't like about social media, and the internet in general, that is not mentioned in the article, is the general nasty attitude you find everywhere, like looking under rocks for worms (no offence to the worm intended there). From forums, youtube comments or live chat formats almost across the board - one and all seem to fall foul of argumentative, aggressive and abusive dialect between users. Why is that? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-psychology-of-internet-rage-2018051713852 comments on several themes.
I have heard the term 'keyboard warrior' be used to describe those whom fall into such category; the idea that sitting anonymously behind a keyboard people will say things they would never dare to in a face to face situation. Perhaps the anonymity aspect is key here, and of course that there is absolutely no consequence to actions. You can call someone any range of names then log off in full knowledge you could never be caught or traced.
Maybe its something linked to the reasons we can become animals behind the wheel, cursing streams of abuse in the safety of our vehicle that we (most of us at least) would not do in a pedestrian situation. https://www.osv.ltd.uk/road-rage/ says that there is limited ways to express our feelings to other road users in a car which then leads to frustrated gestures that can quickly escalate into rage... can the same be said of non-verbal communications in social media?
In previous years I have gotten into trivial arguments with people online which I admit got me quite annoyed. I wasted precious moments of my life thinking of clever ways to win a petty debate, one that had no end until one party gave up and 'walked away.' Such scenarios are easy to find online, as are torrents of abuse. It cant all just be bored teenagers can it?
Is such phenomena a healthy release valve of inner frustrations? Or do they foster negative personality disorders and consequently make them worse?
One study https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/health/posting-lots-of-photos-on-instagram-could-be-a-sign-of-depression-a3606616.html find the link between what photos are posted on social media and depression. I'm sure we all know someone who goes to great pains to illustrate their lives as overly happy, adventurous, exciting places through the photos they continue to post, only to meet them in person and think quite the opposite. Is it over simplified to think that some people use such photo posting techniques to compensate for feeling of inadequacy? I don't think it is.
Like medicines, martial arts and a plethora of other things, I suppose the internet is a wonderful tool when used correctly but when used incorrectly then it can be something negative, in worst cases dangerous. I chose to use social media sparingly and not rely on virtual relationships as I value face to face interactions as healthier and more enjoyable.
Personally speaking I have certainly dabbled with social media, but since becoming a father I found I could no longer justify the time I was spending mindlessly surfing through pictures of dinner plates, taken by people I barely know. Thus the Twitter and Facebook addiction went four years ago, and I have no intention of going back!
Another thing I don't like about social media, and the internet in general, that is not mentioned in the article, is the general nasty attitude you find everywhere, like looking under rocks for worms (no offence to the worm intended there). From forums, youtube comments or live chat formats almost across the board - one and all seem to fall foul of argumentative, aggressive and abusive dialect between users. Why is that? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-psychology-of-internet-rage-2018051713852 comments on several themes.
I have heard the term 'keyboard warrior' be used to describe those whom fall into such category; the idea that sitting anonymously behind a keyboard people will say things they would never dare to in a face to face situation. Perhaps the anonymity aspect is key here, and of course that there is absolutely no consequence to actions. You can call someone any range of names then log off in full knowledge you could never be caught or traced.
Maybe its something linked to the reasons we can become animals behind the wheel, cursing streams of abuse in the safety of our vehicle that we (most of us at least) would not do in a pedestrian situation. https://www.osv.ltd.uk/road-rage/ says that there is limited ways to express our feelings to other road users in a car which then leads to frustrated gestures that can quickly escalate into rage... can the same be said of non-verbal communications in social media?
In previous years I have gotten into trivial arguments with people online which I admit got me quite annoyed. I wasted precious moments of my life thinking of clever ways to win a petty debate, one that had no end until one party gave up and 'walked away.' Such scenarios are easy to find online, as are torrents of abuse. It cant all just be bored teenagers can it?
Is such phenomena a healthy release valve of inner frustrations? Or do they foster negative personality disorders and consequently make them worse?
One study https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/health/posting-lots-of-photos-on-instagram-could-be-a-sign-of-depression-a3606616.html find the link between what photos are posted on social media and depression. I'm sure we all know someone who goes to great pains to illustrate their lives as overly happy, adventurous, exciting places through the photos they continue to post, only to meet them in person and think quite the opposite. Is it over simplified to think that some people use such photo posting techniques to compensate for feeling of inadequacy? I don't think it is.
Like medicines, martial arts and a plethora of other things, I suppose the internet is a wonderful tool when used correctly but when used incorrectly then it can be something negative, in worst cases dangerous. I chose to use social media sparingly and not rely on virtual relationships as I value face to face interactions as healthier and more enjoyable.
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