In this day and age a study shows the older generation seems to be agitated when it comes to social media. They see it as a tool to avoid conversation and voice your opinion over the internet instead of speaking it aloud. The younger generation believes it progresses in the opposite way. They see it as a way to voice opinion and create connections effortlessly. Both arguments have strong appeal, but the question of whether or not social media is beneficial towards society is a tricky one.
Society for Human Resource Management developed a research to verify the results of social media and how it effective it is on society specifically in the workplace. The results involved better communication between employees leading to enhancement in business contacts, improvement of reputation, and creating a larger market research. The study only occurred in the workplace, but the results are interesting and can be correlated when discussing society in general.
But, you have to take the good with the bad. For every positive outcome, there seems to be a negative. The study also shows a growing hacking detail along with lack of productive work being done. Social media is addicting and the opportunity for use in the workplace can be altered. When I do homework my phone/laptop is so tempting look at for the sake of procrastination and does effect the outcome of my work.
Another study done by Steven Morris shows social media benefits the elderly, the ones who constantly neglect the importance of it. Morris claims, “Training older people to use social media improves cognitive capacity, increases a sense of self-competence and could have a beneficial overall impact on mental health and physical well-being.” A study done in England and Italy gave the elderly a piece of technology and isolated them. The study resulted in the technologically savvy having no trouble in the feeling of isolation while talking to friends and family members over the web. On the other hand, the elderly who were unaware of how to use the technology felt isolated and had trouble surviving.
The study above done by Steven Morris details the importance of technology in society and how one advantage outweighs every other disadvantage: the importance of connection. Society connects and proposes opinions over social media and in some forms, need it to converse with loved ones and friends. There are negatives to usage, but they can be avoided when used correctly. Social media creates a connection in society that would fail in comparison to life without it. It benefits society and our way of conversing, but most importantly enhances connection, stability, and accuracy in the work world. Steven Morris and the Society for Human Resources Management create arguments that are hard to refute in dealing with the success of social media. The older generation is quick to generalize, but in reality they are part of the large number of people who benefit off of the use of social media.
Works-Cited:
1.) http://www.shrm.org/templatestools/hrqa/pages/socialnetworkingsitespolicy.aspx
3.) http://www.selfpublishingadvice.org/how-to-sell-books-on-twitter/
This post is very interesting as it takes over reliance on technology a step further and focuses on social media. I often find myself obsessing over my phone sometimes and checking various social media sites multiple times when I should be doing my homework. I agree however, with the study that you included regarding the fact that social media can be beneficial as it allows the world to connect and share experiences and opinions. Although many people would say that technology is driving society apart, social media is a counter argument exemplifying ways it brings us together. In order to offer a counter argument for the sport of conversation, Ive included an article from the Huffington Post explaining the dangers of social media on young teens. Although mature adults can express their opinions through social media, many teens are not able to intellectually contribute to this and as a result it can damage their developing mental states.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/social-media-mental-health_55b129d9e4b08f57d5d3eedf
The impact of social media in our everyday lives is definitely a topic worth discussing. I used to be completely addicted to social media when I was younger and now I still enjoy it, but I try to control it as much as possible. I believe sometimes the addictive properties of social media may actually hinder out abilities to make strong social connections on a personal level with people. Many times I see people hanging out or going on a date and constantly checking their phones and replying to text messages. I believe in performing this actions people may be unconsciously creating a barrier between actual face to face relationships in exchange for superficial ones through messaging.
You highlighted both sides to the argument well, by mentioning both the post is not biased. Is it possible that the hindering affects are mainly predominate in more wealthy world regions? Some places in the Eastern Hemisphere who have internet use it for more than entertainment. They use it for voice expression and being able to gain knowledge that their government tries to keep away from them.
I found your post to be extremely relevant, especially for todays generation. I feel that social media tends to be very bittersweet. It packs in a lot of advantages, but can also negatively affect individuals and even society as a whole. I liked how you pointed out studies that highlighted both the good and the bad that comes along with social media. I feel like social media is just like any other addicting habit, with portion control you will be fine, but with extensive use some issues my begin to surface. Here is an article that I found that highlights some main advantages and disadvantages when it comes to social media.
http://futureofworking.com/10-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-social-networking/