Social Media: Blessing, or Curse?

By Danielle Cramberg

We live in a generation where people wake up and check their Twitter and Facebook accounts instead of reading the newspaper; people fall asleep scrolling through Tumblr instead of reading a book.

Social media does have it’s benefits. People are able to network now more than ever before, reaching out to colleagues, family, and friends that they might not have been able to connect with otherwise. People are also able to express themselves more and find people in the world that empathize and connect with them. Social media is used to get information out (YouTube tutorials, news updates, etc.) that otherwise wouldn’t be so conveniently accessible. In some cases, social media is used to communicate the oppressive nature of governments to let the world know what’s happening. Social media has even been used to help get revolutions started in some countries where communication is suddenly available.

But, as with most things, there are plenty of downsides to social media. The personal aspect of communication is fading with our generation and every generation that follows. People don’t talk as much as they once did, opting to use the more impersonal methods of communication (texting, email, etc.). More often than not, a group of people will choose to spend time all checking their own social medias instead of talking to one another.

Another problem becoming more prominent in society is cyberbullying and people starting drama online. People find a fearlessness in the anonymity of the internet, choosing to bash people they normally wouldn’t’ be able to look in the eye.

Whether social media is a blessing or a curse is a common dispute. The benefits do outweigh the negative aspects of it, but not by much. And, that may not continue to be true for long.

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