It’s no new knowledge that the impact of social media in today’s world is huge. In all age groups and demographics, the use of websites and programs such as Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and many more is booming. Although you’re probably aware of the presence of Social media in your community, here are some stats to reinforce the impact.
- There are 2,484,915,152 Internet users in the World, or 35% of the total population
- There are 1,856,680,860 active social network users in the World, or 26% of the total population
- There are 6,572,950,124 mobile subscribers in the World, or 93% of the total population
(stats from here)
You’ve probably heard of how social media impacts society as a whole. Hollywood productions create unrealistic expectations, commercials influence consumers to over-spend, and if you’ve taken Grade 10 Social Studies like me, you know that media is a leading cause of globalization, but more so homogenization. Examples are actually everywhere. Take the McDonalds which have infiltrated almost every nation, or that shirt you own that was made in China.
Alright, I could continue about the harmful results of social media on society, but you will/will have heard enough about that in Social Studies.
How does social media impact us as individuals on a smaller scale? Social media affects relationships within the family, friendships, and pretty much every other type of relationship, but today I will be zooming in on the dating type of relationship. Yes, that one. Believe it or not, social media has a subtle yet powerful impact on your relationship with your boyfriend, girlfriend, crush, lover, spouse, and so on and so forth. Although the benefits of social media on relationships do exist, I believe that more people need to open their eyes to the potential downfalls. You could even think of this as words of advice~
Let’s get started!
1. Over Communication
It’s no secret that communication (actually being able to talk to one another in real life) is key to a successful relationship. A wise man once said, “Communication in a relationship is like oxygen. Without it, it dies”, and he couldn’t have been more right. I can’t emphasize it enough – communication is key! And yes, you can text your paramour countless times, and hold friendly conversations over text and messaging. However, did you know that one of the main problems with high school relationships is that the two people involved are unable to actually talk to each other in real life? Sure, texting can be fun, and it’s useful for making plans. But is there really a point in having a completely online relationship?
I don’t know about you, but the idea of only being able to talk via text, and awkwardly standing around in person, does not appeal to me. It turns out that couples often communicate so much over text, that they discuss everything online. Therefore, when it comes down to it they have nothing to say to each other in person!
Then again, some say that if you’ve found the right person you’ll be able to talk to him/her easily. What if you actually have found the right person, but you’ve overtalked so much online that you really can’t think of anything to say. I’m speaking from experience- I’ve watched the relationships between people I know dissolve because of lack of in person communication. Once again, don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing wrong with friendly, casual online communication. However, if it means making or breaking a successful relationship, take your eyes away from your electronic device and make eye contact with that special person.
2. Jealousy
Jealousy. It’s one of the main disrupting factors of all happy relationships. First, let’s go over jealousy when it comes to communicating online. With any form of social media such as Facebook or Snapchat, there’s always the question of: Is he/she talking to another girl/guy right now? Some people become so worked up about this that they regularly log on to each other’s accounts. But the thing is, trust is also a key component in a successful relationship.
You could almost say that social media weakens the bond of trust between two individuals. Instead of being happy because of the other person, some people become extremely jealous, and that’s no fun. Not only does the direct online communicating spark mistrust and bad feelings, but sites such as Instagram, Ask.fm, and others do so as well. Even if it’s a small thing such as liking someone’s photo or commenting, many people become jealous very easily. Yes, you may categorize these people as clingy and obsessive, but at the end of the day all they want is for their loved one to be faithful. Social media has a large amount of potential when it comes to weakening bonds of trust between two people.
3. Manners
This one’s pretty obvious. It goes for any relationship though- if you’re spending time with someone you love, your attention should be fully on that individual and not your electronic device. It’s a timeless rule! In order to make that person feel like he/she is actually important and cared about, you should be able to have fun without your phone. (Unless you pull it out to take a cute selfie that is)!
The bottom line is, if you are in a romantic relationship and you want to maintain it, use social media in moderation and have a sense of balance in your life. Social media isn’t bad, but if used the wrong way it can be poisonous.
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