She Said/He Said : Social Networking

by Nalina Shapiro

She Said

Every time I sign onto Facebook or other social networking sites I ask myself, why?

Why do I get satisfaction looking through people’s pictures, commenting on silly photos and updating my status? One thing is for sure, I am not alone. Any day of the week, on most computer screens around campus, people are logged onto a social networking site.

Is it worth the time?

Personally, I limit myself to a few brief times a day. It may seem like a lot, but I use Facebook for networking purposes as well as social. I have found that everyone from my internships is connected through Facebook, Linkedin and sometimes Twitter. For that reason, I think it is a great tool.

On the other hand, I believe that some people abuse social networking sites. In this day and age, all types of technology that helps connect people should be taken advantage of, but not for the wrong reasons. Anything in excess is not good for you, and that includes Facebook. There is a fine line between social networking and obsession. I notice a lot of youth transferring most of their personal social interactions online, which is not healthy. As a result, relationships, romantic and platonic fail or at least culminate extra drama that without Facebook for example, would not exist. It is also not healthily for human beings to take too much direct contact away from one another. Something I am guilty of myself is falling into the easy trap of using messaging, Facebook chat or other forms of impersonal forms of communication to form new relationships or address conflicts. The problem is, when you have direct contact with the person, everything changes and the relationship was not the same as it was online.

How can we balance the advantages of social networking sites with the negatives?

Similar to anything else in life, people need to prioritize and use self control. Every time I have the urge to log onto Facebook or Linkedin I waita second, ask why I am doing it, and sometimes treat it like a reward. On days when I accomplished a lot and am very busy I spend time connecting with old friends or goofing around. The problem is when Facebook and other sites begin to harm people’s grades, goals and life. At this point it is time for cyber detox. I am still waiting for the day a rehab center opens that specializes in social networking addiction.

by Jeff Payne

He Said

I definitely spend too much time on social networking sites. The proof of that is that I am writing this He Said at 5:13 AM as a break from a dense collection of homework assignments. Why is this? Because during the daylight hours when I should be getting this work done I was spending time on facebook and twitter seeing what’s going on with friends and celebrities who I don’t even know but wish I did. The appeal is obvious; it’s so fascinating to see what’s going on everyone’s lives from your close friends to old acquaintances from the younger school years. However it’s starting to take over people’s lives! I know this isn’t just my problem either.  I can see that there are four other people available for facebook chat even at 5:13 in the morning. The people who are available keep changing too so there’s an even greater number of people who spend a little too much time social networking. It’s a problem that hopefully I and all of the other social networking junkies may one day quit.