Are Social Networks Bad For Humanity?

[Wing]

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In a world where we collect friends like stamps, there’s actually a connection between using social media and being lonely.
What are your thoughts on this subject?

 

[craigiri]

The improper use of social networks can be bad for individuals and groups.
Same goes for college fraternities, real world friendships, employee-employer relations, etc.

One could say that the over-pimping of social networks is a bubble....yet at the same time we are social creatures, and useful and helpful interaction online is better than none at all. It's even sometimes better than offline.

 

[Wing]

The improper use of social networks can be bad for individuals and groups.
Same goes for college fraternities, real world friendships, employee-employer relations, etc.

One could say that the over-pimping of social networks is a bubble....yet at the same time we are social creatures, and useful and helpful interaction online is better than none at all. It's even sometimes better than offline.

I agree to a extent, if people dont use them as a popularity contest. OR to see who can get the "most friends" and then spam for likes.

But when it comes to family or close relationships, you also have to remember... that texting and phone calls are a much more personal connection. And has potential to build more of a relationship of quality then just "keeping up to date" with them over a social network. Which is also explained a bit more in depth with the video in the OP.

 

[craigiri]

Lots of people don't want to keep in close touch with many members of their family. But, yeah, I see the point. I just made my parents get the texting on their iphones since I'm not a big phone person...

The social networks can keep some connections alive - so that when you or they travel, they might come visit, etc.

It can also add to either self-confidence or depression, depending on how you feel your life worked out compared to those classmates and others you haven't seen for 40 years.

Think about it - even the telephone made it so that people stopped visiting in person.

IMHO, the "answer" to all of this is more closely knit communities (real), so that people run into others naturally during their days. For the past 40+ years in the USA, the tendency has been the opposite - that to shield yourself in a gated community or far off in the exurbs, etc.

Now, among young people, the cities are coming back.

Europe seems to have a lot more of this (smaller distances, walking plazas, local shops, etc.) than most places here.

 

[Wing]

Lots of people don't want to keep in close touch with many members of their family. But, yeah, I see the point. I just made my parents get the texting on their iphones since I'm not a big phone person...

The social networks can keep some connections alive - so that when you or they travel, they might come visit, etc.

It can also add to either self-confidence or depression, depending on how you feel your life worked out compared to those classmates and others you haven't seen for 40 years.

Think about it - even the telephone made it so that people stopped visiting in person.

IMHO, the "answer" to all of this is more closely knit communities (real), so that people run into others naturally during their days. For the past 40+ years in the USA, the tendency has been the opposite - that to shield yourself in a gated community or far off in the exurbs, etc.

Now, among young people, the cities are coming back.

Europe seems to have a lot more of this (smaller distances, walking plazas, local shops, etc.) than most places here.

Great points there.

My largest concern with the way society is now a days, is the almost fake feeling of having "friends". Some people get the instant gratification of feeling "wanted" and "liked" by being popular through the social networks.
Some networks are worst than others in this concern. But the principle is still there.

Another concern of mine, is the youth and interaction. I am in my early 20's and I already see issues. Many people my age seem to lack the skills of talking face to face over coffee compared to how life used to be.
With previous relationships, I have noticed that there are millions of things to talk about when going through texts or Facebook. But when it comes to being in person, the conversation gets akward... as its always me trying to think of things to say.

Just as a observation, I have noticed this with many people from my age group.

Its all about talking through the internet.
Then I look at my little sister, and its even worst with her generation.

Social networks are causing "loneliness" as they are truly not quality social interaction. And to be quite blunt... most of the stuff you see people post, is fakey.
With this, it causes depression. As explained in the video posted. Humans need true social interaction, IN PERSON with others.

Europe is also a completely different ball game in places, as people are not all in cars driving around secluded from everyone else. Walking around the city opens up much more social interaction. Which is why I actually prefer living there compared to where I do at the moment in the United States.

 

[johnpauull]

Social networking is one of the big platform to get engage with the customers.

 

[The Dark Wizard]

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In a world where we collect friends like stamps, there’s actually a connection between using social media and being lonely.
What are your thoughts on this subject?

You are asking the wrong question in a community where most of its users are owners/people who run forums. Most forum admins/webmasters think that social is pure evil due to what it has "done" to the forum scene. So your poll is filled with biased answers and thus filled with corrupted data.

Spoiler: My Answer.

For the record as a forum owner I think social networks are pure evil.

As a regular person I think some of them are neat and have their uses.

 

[Arantor]

What I find really funny is that by definition a forum is a social network. Each forum is just a social network with a specific niche and set of interface conventions.

 

[Teapot]

Despite being an owner of a XenForo site that contains an active forum, my site is often referred to as a social network by its members, who quite often spend a lot of time browsing the profiles and related social features.. So I can only answer that social networks are the greatest invention ever produced by mortal hands and shall surely transcend time and even the internet itself.

 

[Wing]

What I find really funny is that by definition a forum is a social network. Each forum is just a social network with a specific niche and set of interface conventions.

Despite being an owner of a XenForo site that contains an active forum, my site is often referred to as a social network by its members, who quite often spend a lot of time browsing the profiles and related social features.. So I can only answer that social networks are the greatest invention ever produced by mortal hands and shall surely transcend time and even the internet itself.

Except the fact that we aren't prying into people's personal lives, or subjecting them to advertisements and marketing research... haha.

As for my forum being a social network. Yes, it forsure is. But does not compare to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, ect. when it comes to fakey interaction. Things around here will always be a more personal interaction as we are a small organization under the gaming roof. But nonetheless, it also does not compare to quality interaction in person. Forums tend to be a bit more logical, organized and informative when it comes to discussion as well. Which is why the forum format has been around for so long.

 

[Arantor]

There are forums that pry into peoples' personal lives given half a chance. There are also plenty of forums that subject their users to adverts and marketing research. This very forum does, for example, by making use of Google Analytics. (While the site owner gets analytics out of GA, it would be naive at best to think Google itself does not data-mine that information. Especially as it's something they can potentially use to track you from site to site.)

 

[OSS 117]

I don't like social networks. I had a Twitter but I got rid of it. I have YouTube, but I rarely ever use it. I actually got rid of everything in the profile a while back. I don't see the point of Facebook, Pinterest or those other silly sites.

Most of society has come to rely on sites like this for discussion or entertainment. That surprises me, to be frank. Mostly because I don't care what others are doing or pictures of their food (or whatever it was they were doing). It's even sad to see 9-year-old children spending more time on their iPhones. That's their prime years of childhood they're wasting.

To be honest, I don't even like forums most of the time. Sure, I like them some of the time. But you grow tired of the people.

 

[Amaury]

It's even sad to see 9-year-old children spending more time on their iPhones. That's their prime years of childhood they're wasting.

It's their lives, though. They're free to do what they want with them.

Personally, unless I have something else to do, I'm always on the computer browsing the Internet, watching television, and playing video games.

 

[Wing]

It's their lives, though. They're free to do what they want with them.

Personally, unless I have something else to do, I'm always on the computer browsing the Internet, watching television, and playing video games.

Unfortunately, yes... people seem to be accustomed to do so these days.
And as shown above, there are some negative effects with these habits compared to how things used to be before all the online computer/tv distractions.

People seem to spend more time "snap chatting", or uploading pictures to social networks during events, instead of making the best of it... and interacting with the world around them. (in real life that is).

 

[Amaury]

Unfortunately, yes... people seem to be accustomed to do so these days.
And as shown above, there are some negative effects with these habits compared to how things used to be before all the online computer/tv distractions.

People seem to spend more time "snap chatting", or uploading pictures to social networks during events, instead of making the best of it... and interacting with the world around them. (in real life that is).

As long as you're not obsessed, I don't really see a problem, and there's a difference between addictiveness and obsessiveness.

I once read an article about how a young boy (I think 14, but not sure) went days without eating, sleeping, or going to the bathroom and had to be hospitalized because he couldn't even be bothered to notice things like his body telling him he had to use the bathroom because he was so into his video game.

I'm personally nowhere near that bad. I can drop the video games or Internet browsing to do something more important, such as grocery shopping and sleeping.

 

[Wing]

As long as you're not obsessed, I don't really see a problem, and there's a difference between addictiveness and obsessiveness.

I once read an article about how a young boy (I think 14, but not sure) went days without eating, sleeping, or going to the bathroom and had to be hospitalized because he couldn't even be bothered to notice things like his body telling him he had to use the bathroom because he was so into his video game.

I'm personally nowhere near that bad. I can drop the video games or Internet browsing to do something more important, such as grocery shopping and sleeping.

Except it is a proven fact that our youth OVERALL, are becoming more and more socially awkward.

Social media was meant to make interacting "easier". By easier, I do not mean it would promote interacting.

Think of it this way: When someone comes to you bawling and screaming about a problem, isn't it easier (or cleaner) to comfort them by just typing a few words than putting your arm around them and being sensitive about what you say? It requires less depth, therefore making it the more appealing choice. Studies show that many kids and teenagers choose this option over face-to-face conversations. I am not saying this is an improvement. We should be excited about the relationships we have with other human beings, this is just a negative side of social media.

Also observe how the more kids and teens use the internet and social media, the more socially-awkward they become, thus proving said internet and media promote themselves. A recent poll displayed most people use social media because it, "helps shy and lonely people make new friends."

Another thing I have observed;

I have noticed that young people are more and more involved in texting and other social media activities at the expense of real life engagement with people that are there at the time. That is a terrible side effect where we lose contact with people trying to keep in contact with others.

 

[Amaury]

Think of it this way: When someone comes to you bawling and screaming about a problem, isn't it easier (or cleaner) to comfort them by just typing a few words than putting your arm around them and being sensitive about what you say? It requires less depth, therefore making it the more appealing choice. Studies show that many kids and teenagers choose this option over face-to-face conversations. I am not saying this is an improvement. We should be excited about the relationships we have with other human beings, this is just a negative side of social media.

I don't know about others, but I would hug and comfort them, and I've been around social media since I was a kid.

Also observe how the more kids and teens use the internet and social media, the more socially-awkward they become, thus proving said internet and media promote themselves. A recent poll displayed most people use social media because it, "helps shy and lonely people make new friends.

That proves nothing. It varies from individual to individual. As I said, I've been around social media since I was a kid, and I am not socially awkward. As a matter of fact, the older I got, especially as of late, the more social I liked to be

 

[Wing]

I don't know about others, but I would hug and comfort them, and I've been around social media since I was a kid.

Just a lame example, I was trying to use while explaining the whole point.
Back in the day, people would actually make an attempt to call or better yet... see you in person when real life support from friends/family is seeked. Now a days, you see alot of impersonal attempts to "comfort" someone in need, via social networks or texts.
Once again, a stupid example. But I am sure you can see the point that is being made.

That proves nothing. It varies from individual to individual. As I said, I've been around social media since I was a kid, and I am not socially awkward. As a matter of fact, the older I got, especially as of late, the more social I liked to be

Its not just a matter of "per individual", as I too am not socially akward.
But legitimate studies show that this is a rising issue. Simply teens these days are not as effective speakers in face to face conversations compared to generations in the past.