Social Media's Double Identity
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Social Media's Double Identity

A confidence booster yet a disconnection with the world

476
Social Media's Double Identity
i.ytimg.com

Social Media is extremely prominent in today’s world. A person can take a picture and
simultaneously post it to for the world. Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter are only the beginning of our online presence on social media. We, however, fail to understand that social media is not the same as interaction in real life. When a person types a couple words and comments on another person’s Facebook wall, it isn’t the same as telling the same person to his or her face.

Social media has a double-edged sword effect on most people. Social media is only as good as its content, so the content depends whether or not social media can be used as a good or bad thing. First, it can be a good thing because it helps build a brand to an individual or group of people as well as connect people at long distances. Using social media can help brand companies with the values and themes important to them. We must represent who we are, both in everyday life as well as online.

But social media can also have negatives. Connecting with someone online is very different than connecting with someone online because it feels stranger to talk to a screen and still associate conversations with a human and not an electronic device. Writing something online can have a confidence booster in a friend, but, in the end, it disconnects from the world.

Social media can detract from all of the other important things in life. You cannot feel the same way about a baby's smile on the internet as you do with a baby's smile in real life. Even science tells us that having face-to-face interactions help with oxytocin and creates more happiness around others. Don't forget that there is a world outside of the internet.

I'm not trying to be that person who is says that "social media sucks." I love posting about the world around me and taking horrible pictures myself to send to my friends, as much as the next person. But I do know that there is more to life than this social media craze. But I'm not going to stop posting to Instagram every now and then.

So, this is my warning, take it or leave it, you can have a slightly different online presence than your real self. But when there becomes a huge divide between the two, then that is a problem. As with anything in life, social media has to be in moderation to be great. That doesn't mean that your life and even your online identity cannot be extraordinary despite this distinction.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

52191
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

33548
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

956342
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

181232
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments