Is social media destroying human relationships? (Page 2)

Hey it is fun to be doing so many things, but of course when with Family gotta keep the Monster Iphone away, or else one will get an earful.

true. Like with any other addiction get away while you still can

Summerbhai, what is more harmful- addiction to social networking or smoking?

Zorro Bhai aap batao
Which makes mum more angry?
Smoking is worse !

LOL! What a cheeky little kid. I can imagine the parents sighing and giving up on the conversation because you really can't argue with that statement.

It surprises me too, when I see preteens demanding all these gadgets. The best a parent can do is try to talk their kid out of it, but that becomes almost impossible when every other friend of your child's owns an iPhone or Blackberry. You don't want your children to feel embarrassed or inferior to their friends. Going against the tide isn't easy; sooner or later you have to flow along. So at the end of the day it is a really tough call.

Oh yes, things have definitely changed in the last 10 years! It's crazy how rapidly the internet world has developed. I can't begin to imagine what it would be like 10 years from now. In a way, these technological changes have been very beneficial. I wouldn't give them up (especially YouTube) for anything. I just wish they didn't engulf the human race and turn them into machines. You can't live with it, you can't live without it. What a double-edged sword!

I disagree.

 

Social media has helped human relationships by creating opportunities to build relationships and stay in touch. Without social media, I would have lost touch with many school friends and folks back home in India. I would not have the time to stay in touch with people on a regular basis via phone calls or emails. Social media helped me find many old friends who I may otherwise have lost touch with. Social media helps me stay in touch with co-workers with whom I may have lost touch with when jobs change. Social media helps me keep regular touch with people who matter. Now I can log onto social media and be easily updated on who is getting married, who had kids, what they did on vacation and what is new with lives.

 

Social media has helped human relationships by making the world smaller and letting people communicate across cultures, national borders and language barriers. It has made it possible for people to collaborate, exchange ideas, organize for a cause, improve their lives and many more opportunities that would not have happened without social media. Without social media the Indian people would not have connected and collaborated on such a large organized scale against corruption. Social media helped bring a diverse nation closer.

 

Social media has helped human relationships by giving shy and socially anxious people also an opportunity to communicate, socialize and make connections in a manner they find comfortable. Social media has helped human relationships by bringing businesses, celebrities, and various other entities closer to real people and in tune with real people.

 

The word "social" itself is related to human society, of connections, of relationships. "Social" media is a means to make impassive, one dimensional media into a vibrant, multifaceted, social communication medium. Yes, social media has its negatives as well – and those who abuse it lose the value of socialization and obsess with the technology and media instead.

Well said, return_to_hades. No matter how destructive I perceive social media to be, there is absolutely no denying that its benefits have made a world of difference. It has brought people together, given them an outlet to practice freedom of speech, helped individuals make friends with people from across the globe and bridged communication gaps universally. There is so much potential and so many opportunities that this medium provides.

My problem does not lie with social media itself. As I told hindu4lyfe, I wouldn't want it to be eradicated at any cost. I just disapprove of the effects that its excessive usage has on offline human bonding. If there was a way to achieve some balance on that front, it would help today's society tremendously.


Edited by -Anarkali- - 02 April 2012 at 10:12am

I agree, cause social media is about relationship growth that does not need face-to-face.  It can expand your circle of friends without geographic limits and give you access to interesting thinkers, but at the same time it seems we limit our social message to those who only agree with us, that's when we're not just pushing messages out rather than creating two way conversation. And to me it appears as we limit options to expand our knowledge and evoke real change in the world.

It's apparent, as we moved closer to being more interconnected; we are becoming more and more disconnected from one another.  And if you truly believe the power of social media's influence, then why aren't we using that to empowering our friends to begin helping those less fortunate and make a real difference; cause social media is not going to save the world. I am a big believer that great things are accomplished when dealing with face-to-face; a human touch.

Edited by -Aarya- - 03 April 2012 at 5:53am