Essay Sample on Social Networking and Personal Interaction

Social media has become a part of today's society. Social networking which is the act of building social relations online has an impact both positive and negative in daily lives. Social media brought about a new perspective in communication where human beings can have conversations while at different locations. Through social networking, businesses are done, people get to exchange ideas and interact with people of different backgrounds which bring about open-mindedness due to exposure. However, social networking has side effects on personal interactions when one overindulges so much in it and end up having their entire life based on social media relations.

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It is fun and interesting to keep informing friends of what one is doing and have conversations without being near each other. Most people form online relations with people they know in real life, thus through social networking, they do not lose touch, and this enhances friendships." Teens aren't addicted to social media; they are addicted to each other" (Thompson, 2016). Social media has enabled people to remain good friends even after moving to different states. That good relation is kept, and strong friendships are made. It is through social media that one communicates with a different person in a different continent and learn more about different cultures and beliefs. This helps when it comes to interacting face-to-face with people from different backgrounds. It has made it easier for people to interact physically with strangers.

Social networking offers a platform where one can talk openly without fear of judgment. Thus people get to talk honestly and open their minds and share experiences and opinion. "Kids who text the most also socialize in person" (Thompson, 2016). Some people who are introverts in the real world are very vocal online as this the one place that they share without feeling intimidated.

Despite the good things social networking has brought, it can also be a problem when one overindulges in it. It is evident that a lot is shared on social media that is not necessary. People have forgotten the importance of privacy and put their lives out on the media for everyone to see. A good example is when one shares a lot of about their romantic relationship. At some point, this brings pressure in case of a breakup or even by trying to keep up with the standard they set (Santarelli, 2016).

Social networking has affected the way families interact and bond. This has majorly affected children who feel that their parents spend a lot of time on their phones or computers. If a child feels that they are not very important to their parents, it affects the way they interact with them, and it could bring about stress and depression. Social media has affected people's interaction so much that even when they meet over dinner or any other gathering, they tend to spend more time on their phone rather than talking to each other. "You don't need Snapchat when your friends are right beside you" (Thompson, 2016).

Depending on the people one interacts with online, someone's behavior could be affected where one could be violent, and another could develop a fantasy in their mind where they expect to live a perfect life with no challenges as sometimes portrayed in social media. This brings a problem in marriages and other physical relations (Gonzalez, 2016).

Advancement of technology is inevitable, and so is its use. However, it is important to keep in mind that face-to-face communication is also important as one gets to see the facial expressions and body movement which makes it easier for one feel empathy for the other person. After all computers and smartphones cannot replace a person, one could be very social online but very lonely in real life (Gonzalez, 2016).

Works Cited

Gonzalez, Yzzy. "Technology Taking Over?" University Times. California State University Los Angeles, 11 Feb. 2013. Web. 3 June 2016.

Santarelli, Andrew. "This Is Not about You." Notre Dame Magazine.University of Notre Dame, Summer 2016. Web. 3 June 2016.

Thompson, Clive. "Don't Blame Social Media If Your Teen Is Unsocial. It's Your Fault." Wired. 26 Dec. 2013. Web. 2 June 2016.