Advantages of social media are imagined
Modern day 2013: Welcome to the new age of technology, the generation of connection, and the boom of social media.
Social media is without a doubt a predominating force in the next generation of adults. With an excess of readily available technology in the palm of our hands, it is tempting to believe that we have somehow gained supremacy over all prior generations.
But while the recent development of social connections has thrived, so too has our tendency to market ourselves. Social media has simultaneously stimulated a desire so strong that it has become almost insatiable among young adults: self-promotion to our peers.
You won’t be able to think of one person who hasn’t fallen victim to this widespread social media syndrome: the casual “selfies,” the restaurant pictures of that oh-so-fabulous chocolate lava cake, and the boastful Facebook relationship statuses. We live in the constant delusion that, as young people, we are so utterly fascinating that our every thought, event, and photo must be published for the world to see. We crave the admiration and gratification that comes with knowing that people take an interest in our lives.
What started off as a simple mechanism by which people connect has turned into an all-out virtual war for the most likes on our profile picture and the greatest number of followers. However, this war has created a stalemate in our own lives, as what began as an advantage is now simply a distraction from our goals.
Instead of coming home and immediately checking Facebook, an aspiring writer could be finishing the rough draft of his or her future bestseller. Rather than wasting the night away on Twitter, that young person who wants to be prime minister could be reading up on world issues.
There are limitless benefits of the Internet and social media if you use it to research and fuel your passions. Besides, won’t you have so much more to flaunt to the social media world once you’ve established yourself as a prestigious, flourishing individual? When modern young adults focus on what they love first, and use the social media later, it will ultimately benefit them. Only then will the so-called advantage truly exist.
