Antisocial Media

In my own experience, there are both pros and cons of social media today. I use sites such as facebook and youtube, and I read blogs about celebrity gossip, fitness, entertainment and fashion. I find these blogs useful in expanding my knowledge and interest in certain subjects. I appreciate youtube's ability to catapult a talented group or individual to stardom, when he, she, or they may have otherwise remained undiscovered. Facebook allows me to keep in touch with relatives miles away in Ireland and classmates I haven't seen in years. However, in recent months, I have discovered a shift in my relationship with social media. I once spent hours sifting through pages of useless facebook profiles and pictures of celebrities doing their daily activities. However, as I have developed deeper personal relationships outside of social media, I have realized I spend much less time on them. I have discovered that spending time with my true friends, boyfriend, and family members gives me much more satisfaction and joy then digitally communicating with people who are less important to my life.

Sometimes we feel like we could not survive without social media, but I have come to realize this is not true at all. While social media does provide us with a means of communication and learning, it may in fact distract us from our more meaningful relationships and activities.