Social media has become a major part of everyday life for just about everyone. Many people argue that social media destroys relationships and creates distance between people because not all interactions are in real life. However, social media has so many benefits. Social media can strengthen relationships and bring people together. Rather than isolate us, social media lets us keep in touch with relationships across a distance, connect with our friends and family, and try new things.
Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat are social media platforms that people use to connect with. People can post updates of their lives to help people who don’t see them much stay connected. Grandparents who might live in another state or country can watch their grandchildren experience school performances, birthday celebrations, vacations, and more. Distance becomes shorter through social media and relationships grow stronger. Without social media, keeping these connections alive would be much harder.
While these apps help us stay connected to our relatives and friends far away, social media platforms also keep us connected to the people around us. Even though we may see these people more than the people distant to us, they too would like to see constant updates on our lives. Friends and family can see the little things like a trip to the lake or a hike in the mountains and they can comment or ask you about it keeping them involved in your life and your activities.
While social media platforms improve known relationships, they can also help build new ones. These platforms can be a good resource to find jobs, join clubs, meet new people, or find a life partner. Dating apps have filters to help you find like-minded people, cutting down the time it would take to get to know many different people in real life. Before social media, it would take months or years of dating to determine if two people were truly compatible. LinkedIn is a social network that helps people try to find jobs through an app where people can spread their resumes farther and quicker. Times are changing and social media is becoming more prominent and helpful to people of all ages. Facebook has a perk called Messenger Kids which helps young kids connect with their friends, family, and new people while being monitored by their parents.
On the other hand, some people argue that social media platforms are replacing real-life interactions and are weakening relationships. Social media actually encourages people to stay connected and strengthen their relationships. These platforms can also help people reach out, meet new people, and develop new relationships. Real-life relationships and interactions are important nevertheless, but social media is an amazing advancement in technology and people all over are benefiting from it.
Social Media has changed the way we connect to others and has brought so many new opportunities. Whether your family member is thousands of miles away or your friend is 2 miles away, you can share your joys and sorrows in a matter of minutes with both in real time.