Connected, But Alone

Has social media made us less social?

You would think ‘social’ media would include a lot more interacting and socializing, just over various media instead of in-person or other ways. But over the past few years, people of all ages and demographics have integrated their lives with social media and can be found spending lots of time on their phones or other devices. I desired to discuss this issue with others. In an online forum, I asked this very question and received some very good feedback and discussion.

One response I received that answered yes said, “People no longer need to be able to communicate properly with others due to the fact that the internet is doing it for them. The ability to use internet phones to check social media sights has turned places like coffee shops and cafes into non-social areas. Instead of approaching strangers to be entertained in new situations people are just pulling out their phones and checking their social media so that they can feel connected to others without actually being connected to others.”

Another response that answered no talked about how “[social media] helps us grow a better social understanding with each other.” He stated that we can get to know people better by seeing what they are up to all the time through pictures and other media, and helps us stay connected with them.

Overall, I received about 75% of responses that said yes it has made us less social, and 25% that said no it hasn't. One particular response that stuck out to me the most gave me a link to a TED talk by a woman named Sherry Turkle. She is an author who wrote a book called: “Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other.” I have posted the video below to this TED talk and it really hits home this idea to change the way we use and rely on technology/social media. It is great to be connected, but when your relationships are all online, we tend to actually feel alone and that is when it has to change.