Part 1: The effects of social media on our lives: a detailed analysis.

When and why?

In class there was going to be a group discussion, topic chosen became ‘Effects of Social Media’. There were many points. Everyone had opinions. I thought, I need to vent out mine too. And a minute or two-time will not be able to justify on what arguments I had. So, here are my thoughts.

Topic is also relevant, should help in making better decisions. 

Introduction

By the way, what do you mean by social media?

Before computers completely overtook our lives, there was a time, we used to make our social interactions physically. Meeting people face to face, not by clicking the blue tick to accept request. If you wanted to meet someone you had to go there. Information was exchanged through this, news, politics, drama, culture, and all other type of knowledge

But now most of the social interactions have been taken over by internet. It all can be done virtually, digitally. Information can be gathered, could be presented to you in a well structured and confined manner. Almost all of the social experience can be replicated here. Opinions can be exchanged, data can be gathered, criticism can be registered, bullying can be imitated, etc. etc.

Socializing over the internet, has its pros and cons. I will try to explain them clear and simple. Will try to break ice over issues ranging from, is going online affects our friendships’ strength? To How it is giving too much power to manipulate the opinions, The rise of internet stars. etc.

The distances have shortened.

Hardly anyone would disagree, if I say conversing with people who are far from you, has never been so easy, as it is in the history of life time. You type a message, do a video call. When send button is tapped, other side rings up. And, voila a conversation has started. Videos and audios can be sent with a touch of a finger, files – almost any file type can be exchanged without needing any specific equipment. An internet enabled mobile phone or a computer is enough to get you started, needn’t anything else.

Notes can be exchanged, problems can be discussed at 3 AM, the night before the exam (assuming someone is willing to provide the solution.)

Credit: Na, nahi Dunga

News can be exchanged almost immediately, if you got selected into a prestigious university why should it take days to reach the message to loved one. So that LOVE can be sent back. And if you are not, then counter LOVE can be forwarded. And your nasty, grim future can be discussed as well.

 Long gone are the days in which it took days for a letter to be delivered. Months have passed for parents to know whether son has reached college or died in between. Now they can call and pester every minute of a 15 min bus drive, everything has its pros and cons.

The time it takes to send a message to other side of the globe has reduced drastically. It takes less than a second even to deliver a message, even if you want to send to other part of the world. If the other side is online then you can expect the reply almost immediately. 

                                            

There is no chance that any one had expected it in just 100 years past if you ask.

PS: I think this will be enough for a part 1, will complete part 2, dissecting some other logics in a week and post it so. Initially, It was going to be a one long blog post, but now I think. Since, this will get longer in size, I will post it in many posts of byte sized. I will also explain the reason of  making bytes in last point.

Rishabh