Is Social Media Making You Lonely?
I want to point out the factor that social media is the most significant contributor to loneliness in the United States. The advancement in the sector of technology is the main factor that also contributes to loneliness. Most of the people believe that development in technology enhances connectivity among people from different geographical places across the world. But, it indeed causes a massive disconnection of people from the world around them. The use of social media platforms has dramatically increased, and they are associated with a lot of disturbances and loneliness. For instance, the research that was carried out at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Radboud University Nijmegen showed that most of the people enjoy the pleasure response to social media sites like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram than having a direct connection with people around them.
Logos
However, being exposed to the images on social media is one of the factors that also lead to loneliness. Most of the individuals try to compare themselves with others to the extent of grouping themselves to different levels like adventurous, happy, and less successful. A good example reflects from the individual study that was conducted about those who use social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook. It was noted that those who were after validations like the number of “likes and comments” in the media to show their good profile pictures are likely to have low self-esteem and feel inferior to others. In turn, they feel isolated and disconnected from others because of their look.
Pathos
Another way in which social media could be promoting loneliness is through the use of phones. Even the research that was carried out at the University of British Columbia showed that most of the people respond very fast in case of a slight disturbance of a buzzing phone without considering where they are and what they are doing beat in a meeting or any social assembly. The response to the phone can cause others to feel disconnected.
Ethos
As I wind up my points of agreement on social media as a factor behind loneliness, I will focus on the influence of cyberbullying. The study of teens who take more than two hours while using social media in a day reported increased cases of cyberbullying. Also, national representation of about 5,600 youths aged 12 to 17 years and 34 percent reported instances of being cyberbullied. Seventeen percent reported that they had experienced it within one month. However, 64 percent said that cyberbullying affected their ability to learn, and they felt unsafe at school. It is essential to know that individuals who suffer from cyberbullying are likely to be desperate, especially when they try to connect with others, thus causing loneliness.