Hourglass 2021-22 Issue 3 Online

12 | backpage the hourglass | March 2022
eesha PRO SOCIAL MEDIA
LAUREN HALAK ‘24
EESHA SHARMA ‘24
Staff Writers
In the age of technology, social
media is an accessible method of
communication, connecting hundreds
upon thousands of people ranging
from your neighbor to someone living
across the world. But is social media really
bringing us together, or is it responsible for
tearing relationships apart?
eesha: pro social media
Although social media has gained a
negative reputation for tearing us apart, at
its core, it brings people together. Social
media helps people stay in touch regardless
of distance or busy schedules.
Social media provides a platform for
old friends or family to connect. People
with family across the world or friends
who they have not seen in a long time can
see what they are up to on social media.
This aids people in staying up to date
on each other’s lives and maintaining
communication between each other.
Communicating online is also easier
for many people. Social media can be
a tool for those who might be unable to
connect with others as easily in real life. As
HelpGuide states, “Social media enables
you to find vital social connection if you
live in a remote area, for example, or have
limited independence, social anxiety, or are
part of a marginalized group.”
Ultimately, social media’s impact
depends on how it is used. Users have
control over how social media affects
them. Although its power can be abused,
it can also be harnessed and turned into
something beneficial.
Is Social
Media
Bringing Us
Together
or Pulling
Us Apart?
Lauren and Eesha disagree on
the effects of social media.
Lauren: anti social media
Social media might first seem like
it helps foster relationships with instant
communication through DMs, stories,
posts, and more. But it is clear social media
is becoming a platform that does quite the
opposite.
Users can post virtually whatever
they want, with little regard for accuracy.
By hiding behind a screen, people feel
comfortable sharing even their most
controversial thoughts with a large
audience, something they would likely not
feel comfortable doing in person.
Inflammatory posts can lead to
extreme polarization, and not just on the
internet. As Eli Pariser, author of The
Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding
from You, said in Vox, “Where I live and
who my friends are and what media I
consume all shape what I see, which then
shapes decisions I make about what media
I consume and where to live and who to be
friends with.”
Not only does constant conflict take
place online, but social media has a wellknown
reputation for being extremely fake.
Users can post fake or edited pictures of
themselves just to garner attention through
likes and comments. As an article on
Odyssey puts it, “We become so fake with
one another that it’s hard to distinguish
who’s real and who’s not.”
How can users form relationships
online when they aren’t guaranteed honesty
from the person they’re communicating
with? The ability users have to put up a
facade online allows fake relationships to
form, and real ones to fall apart.
BY THE
NUMBERS
4.2 Billion
People actively use social
media across the globe
(Statista 2022)
70%
False information is
70% more likely to be
retweeted than the truth
(MIT Sloan 2020)
Design by Anna Wang ‘22 and Emily Zhang ‘23
Graphics by Cathy Wang ‘23
Photos courtesy of Ivory Tree
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ANTI SOCIAL MEDIA LAUREN