Influence of Technology and Social Media on Relationships
In the present world, there are numerous technological inventions that have been developed, to such an extent that numerous sectors such as communication, security, transportation, agriculture, industrial and health. However, putting all the other factors contact, the communication sector has been greatly influenced compared to the other sectors. Precisely, there are numerous social media sites that have been developed, including twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, google plus, skype and others, which collectively enhance communication between individuals. Currently, it is cheaper and easier for an individual to communicate with another at any time regardless of the distance between each other. Moreover, social networking has positively and negatively influenced interpersonal relationships. This paper pays high attention to the analysis of how technology and social media positively affect relationships.
Technology and Social Media as a Start Point of Relationships
The technology and social media have been the start point of most relationships in the modern world. Precisely, there are numerous cases where couples admit that they met each other on social media sites, even having not ever met face to face, and their relationship have grown to the extent that they got married and have been living happily thereafter. It is important to note that the technology and social media is part and parcel of the contemporary world, and however much we try to avoid it based on the anticipated negative influences that it has, especially to the teenagers, it is close to impossible to do without it. considering that there are a number of individuals who are either shy to establish a relationship with a person of the opposite gender, or a section of individuals who are highly occupied with daily activities that they lack time to socialize and even establish a relationship, the present of social media sites have been their rescue. If social media could not have been developed, such individuals could be living a miserable life due to lack of social life. Moreover, in connection to this, online dating has been possible due to the development of social media (Kay 51). Numerous relationships have been started through direct messaging as opposed to meeting face to face or in a class. Actually, in most cases, it had been challenging for individuals to meet with each other especially during the first date due to the fear that may be existing between each other. However, through social networking, such individuals tend to have preliminary interaction with each other to such an extent that in case they organize to meet in person, the fear for each other does not dominate the first date.
Informed Decision-Making through Social Media Platforms
In addition, social media platforms enable individuals to make an informed decision concerning whether to start a relationship with another or not. this is mostly achieved by befriending or following the individual of interest, and reviewing what he or she posts, likes, his or her followers, and the views that he or she is getting. If the things that the individual views or likes are not compatible with those of the interested party, then the latter gets an idea of whether to start a relationship or not. For example, in Facebook, an individual can check what the other posts on his or her timeline, and if he or she posts socially unacceptable things, he can decide not to enter in a relationship with him or her. Consecutively, social media platforms serve as a nurturing aspect of various relationships. Considering that it is cheaper and easier to call or send a message via social media site compared to making a call or sending a short message through the phone, most individuals who are dating or married manage to keep communication or stay engaged through the social media platforms. Precisely, couples can send each other love messages, pictures, am image expressing how one is feeling, and more importantly, make a video call to each other (Przybylski & Weinstein 239). Long distance and lack of communication between partners are among the major factors which contribute to the collapsing of relationships. There are numerous cases that have been reported concerning one partner cheating on another especially when the distance between him and his partner is long. For example, initially it rare for a relationship to last long if one partner happens to travel abroad, since the cost of communicating (especially making an international call) was and is still him. Apparently, this is not the case in the present world, since technology have come up with alternative and even more effective means of communicating. An individual need to be in an area which is internet connected in order to communicate with another, and considering that most countries have embraced technology as part of the modern life, most areas are connected with internet.
Social Media as a Tool for Relationship Counseling
Moreover, in a relationship, conflicts between couples, hot arguments and character differences are deemed to arise, and they tend to be detrimental to such a way that they can lead to divorce or separation. Before the evolution of technology, it was challenging to save a relationship when marital differences or conflicts happens to arise. Actually, one of the most and readily available option was the aspect of consulting parents or the elders in order to solve an issue within a relationship. With time, things changed, and the services of relationship counselors were highly embraced. In the present times, most marriage counselors have taken a step further in reaching out to clients by creating social media pages. Precisely, through social media, most individuals can seek advices on how to sustain and even enhance their relationships with each other from experienced individuals such as counselors, posts and comments from other individuals who have earlier been in such a situation and so on (Przybylski & Weinstein 242). For example, in case one partner is feeling annoyed with some characters which his or her partner has failed to change, he or she can seek advices on how to handle the situation from marriage counselors online. With the development of social media platforms, such an individual does not need to meet the marriage counselor in person in order to get help, but can interact with the marriage counselor while he or she is within his comfort zone. The advice given can greatly help in saving such a relationship, and this is a great benefit that social media have helped most of the contemporary relationships.
Negative Impact of Social Media on Relationships
Though social media have been hailed as one of the measures that individuals can use to start a relationship, there is a substantial evidence that it is also an avenue that contributes to the break of relationships. Evidence shows that social media platforms are responsible for creating jealousy and suspicion between partners in a relationship, and this is detrimental since it escalates to lack of trust between each other (Amy, Emily & Serge 443). For example, it is common to find that partners are always keen on what each posts, likes, shares or follow on social media, and intrigues it to the current issues that they may be having. For example, if one partner (a man for instance) happens to like a Facebook picture of a lady who might have been his workmate or college classmate, his wife or girlfriend may start suspecting fowl play or feel insecure, and can go to the extent of digging deeper about the picture. In some other situations, one partner may be feeling comfortable to post pictures with his or her friends, regardless of their gender, but he or she cannot post a picture with his or her wife or husband, and this enhances jealousy in a relationship. The situation becomes worse when one partner is active in social media while the other opts to have low levels of engagement in his or her social media account. According to a research by Pew Research Center, approximately 24 percent of relationships end due to social media influence.
Conclusion
It is, therefore, evident that technology and social media positively affected relationships in a myriad of ways. Currently, most individuals can stay engaged and connected through the use of social media as an avenue of communication. In addition, by reviewing what another individual posts or likes in social media platforms, an individual can manage to make an informed decision concerning whether to start a relationship or not. Apparently, social media has been one of the major factors that is enhancing jealously and suspicion between partners in a relationship. This is dangerous since it contributes to lack of trust between individuals and finally the termination of the relationship.
Works Cited
Amy Muise, Emily Christofides and Serge Desmarais. More information than you ever wanted: Does facebook bring out the green-eyed monster of jealousy? Cyberpsychology and behavior, 2009, 12(4), 441-444. DOI: 10.1089=cpb.2008.0263
Kay Hipolito. How Do Advanced Technologies Affect Relationships Characterised by Domestic Violence?, 2017. Print.
Przybylski, A. K., " Weinstein, N. (2013). Can you connect with me now? How the presence of mobile communication technology influences face-to-face conversation quality. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30(3), 237-246.
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