Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media Essay Example

📌Category: Entertainment, Social Media
📌Words: 869
📌Pages: 4
📌Published: 09 June 2022

For today's generation, social media is something that we have all known about and been aware of throughout the entirety of our lives. Instagram and Snapchat weren’t yet popular in the early years of the two thousands, but Tumbler and Pinterest instead reigned as almighty. I would like to say that the media is something that builds one instead of tearing a person down, but throughout my own personal experiences and research I unfortunately have to disagree with that statement. The media is a dark place masked by falsely positive affirmations and surrogates, along with depression and dissatisfaction, and I’m writing to explain why that is. 

According to the book How the World Changed Social Media the use of social media indicates that “Some find that using social media networks to chat or make plans increases satisfaction.” (pp 195) And quite literally produces a response in the brain that is indicative of receiving a reward. Despite that reward response, I myself can attest to the fact that we all suffer the consequences of not having those positive reinforcements 24/7. The media has ulterior motives and creates false positivity in order to mask a harsh reality. In How the World Changed Social Media it is also stated that many compare their own lives to those of others they see online. This constant battle of keeping up with what is viewed as desirable leads to increased rates of depression, dissatisfaction, jealousy, negative body image, and loneliness. 

While many seem happy, the real question is whether or not they truly are. Nine researchers conducted a study asking participants this seemingly simple question; “Does social media make you happier?” Of course this answer varied based upon geographical location. People in China responded that it did make them happier because that is the Chinese government's way of promoting the media that they permit citizens to see. The book considers that when people derive their happiness from social media, it “Detracts from their position with their family, caste, or tribe.” (pp 196). This finding makes perfect sense due to the fact that when one focuses on their happiness coming from an LED screen, they tend to lack real and genuine connections in their physical lives. 

On page 197 of How the World Changed Social Media I begin to notice that there is some correlation between this book and the article “We Are a Camera”. In “We Are a Camera”, the theory of surrogacy is referenced. Many envision others active on media sites as surrogates of their future selves. Whether that be a person in a position of success you aspire to be in, or maybe one who has a happy relationship with another, the ideology of surrogacy is not a foreign concept. In How the World Changed Social Media it is referenced that “New technology often allows individuals to imagine different kinds of lives, or the ‘capacity to aspire’, which Appadurai argues is a key element in empowerment of the poor. One might therefore assume that if social media provides a gateway to new aspirations, and at times gives greater access to that which people aspire, it would thereby increase happiness.” (pp 197). The practice of surrogacy seems to be one of innocence and something to work towards, but in reality the surrogates people choose for themselves to work towards resembling one day are people that live by unrealistic standards. For example, if Kris Jenner were my surrogate for what I aspire to look like as I age, I would be setting myself up for unhappiness and failure. Kris Jenner has access to world renowned surgeons and anti-aging treatments to keep her young, while I on the other hand have low accessibility to these procedures and practices. While many experience a fleeting moment of happiness using others as surrogates, a majority of the time surrogacy ends in disappointment due to lack of accessibility, reality, and success. 

Although surrogacy is one of the many cons of social media, people do not realize that with these unattainable goals and standards in mind, pressure and failure ensue with it. “In each of these cases people associate change with the destruction of values, with alienation and diminished societal ideals. They may then look to social media to strengthen what they perceive as their traditional values and ways of life- vital to preserving what they see as the conditions for happiness.” (pp 198). Although unfortunate to see, once many lose their morals and ethics to the clutches of the media, they often look back to the media in order to restore their lost values. A vicious cycle then ensues, and creates a habit which is unhealthy and makes one unhappy. 

Throughout my personal life, I realize that I myself have fallen victim to the unhappiness social media brings upon me. Between scrolling through Instagram and imagining models and athletes as surrogates for myself, or not receiving enough likes as a positive reinforcement to post more, I notice that all I spent my time doing was comparing myself to people who weren’t anything like myself. My friends, sisters, and family members are all admittedly guilty of participating in the same habits, but with time off from the screen and some self reflection, I notice we have all become happier versions of ourselves. I no longer hide when asked to have my picture taken, and my sisters no longer fret over their pictures and posts not getting enough likes. Our insecurities completely halted our day to day life, and self consciousness robbed us of our personalities. Between research studies and my own personal experience, I can say with complete confidence that the media most definitely hinders today's society.

+
x
Remember! This is just a sample.

You can order a custom paper by our expert writers

Order now
By clicking “Receive Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails.