Monday 27 July 2015

Online Communication

Social networking sites have infected our everyday lives. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. have implanted a seed deep within the lives of many, if not, all teenagers and adults. This seed often grows into the idea of self-glorification in ones image. In today's world, popularity is not determined by being a jock or being a cheerleader. It is about how one portrays ones image, manipulated or not. These ego-driven  individuals are often judged on appearance, online friends and tweets; shouts; and wall posts.

Images online are for everyone to view. With that being said, it is often believed that in order to achieve popularity (or just social acceptance); one must upload an image that is a blown up representation of their true self. Pictures in the users profiles are often exaggerated. Awkward angles are used to represent a more appealing side. Self-shots are captured through clever usage of bathroom mirrors, many times in school.

Ones entire image becomes distorted online. Favorite movies are listed because they are popular, not because the user enjoys watching them. Bands listed are mainstream, to follow along with the flow of society. Favorite books read are often intellectual, providing a false perspective of the users knowledge. This inflated information is not real. It does not conform to the original ideas and beliefs the user once contained. The real information along with the user themselves, is shrouded by the deceit of the information shown.


This seed planted within ourselves has flourished to such an extent that these social networking sites are more informative than face-to-face communication. Did Charles break up with Dorothy? Facebook said he was single. Simple questions, answered in an even simpler manner (a phone call), are now answered by an instantly updated infrastructure. No longer is a phone call needed to ask a friend if they are going to your birthday party. Just send a Facebook invitation. Want to know what your friends are doing? Just check their tweets. Today's society has grown so dependent, in an almost addicted manner to Online Communication that stopping or reverting to old school methods is simply not an option.