Social Networking is one of the characteristics of the new era.More frequently, we find our parents and grandpas say" You are much luckier fellows! Nowadays, information is one click away, as well as, your best friends".Grandma..I am sorry, but I am going to have to disagree with you!
Besides the many disadvantages of the new technology and todays' all-the-day-infront of-PC unhealthy adopted life style by many teens, I am afraid that technology had drawn us away from eachother!For instance,itbecame sound a lot easier for anyone just to tag all his friends in one post on facebook to say "Happy Easter", but sadly, that's it!When was it the last time you called someone up to say Happy birthday when you had the option of sending them a message on facebook or via SMS?Are you hanging out on facebook with your buddies more often than at your favourite local cafe??
Another problem would be, we tend to read more now out of peer sites like facebook.Once I asked a friend:"What was the last book you read?" She was like" Facebook!" lol.It's true.My style in writing is growing more and more delicate and disorganized, since I don't read as much as I used to do in the past.Some people also tend to "hide" behind their PC screens.Others, you find very aggressive when it comes to posting a comment, while by nature the are very calmn.They tend to bottle up problems and vent on such websites.There was a nice cartoon posted, it goes like :"Face your problems, don't just Facebook them!"
Moreover, many people have "abused" social networking as a tool to mislead others.Back in Janurary, 2011, after the Egyptian revolution, many would share fabricated ideas and Photoshoped photos inorder to propagate for a certain thought.This has misled many people and it was never a humble problem, it was more of an outbreak.Many fabricated posts were shared at the speed of light and they were never authentic.Therefore, social netwroking sites could be an excellent media to propagate for rumors.
To add up to the problems list associated with the social networking site is what I like to call: The Picture Mania!Following in the foot steps of models and superstars with "unobtainable" looks and figures, many girls have begun taking professional pictures of themselves to merely post on facebook!The excitment of taking pictures now have turned from "taking pics to make memories" into "posting them on facebook and get as many likes as I can!".Many people- even in relatively poor countries-- can't afford to pay their phone bills but you find them buying professional cameras!lol..it's both: funny and sad!
Finally, I'd like to point out one serious problem which is "the language problem"!Since English is a universal language, many people would respond to othes in English.In fact, this is a great chance for some of us to ameliorate and practise the language.However, some users tend to "englishize and americanize" their languages! Take arabic for instance- my mother tangue- many users type arabic in English format ( the letters are English but written words are pronounced in Arbic).It seemed acceptable at the beginning, but now I think it has gone a little bit too far.I met a teenager- 13 years old- who couldn't write her own name in arabic lettes!Imagine!In the year 2200, I won't be surprised if the Arabic language got extincted!You rarely meet people writing proper arabic, that's because the americanized one-it's called Francoarab- is much easier to utilize on such sites
All in all, I do find a lot of disadvantages to social networking.However, it remains the only utility at the mean time to connect me with friends who live abroad.But weighing both the pros and cons, I suggest we should try to communicate more in real life and put a little bit of effort in finding out about the world. We should analyze and look deeper into news and information, not just take them for granted; it's not Holy!
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In the whole reading process, I tried to control myself from opening facebook four times. yeah, it seems like mental addiction. But in the light side, Facebook, I think it opens a door to let others have the chance to know you, in their perspectives.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the problem of people 'venting' out on facebook and like yuan said, it does become an addiction. However, like you mentioned in the last para, it is currently one of the best ways to not just connect with friends abroad but also to reconnect with 'long-lost' old buddies. I like how you have given equal weight to the pros and cons and thought about all aspects involved before penning your ideas.
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ReplyDeleteFacebook is an addiction indeed, but I don't agree completely with you. We are addicted to facebook because we are getting so lonely day by day. I can particularly point out time when I spend my vacations with my friends and have not opened fb even once for a week, or when I was in India, I would have checked it may be once in two days. Video games, TV all might become addictions; that is not because of the technology, the problem remains within us. We should get out, make friends and above all share each others feelings. Then only we won't be dependent on these for passing time and get addicted.
ReplyDeleteAnukana...I agree with you on this one.Facebook keeps my company and helps give me the feel of friends and family who are currently far away.You are absolutely right.
ReplyDeleteSalwa, I agree with you. But I would have to admit that I'll never deactivate my Facebook account in a short future, since it is now the few ways for me to keep in touch with my friends back in my country. I don't facebook that often when I was in Taiwan where all my friends are around. I tended to hang out with them thus I usually have full schedule after work and also on the weekend. By that time, I logged in my Facebook probably three times a week and not for a long time. But now I'm no longer with them, though I still skype with few good friends once a while. Actually I found good things through FB, such as that I get to reunite with my classmates from elementary and junior high school, and get to know lots of friends updates so I know they are somewhere now and doing well. Of course there are lots of disadvantages, but I think it mostly depends on the users' attitude. After all, sin doesn't come from their existence, it's how people use them make it sinful :)
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