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Social networking cause and effect

     The world is filled with fun things to do. I like to call them life’s little pleasures. Usually these things are harmless and nobody would think to much of it. A glass of wine with dinner, The slot machine at the casino, Or that social networking site where you discuss current events. These are all things that nobody would consider a problem, until they are over used, and abused. One of my biggest concerns is with social networking sites. Social networks are essentially a major downfall in people’s social life and in the community.

     Myspace was one of the most popular social networking sites around for a long time. People created a myspace to reconnect with long lost friends, maintain current friendships, and make new friends. It has come to my attention that social networking sites may be taking over the world, so to speak. In today’s day and time it is almost impossible to complete your daily tasks without using a computer. College students need a computer with internet access to do homework, study, and sometimes to communicate with classmates. Using the computer for activities like this is fine, but it is when one becomes addicted to life online, that the internet becomes a dangerous place, and a threat to the community and people’s social life.

     Myspace was one of the most popular social networking sites around for a long time. People created a myspace to reconnect with long lost friends, maintain current

Friendships, and make new friends. It eventually turned into a contest on who could get the most friends. But are the people you add really your friends? Are they even who the claim to be?

     You can be who ever you want to be on the internet. A 16 year old female that is a high school drop out, can be the CEO of a multi billion dollar company if she wants to. All she has to do is put it on her profile! You never really know who someone is unless you know them personally in real life. Being able to determine the difference between a real relationship and a virtual relationship is what is going to be the downfall in people’s social life, and a danger in the community.

     People’s social lives are going to be affected because sooner or later, people will not be able to determine the difference between real friendship, and virtual friendship. Virtual friendship is easier and more convenient so eventually it will take over. How can you find a spouse and have children if the only social interaction you have with people is in the solitude of your own home? In the virtual world, you will be extremely popular with thousands of friends, maybe even a boyfriend/girlfriend. But when you shut down the computer, you are brought back to reality where you are alone and depressed. You cannot be as positive while you feel alone and depressed as you could when you are happy and have real friends. Then when you want to talk about how you feel, you have nobody to talk to, unless of course you sign online to talk to one of your “Friends”. This is not healthy behavior for someone who has to maintain a job in the community.

     The community is at stake because the world is going to be run by today’s youth when the current adults start to die off. Today’s youth are addicted to the internet and social

Networking sites which is making them oblivious to the real world and preventing them from developing into well rounded adults. Baroness Greenfield states, “Social networking sites, such as facebook, are putting attention span in jeopardy. (guardian.co.uk) I completely agree with her. The youth have become used to fast computers giving results instantly. They can do anything they want with a click of a button. I personally am a witness of a shortened attention span. Online, if something doesn’t interest me, I simply click off of that page and move on to the next. I have applied this technique in real life. If I don’t like something, or it is taking to long to get interesting, I tune out. If everyone were like this, the world would be mayhem. Imagine if the president of the united states were someone who did not think everything through and randomly made complicated decisions. In the virtual world you could go back and change things, star over. But in real life, you are stuck with the decision you made.

     Life is precious. You only have one chance to live your life. Everything that you do has an effect and you cannot go back in time to change anything if you don’t like the outcome. This is the way life has been, and the way it always will be, at least that’s what I thought until social networking sites started taking over the internet. With today’s advanced technology readily available to anyone who seeks it, it seems as if it is giving people a chance to rewrite the pages to their biography. You can be anyone you want on the internet, that’s what makes it so appealing. Social networking sites are popping up everywhere. They are very popular among teens and even some younger children. It is always said that the young people are the future, so the thought of all the young people being sucked into a virtual black hole is quite scary. Social networks can indeed have a huge impact on the future of the world when it comes to friendships and the community.