Issues in Social Networking
In recent years, it is becoming increasingly clear that social networking applications such as Facebook and Twitter provide users with numerous new and exciting opportunities for establishing relationships across the geographic landscape (Rodricks, 2009), but also with concerns that increase the likelihood of new risks to the established relationships (Goessl, 2010). The present paper uses two articles on social networking not only to demonstrate the types of appeal used in one of the articles, but also to explain the possible benefits of social networking as demonstrated in the other article.
Types of Appeal
In his article, Goessl (2010) uses all the three types of appeal (logical, ethical and emotional) to demonstrate how the Facebook social networking application can actually harm relationships. The author of the article has employed logical appeal (use of logic, claims, and evidence) to convince readers on how Facebook puts a strain on marital and committed relationships, family relationships, friendships, and work relationships. For example, the author employs logic and claims to demonstrate how Facebook aids in blurring personal and professional lives, how the platform harms personal friendships by providing users with a platform to make insensitive comments against others, and also how it occasions family problems when private family matters are streamed across the application.
Goessl (2010) has also used ethical appeal to demonstrate his fair, honest, and open-minded nature in discussing how Facebook can harm relationships. For example, the author does not shy away from mentioning that the social networking application can provide numerous benefits if used well. By providing a well documented account on how Facebook has persisted in destroying relationships by encouraging things like addiction, irresponsible use, and exposing private family matters to the public, Goessl (2010) demonstrates that he is well-informed about the topic and confident in his position. Lastly, the author has used emotional appeal to raise the emotions of the reader, particularly in reinforcing the logical arguments on how Facebook destroys marital and family relationships. For example, they author raises emotions by demonstrating how some people destroy family relationships by venting their anger on Facebook, and also how others fall into the infidelity trap by re-igniting old relationships on the social networking site (Goessl, 2010).
Possible Benefits of Social Networking
In the second article, Rodricks (2009) provides a well-expounded illumination of the benefits of social networking on the social life of individuals. The author suggests that, “thanks to the advent of social networking, people have been more active than ever before meeting new people, re-connecting with old friends, and learning about different cultures from all over the world” (par. 1). In brief, the benefits of social networking include:
- allowing users an in-depth method of evaluating the details or profiles of their online friends before actually meeting them;
- providing a less intrusive and intimidating method to engage in online dating;
- providing users with an avenue to look for the quality attributes they desire in a dating partner;
- providing users with a platform to message their online friends right through the application, chat with them in real time, upload and share video or audio clips, or perhaps even talk to them via available interfaces such as Skype (Rodricks, 2009).
The benefits provided by Rodricks (2009) are to a large extent related to online dating, and do not address how users can verify the profiles posted online by people seeking friendship and companionship. Although it is true that most social networking profiles contain information about an individual’s interests, work life, family life and much more, hence providing users with an opportunity to assess their desirable attributes before making physical contact, the article is silent on the pitfalls related to much of the information posted in these profiles. Overall, however, it is evident that social networking sites provide immeasurable and quantifiable benefits for people interested in online dating.
References
Goessl, L. (2010). How Facebook friendships can harm your relationships. Web.
Rodricks, A. (2009). The benefits of social networking on your social life.