“Young or old, social media has infiltrated our lives in a way never before imagined,” explains C. Daniel Prather in his article “The Utilization of Social Media”(1). Nowadays, social media has become something more than just websites and social interaction. It has become a critical, yet, beneficial factor in our everyday lives. In “The Cell Fish Blues” by Nancy Nevins, she explains that, “A complex addiction, cell phones feel like they make busy life better, but they make true life harder,” (612). Feeling connected and included under the social umbrella is something everyone wants. Busy people need a little entertainment now and then, therefore, social media should not be criticized as "making life harder" as Nevins explained; in fact, it should seen as beneficial to our current world. Social media has been scrutinized over the years and has developed a bad reputation; however, it has shown that it can be quite beneficial to many users.
Some people might say that social media is addictive and unnecessary to our world. In Brigid Delaney’s article, “It’s a Lonely Planet Out There -- Get Used To It” Neil Swidey wrote in, “The Boston Globe” that, “Because of technology, we never have to be alone anymore. And that's the problem.” It has become an issue that because of social medias, we are not able to ever be alone. Since we are always “connected,” we will always have “someone” to talk to. We can never get away, therefore people are claiming that social media is a terrible, addictive thing. However, that may not be the case; in fact, social media may be the most beneficial thing that has ever happened to this world.
One of the many reasons why social media is beneficial is because it’s a fast, and easy way to communicate and get updates. Before the time of social media, the only way to get information was to either watch the news on T.V., read newspapers or hear about it through “word-of-mouth.” Nowadays, people can just go on the internet or whip out their smartphones and simply check what is going on around the world and instantly get updates. An example of how receiving updates and news faster is more convenient for people is in Mona Eltahawy’s article “Twitterholics Anonymous.” She states that by using Twitter to obtain information she is able to perform her career as a journalist better than ever before. “Twitter has become part of the backbone for my work along with my laptop and Internet connection,” Eltahawy says (608). Before social media, communication with people required some effort. Whenever my family, here in the U.S. needed to communicate with my family in the Philippines, they had to send letters or use calling cards. Writing letters took a long amount of time to be sent and received. The same went for calling cards; they cost a lot of accumulated money and it was only for a short amount of time. Now, we are able to contact with our families with ease and within a matter of seconds. Fernando Angelo makes a claim in his article,...
