Social media: Does it Help or Hurt Relationships With Others?

One of the most distinctive aspects of the modern world is amply demonstrated by the way that technological improvements have affected interpersonal and social connections. The introduction of the Internet and the World Wide Web sparked an explosion in technology. Notably, it was a creative move that profoundly transformed the world and brought about the rise of social media. The purpose of this research study is to give an argument that, in turn, will address the question of whether social media improves or harmed interpersonal relationships. Analysis on this topic will show the reasons why the social media are a good aspect of people’s relationships, while at the same time, examining the detrimental factors that arise from the use of the social media in interaction. Through this argument, the purpose is to present the pros and cons of the effect the social media have on the interpersonal relationships in everyday life. The proliferation of the technologies has enabled the world to evolve into a global village and influenced the interpersonal relationships both in a positive and negative ways.

Arguments for Social Media

Premise 1: social media are readily available on every electronic gadget, and this aspect makes it easier for anyone to easily access it at fingertips either through the use of a computer, tablet, or a phone for interaction. Undoubtedly, modernization has made every electronic device available in the market to accommodate the social media. Applications like Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, LinkedIn, and even the video chats such as the Skype and WhatsApp are readily available on these electronic devices (Smith, 2013). One can also download these Apps from the Google or App store, if they are not available on the device. Therefore, the easy accessibility of these Apps on the electronic devices has greatly enhanced relationships among teenagers, children, and the older population. People have been able to communicate with one another having a positive impact on the interpersonal relationships. Individuals have plenty of the social media to choose from and use them in communication with their families and friends. Interpersonal relationships with the buyers and sellers have been enhanced through the use of the social media. The buyers are able to obtain access to the sellers’ products with the use of the social sites like Facebook. Additionally, the interaction between the politicians and the citizens is enhanced through the social media. Politicians can sell their manifestos and stipulate their goals using the social media. They also receive the feedbacks from the citizens concerning their agendas.

Premise 2: The social media have enabled people to keep in touch despite the distance between them. It is essential for a person to embrace the use of the social media in communication. It is particularly significant when one wants to relate to friends and family members, who are not near them. Undisputedly, at some point in everyone’s life, a person has experienced a problem in keeping relationships with people, who are far away vibrant before the advent of the social media. Due to this evolution, the long-distance relationships have been maintained, and people can keep still connect with each other despite the barriers arising from a distance (Smith, 2013). Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, when social media like MySpace and Facebook came into existence. This development has made individuals start searching for their friends and family members, who lived far from them. Indeed, the social media unzipped the boundaries of communication and made it easier for people to interact overcoming the challenges that have originally existed in the society.

Premise 3: The social media have made people gain friends and even cultivated friendships that lead to marriages. Some individuals utilize the social media as a means of meeting new people and making up spouses. Trottier (2012) asserts that the social media have resulted in many marriages that would have otherwise never happened. Besides marriages, people have made relationships with strangers, and therefore, have had impact on the interpersonal relationship.

Conclusion: From these premises, it follows that the social media can enhance the interpersonal relationships. It may be ensured through keeping people in contact with one another and making people meet new friends and spouses. The social media are profoundly significant in helping people to know all that occurs in the family including family gossip and events. Additionally, the social media have maintained the long-distance relationships, and hence, present to be an integral aspect of the society.

Counter Arguments

This part of the paper presents the counter arguments. They are represented to oppose the reasoning that the social media do enhance the interpersonal relationship. This argument contends that the social media hinder the interpersonal relationship. It may be proven in the following premises.

Premise 1: The easiness that comes with the accessibility to the social media through the electronic devices like laptop, phones, and tablets entwine the society in a way that would later culminate into fundamental problems. The social media have made people create problems with their realities. Alam (2011) indicates in his study that the social media have significantly triggered problems in marriages and many other personal relationships. The world is witnessing the detrimental impacts of the social media through the continued divorces that come as a result of the social media. This aspect evidences the manner, in which the social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook have led to challenges of interpersonal relationship.

Premise 2: The use of the social media has weakened the bonds of the face-to-face interaction and made people lose virtual reality with themselves. The attention that is directed to the social media by persons has seen individuals pay little attention to themselves and the people around them. As Alam (2011) reports, parents and children do not have time to share issues together on the same table. The attention that is directed to the social media raises a societal alarm. This fact has been a major challenge that outcomes from the use of the social media, hence hindering interpersonal relationships.

Conclusion: From the above premises, it follows that the use of the social media to some extent hinders interpersonal relationship, as it makes people lose reality with the world around them by driving attention on the cutting and socializing on the social media. Despite the negatives that result from the social media, it can strongly be agreed that the social media tabled a positive impact on the interpersonal relationships. It has enhanced interactions and created meaningful social interactions with the real world. Undisputedly, technology has redefined interpersonal relationships and resulted in transformation. Therefore, every person has to moderately embrace the use of social media in everyday life.













References

Alam, M. (2011). Weighing the Limitations against the Added-Value of Social Media as a Tool for Political Change. New York City. The Center for Democracy and Civil Society. 2011

Smith, A. (2013). Civic Engagement in the Digital Age. New York City. PewResearch Center. 2013

Trottier, D. (2012). Interpersonal Surveillance on Social Media. Canadian Journal of Communication, 37(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.22230/cjc.2012v37n2a2536