Social media controls us. It dictates and consumes a lot of our time and ceases to come to any sort of halt. How important is it to know what is going on with our friends from home every day, looking at their profiles for what kind of first semester they might be having?
Sure, we can use social media to keep in touch and form a community with friends, I am by no means disagreeing with it. Facebook is based on keeping in touch with friends so you know where to contact someone if you ever separate. But how obsessed are we becoming with the very idea of people looking at us?
Putting up statuses and seeing who likes them seems to be so important to many people nowadays. It is absurd how I notice crazed people flaunting themselves around Twitter and Facebook looking to impress society. If you've never heard someone say "Who liked my status?" Or, "How many likes did it get?" then something in your life is almost abnormal compared to most high school and college students.
So what do these programs mean to you? Can you make it through one day without going on Facebook or Twitter. Can you cancel sports and news updates sent right to your phone?
Just how intensely has media taken over our lives?
I'm going to be that guy and say that I really like the layout of your post. It is very thought provoking to ask questions rather than just state your viewpoint, and I admire that.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, when you asked "how obsessed are we becoming with the very idea of people looking at us?" it really hit home. It is so true; not just in social media but the celebrity lifestyles we follow in the news and through magazines (or yes, even on Twitter). We used to think celebrities lived in a plastic bubble where their every moves were scrutinized and either celebrated or criticized, but we too are living our lives like this, and Facebook and Twitter are our enablers.
I completely agree with you about how people post statuses just to get likes, and to be seen. I feel like Facebook is becoming a giant popularity contest, when all it should be is, like you said, a way to stay connected to friends and family. I also feel that people too often give likes away, and it is decreasing the meaning of the action. When I like a friends status it is because I truly support them or because it was funny or whatever the case. However I think some people like statuses just to get their name into a conversation.
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