Did you know that Facebook has 936 Million users worldwide?
Facebook is integrated in the lifestyles of most people. They check Facebook when they wake-up, when they are waiting for the bus, when they have lunch, while they are working and right before they go to sleep. Some people also post pictures of themselves or with friend, of their breakfast and they post ‘what is on their mind’ like when they are happy, when they are sad, when they are in love. They also give their opinion about political discussions or post what they are doing like ‘in the gym’. All this to stay in touch with their friends. But why spend all your time on Facebook, when you can actually spend time with your friends in real life? Are we losing our real friends, because we keep updating our Facebook friends?
Because we are spending so much time on Facebook, you would say we have less time for our real friends and real life meetings. But it does not look that way if we believe the research being done by Michigan State University. Both non-stop Facebook users as anti-Facebook users seem to have five close friends. According to the study from Michigan State University, students with an average of 175 Facebook friends use their online time to maintain the friendship with these close friends.
Media psychologist and social media consultant Mischa Coster said: “ Because of social media, people visit each other more often in real life. Online and offline flow into on another. You do not have to ask what they are up to, because you already read it on twitter.”
I agree with Coster, because of the internet it is easier to make plans with your friends. For example you can make an event on Facebook, or you can send a personal message if you want to meet up. But I do not like it when my friends are constantly on Facebook when I am with them. For example that time when I had diner in a restaurant with my friend. The food was finally ready and although I was really hungry, I could not touch my food. Not because it was hot or anything, but because my friend wanted to make a picture of the plate ‘for snapchat’, she said. So it is a good thing to stay online, but when you are meeting up with friend in real life, you can go offline.
Do you have more or less friends because of social media? And what do you prefer, online or offline friends? Has the day, Einstein feared for, already begun?
N. B. Ellison, C. Steinfield, C. Lample. 2007. The Benefits of Facebook “Friends:” Social Capital and College Students’ Use of Online Social Network Sites. August 2007
http://www.socialbakers.com/statistics/facebook/
It really brings me thinking. Online social networks is a trend, because it’s convinient, it can reach to more people in a much shorter time and it does bring a lot more fun to our life than the tradition way in which we keep in touch with others. But sometimes we just ingore the real world intereaction. When I travelled with my friends and when we sat down where we could connect to WIFI none of us would talk to each other, because we were so engaged in FB or others, for what happened that we had missed during our journey, or shared photos with our friends. We didn’t talk, but later on we would see that all of us were posting our journey photo online.
What’s more, we expand our friend circle through those online social networks, get to know our friends’ friend. We begin to talk and share and become online friends even though we may not see each other in the fresh. There’s a good aspect in such thing, for we may consolidate the relationship in one circle, and if our relationship contitue to grow in a healthy way, it’s a value for every one in this circle.
But it’s all about social relationship. Online social networks, especially when mobile began to take a role in it, really pull us together whereever we are on this planet, if we can connect to the Internet. However, while I do feel that I have reached more friends since I began to use online social networks, I still reminisce my relationships with fewer friends that are more stronger and warmer when we stay offline.
Nice post! My mostly used platforms are Facebook and Instagram, and I actually think they have rather enriched my social interactions with others rather than had a bad influence. I still meet up a lot ‘offline’ and social media has made it easer to 1. make plans 2. share experiences during meetings with others (pictures of parties etc). It also allows me to stay in touch with friends who no longer live in the Netherlands: I know exactly when they will be in the Netherlands to visit! If it weren’t for social media, I truly believe I would lose these people out of sight.
I also think it makes it easier for people who barely know one another to come in contact. If you’ve added someone from class on Facebook you don’t really know that well yet, it will be easier to say hi and start a conversation offline. It connects people. And yes, I am one of those annoying people who doesn’t let people touch their food before I take a picture for Instagram (oops), but I don’t believe this makes me anti-social. After that, I always put my phone in my bag and don’t touch it until I’m alone again.
In conclusion, for me it has a lot of positive influences. I do believe that some people can go overboard a little but if you are able to use it in healthy moderation its great!
Looking at my social media activities I think that social media helps me keeping up with what other people are up to, also those I have not been talking to for a while. It can actually help to keep your conversation going when you ask people what they have been doing over the last days or weeks and all they tell you is that they did not do much or just point out one thing. I often remember then what others have been posting like pictures of their holiday and I can use that and ask questions about their holiday by referring to the pictures they posted. Therefore the things they post online make it easier to have a conversation online, but you won’t ever find me getting my phone out in a situation in which I am able to talk to friends or family and ignore them from that point.
This does not necessarily mean that I am not checking my social media often. I must admit there are quite a few moments a day I am checking it. But those are all situations in which I am on my own. So for me I want to be interacting with others throughout the entire day and when there are certain moments when I am on my own and I am not interacting offline, why not do it online?