Problem Statement
The apocalypse of the 21st century might look like blocking social networks for 2 hours. There is panic in the street; people randomly walk around holding their photos and ask each other: “Do you like it?” A couple of decades ago, this situation would have seemed absurd, but today it is close to reality. The problem of excessive use of social networks is quite acute, and this cannot but lead to negative consequences. It cannot be said that social networks are only harmful, just as it cannot be said, for example, about computer games.
With the disciplined way of using these technological achievements, people can get some profit and make their lives easier. Researchers assume that this is one of the ways to build productive communities (Dunbar et al. 41). This is also a way to make changes in the social and political life of people (González-Bailón and Wang 96). However, there is always a risk that using social networks will lead to harmful consequences in humans’ psyche and social life. Therefore, people should reflect on the need for social networks in their lives and reduce the frequency of their use. Only in this way can they fully enjoy not the virtual reality, but the surrounding world. The purpose of this paper is to consider the arguments in favor of replacing the use of social networks with personal communication.
Social Media Addiction
There are many negative consequences of using social networks. Researchers assume that “problematic behaviors related to internet users are often described in psychiatric terminologies, such as ‘addiction’” (Keles et al. 80). There are various reasons for the addictive potential of social networks. The first one is that using social networks affects the centers of pleasure in human brains. People experience pleasant emotions when they read helpful comments under their photos, get a “like,” or get positive reviews on something they have made (Hemsley et al.). The desire to get these emotions again makes people return to social networks and spend more time there.
The second reason is the features of the data assimilation during the work in multi-user platforms. In social networks, people get small portions of different information in a short time. They read short comments, answer them, then open the news and see an involving post, turn on the music in parallel. Then their attention is moved to a message from a friend, which must be answered immediately. The brain gets used to this type of activity quickly. These speed and availability are factors that cause the formation of dependence. People instinctively search for the simplest ways to get pleasure, even if these paths are not effective and lead to negative consequences.
Decreased Attention Span
By randomly switching between different sources of information, the brain gets used to this work and starts losing its skill of holding attention to something for a long time. In some cases, it may even cause attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Using a single web interface of social networks makes people use many functions at a time, such as chatting or watching videos. The user is trying to do everything at once and participate in several parallel processes, which adversely affects thinking abilities. It becomes difficult to keep attention for a long time because the mind, following an acquired habit, moves fast from one subject to another. Therefore, people feel difficulties with consecutively reflecting and solving one problem at a time. Researchers note that “increased social media consumption may lead to negative online experiences, fewer in-person social interactions, and decreased ability to sustain attention” (Shensa et al. 116). This issue is now especially acute for the younger generation. Children’s mind is much more “plastic” than adults’, and therefore it can more easily get used to the harmful standards of thinking formed by social networks.
Information Addiction
Social networks are a kind of “chewing gum” for the brain. People get used to continually getting information, and without it, they experience unpleasant symptoms. It becomes difficult to relax in situations where little data enter the brain, for example, in a subway or during a walk. The mind is continually worried not to stop checking news and requires new chunks of information, as it is used to getting it from social networks every day. Researchers assume that “digital technology users experience multiple layers of reward” (Cash et al., 295). Beautiful pictures, “likes” and funny texts on social networks are such rewards, and when people cannot get any of them, they feel stressed. This also increases overall stress and anxiety, as people often feel they are missing out on something important. Anxiety is one of the most common psychological issues of the 21st century, and this is primarily due to the excessive use of social networks.
Effect on the Psyche
When people spend too much time on social networks, their brain is busy with meaningless activities, which are not actual full-fledged intellectual work. They just keep it active, not thinking about the quality of the information. Instead, people could think of something, make some plans, come up with a useful idea, or learn something new. However, this is not possible, as long as the mind is dedicated to chewing this “Internet-gum.” Since information arrives quickly and continuously, people do not even have time to comprehend it. Emotions do not develop in response to incoming feelings because this requires time and peace. These conditions are not present when people convulsively consume information. Empathy, compassion, and interest disappear without taking shape in the psyche since data types are always changing one after another. Moreover, overuse of social networks can even lead to mental problems. Researchers argue that “preoccupation may lead to depression if the individual does not receive the desired feedback from his or her social media audience” (Shensa et al. 124). This suggests that a decrease in the use of social networks will have a positive effect on the psyche.
Ways to Reduce the Harmful Effects of Social Networks
Despite all the shortcomings, social networks are a significant breakthrough in modern technological development. However, like with many breakthrough technologies, people need to interact with social networks carefully. There is no need to check for updates all the time, during every free minute. It will be useful to limit the number of social network visits, for example, by two times a day (or maybe more in the beginning). In this way, the brain can take a rest from the information, which will help people feel much more relaxed at the end of the day. It is better to spend free time on more valuable things than social networks. People can read informative articles and learn something new because the modern Internet gives many opportunities for obtaining any information. Due to the reduction of time spent on social networks, people will also have more time for live communication. This is much more important and useful than the thoughtless paging of a news feed.
The Benefits of Social Networks
Undoubtedly, social networks are a good tool for communication in the modern world. Nevertheless, researchers state that “when individuals use social network sites in a way that does not promote interpersonal connection, they open themselves up to the pitfalls of isolation and social comparison: significant dangers to well-being” (Clark et al. 33). However, there are a variety of useful social networks, and their positive features need to be mentioned as well. They give people access to a vast amount of media content, such as music or movies. Often these files are even sorted by genre and can be selected by the tastes of a user. This makes the process of using them much more convenient and enjoyable. Thanks to such opportunities, people can relax in a more pleasant way than viewing photos of successful people. Other social networks provide links to websites that match the interests of users or give access to books and articles. Many of them are freely available, which simplifies the process of downloading and reading. Thus, some social networks are a great way to learn something new, broaden horizons and enjoy art.
Conclusion
There are a considerable number of social networks, and they affect entirely different aspects of human life: health, mental abilities, social life, and others. Unfortunately, most often, this influence is not useful and makes people “drown” in the information flow. This negatively affects most active users of social networks. People should allocate their time on the Internet responsibly and rationally. Social networks can bring many benefits: help contact an old friend, find out about a new book or music album, organize a meeting or an event. Thus, social networks are not a great evil, as many believe, and anyone can take only the good from them and filter out the bad. Besides, people should never forget that none of the social networks can replace face to face communication with real people.
Works Cited
Cash, H., et al. “Internet Addiction: A Brief Summary of Research and Practice.” Current Psychiatry Reviews, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 292-298.
Clark, Jenna L., et al. “Social Network Sites and Well-Being: The Role of Social Connection.” Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 32-37.
Dunbar, R.I.M., et al. “The Structure of Online Social Networks Mirrors Those in the Offline World.” Social Networks, vol. 43, no. 9, pp. 39-47.
González-Bailón, Sandra, and Ning Wang. “Networked Discontent: The Anatomy of Protest Campaigns in Social Media.” Social Networks, vol. 44, no.1, pp. 95-104
Hemsley, Jeff, et al. “Social Media for Social Good or Evil: An Introduction.” Social Media + Society, 2018. Web.
Keles, Betul, et al. “A Systematic Review: The Influence of Social Media on Depression, Anxiety and Psychological Distress in Adolescents.” International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 79-93.
Shensa, Ariel, et al. “Social Media Use and Depression and Anxiety Symptoms: A Cluster Analysis.” American Journal of Health Behaviour, vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 116-128.