Verified Document

The Way Social Media Has Changed The Definition Of Friend Essay

Social media technology has fundamentally altered the ways people interact with each other, and the ways people think about themselves. Some of the changes have been positive and healthy, such as the creation of new social networks that bring like-minded people together. However, not all of the repercussions of social media are positive socially or psychologically. Both Shannon Matesky and Stephen Marche discuss the downsides of social media. Matesky and Marche both suggest that social media provides a poor substitute for face-to-face contact, and that users of social media should try more to connect with themselves and with other people outside of the digital realm. Friendship remains defined by the same principles, but social media has introduced the world to a new category of friendship that could not exist otherwise. The shallow interactions that develop between individuals that have never met in person, or who have had only superficial personal relations with, can now be defined as "friendships" for the purposes of Facebook. Facebook "friends" who are not regular dinner companions or confidents are more like acquaintances or connections than like friends. What social media has done is not changed the definition of friendship so much as expanded it to include acquaintances and connections. There is nothing inherently wrong about "collecting" friends in this manner, but there is a risk of developing serious loneliness or depression if Facebook friends replace real-world friendships.

In "Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?" Marche talks about the way Facebook's power is in the ability to connect with people without the "embarrassing reality of society -- the accidental revelations we make at parties, the awkward pauses, the farting and the spilled drinks." However, Facebook does present people with other types of awkwardness. Many times, comments on posts turn into arguments that become ugly. People who post frequently about political issues run the risk of insulting or isolating their friends. It is important to retain the same...

Whereas having an online debate prevents people from really losing their temper and shouting, a face-to-face interaction does not have any such barriers. People reveal their true colors more in person than on Facebook. In fact, many Facebook users create an exaggerated profile that presents themselves as they would like to be seen rather than as they truly are. Most people will represent themselves accurately enough because many Facebook connections are real-life friends who would notice any lies or discrepancies. Yet as Marche points out, people who use Facebook frequently pretend they are happier than they really are, or only talk about the positive things in their life. As a result, people may be suppressing negative emotions and creating mental disorders. Whereas real world friends and family members are confidents that preclude the need for psychological therapy, Facebook friends are not confidents. Users might need to "outsource the work of everyday caring" by hiring professional counselors -- a role that used to be filled naturally by friends (Marche).
Matesky adds that another problem with social media is privacy. Social media opens people to dangers such as identity theft and espionage from an overbearing government. Even when these types of issues are not of concern, social media has replaced the nature of self-expression in meaningful ways. Before social media, friendships evolved organically from interactions at school, work, places of worship, or neighborhood organizations. People who did not like each other instantly would not become "friends" as readily as people on Facebook befriend each other. In some ways, social media has helped reduce the types of stereotyping and prejudice that could prevent friendships from evolving in a more naturalistic setting. After all, when one befriends a total stranger…

Sources used in this document:
Refernces

Marche, Stephen. "Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?" The Atlantic. May 2012. Retrieved online: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/05/is-facebook-making-us-lonely/308930/

Matesky, Shannon. "My Space." Retrieved online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7vqXxw3Os0&feature=player_embedded
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Social Media in the Contemporary
Words: 2288 Length: 7 Document Type: Research Paper

WikiNerdia allows the users to ask questions and all the nerd community members answer the questions. People normally trust the reviews and answers of the customers more than the brand. Giantnerd gets the benefit of their fan engagement and ultimately the brand trust increases. Customers can be your sale force and work for any company if the company can get the benefit by engaging the audience. A brand must

Social Media Policies
Words: 822 Length: 3 Document Type: Case Study

Social Media Recently, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) made its first social media-related ruling. The board adjudicated a case against Costco, and in this case the NLRB struck down Costco's social media policy as standing in violation of the workers' right to free speech (Little, 2012). The Board found that Costco's policy on social media usage was overly broad. The policy held that employees were prohibited from posting statements that

Social Media the Exponential Growth
Words: 6953 Length: 20 Document Type: Thesis

Another common assumption is that the development of virtual social interactions based on the ideal self, is not reflective of how real people will interact with you in the real world and therefore could potentially give the individual a false sense of confidence, regarding their ability to appropriately interact in the real world. Yet, many would also argue that confidence is the most attractive social attribute, almost regardless of

Social Media As a Potential Tool in Conflict Resolution a Facebook...
Words: 10855 Length: 25 Document Type: Thesis

Social Media as a Potential Tool in Conflict Resolution: A Facebook Perspective Humans are social animals, and will usually dwell together in communities, based on their beliefs, resources, preferences, needs, risks, and a number of other conditions which may be present and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness. Community In sociology the word community is often used to refer to a group that is organized around common

Social Media Marketing
Words: 1008 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

Social Media Many startup companies today feel that having a strong social media presence is essential to their business success. They have a Facebook page, a Twitter account and probably more. They might integrate their social media in order to strengthen their reach to potential customers. The low cost and high visibility of social media makes it attractive to many small businesses, who can reach many more customers for very little

Consumers and Social Media
Words: 10594 Length: 35 Document Type: Dissertation

social media of hotel industry influence consumer purchasing behavior 24/09/2015 Prominent examples of social media Business Use of Social Media Social media and consumer purchasing Role of Social media in Advertising and Marketing Social Media Marketing Evidence of importance of Social Media Marketing Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Purchasing Behavior The Herding Effect Theory of Social Impact Social Media Influence Factors on Consumers Social Media in the Hotel Industry Social media and Thailand Hotels Approaches to Methodology Outline of research Method Sample

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now