Almost everywhere, there’s social media being used, such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. So many people are on their phones; either texting someone or on some sort of social media doing something. In my personal preference, all of this technology and advanced ways to communicate with people is becoming an altered lifestyle.Those people will become more dependent on their technology devices and won’t pay attention to the world around them. People are becoming accustomed to living a life with technology, and without it a lot of those people feel secluded and distant from others. For me, I find that social media has been deemed to be as something positive and enjoyable to have. But looking at how our society has attached themselves to it shows that without it, there’s a form of loneliness, words not being spoken, and misunderstandings between them.

A lot of what society has become is mostly based on their reputation or how they appear to be on social media. If a person, let’s say, has around 1,000 followers on Instagram then people, for the most part, automatically assume that that person is cool and outgoing. Whereas, if someone has about 100 followers, they are presumed to be an okay person with some sort of personality. With that said who is to say that the person with 1,000 followers is actually shy, secluded, and self-conscious about how they appear; and the person with 100 is in reality: out-going, creative, and talkative. You wouldn’t know for sure unless you knew that person well, so it’s difficult for those who don’t know the person they want to be friends with. Social media is tough to use when you want to get to know someone because with technology it’s hard to know if someone is feeling one way or another, versus being with that person in a physical contact way. Being with someone physically to get to know them is more reasonable and there’s a clearer understanding because this way you’re able to read a person’s body language, and tell by their tone of voice how they consciously feel about a subject; this is because there’s no virtual distraction keeping them from noticing things that they normally wouldn’t pay attention to if they were looking at a screen. A research by the Pew Research Center suggests that 89 percent of cell phone owners used their phones during social gatherings they attended last but were unhappy about it, and 82 percent of adults who used their phones during a social setting hurt conversations (Stop Googling. Let's Talk by Sherry Turkle). In my personal experience, I’m a person who’s shy, self-conscious, and creative, but I appear as an outgoing person on Instagram for example, because I post things that would portray an extroverted person like videos of progresses I make when doing something. An example for that would be when I post videos of the progresses I make when playing the piano, when practicing hula hoop tricks, and just posting pictures that most people contradict about the world; but really when it comes time to play in front of people I get nervous and mess up a little, or I’ll mess up a hula hoop trick, and if someone has a problem with a picture I post I don’t reply because I’m too scared to say anything.

The actual feelings we have aren’t always expressed how we want them to be; and when they are, sometimes people don’t take it in the right way needed. In the world of communicating through technology, scientists have argued that social media has actually led “to a decrease in community engagement, with more people staying online rather than meeting to participate.”(studies were suggested in the article: “I Knew You before I Met You”.) Many people who associate with others through social media mostly do so through that particular source of communication, and doing this isn’t always a super negative thing. With this you’re able to connect with people who share the same interests as you, and it allows “strangers to unite when there is seemingly no other way.” Which was stated in the article, “I Knew You  before I Met You”. That is an amazing way of getting out there and sharing a similar interest with other people. Unfortunately, how will you know that the person you’re inevitably talking to is who they are without using skype or face-time? It’s difficult to know who they truly are without those components, and with the absence of that, how will you know their true feelings on something if it’s a complete stranger or possibly your peer? Getting to know someone or trying to express feelings through social media is more complicated than expected.

As said in the article, “I Knew You before I Met You: How Social Media Has Changed the Way We Communicate” by Jennifer Brannock, she points out a very relevant and related stance that, “In a fit of anger, you might post something offensive on social media, or to be funny, a friend might post an embarrassing video of you. Inappropriate posting have cost people their friends, loved ones, and even careers.” Keeping that in mind you should also reconcile the possibility that people are becoming physically distant with each other and are creating a void of less physical contact. There’s less connection with people in the physical world versus the virtual world, even though it might feel like we’re connecting well with others no matter the circumstance; this is probably a cause of being attached and used to communicating through social media. We spend a lot of our time on screens we put in front of our faces to talk and when it’s not there we might not know what to say because when it’s over texts we have time to respond with an answer we think is the best, but in person we have to come up with something in the spur moment. We have to start putting ourselves out there and speak our minds because that’s how we will begin to realize how to connect with people better.

But with social media, there had been a survey by a group called Pew, from the article: “Don’t Blame Social Media if Your Kid is Unsocial. It’s Your Fault.”, where kids who texted the most also talked the most, showing that it’s not all destructive or a negative way of conversing. On the other hand, there are teens and a lot of society who say they would much rather have a face-to-face encounter with another person. So maybe there is the possibility that, at the end of the day, social media is good to have and is a great way to interact with the other beings that can’t be with you physically. Because not being with that person could be replaced with social media and solve that lack of physical contact.

But looking back to that; doesn’t that show a lack of affection we need, and the increased feelings of loneliness? In my opinion, yes, and I believe that even though social media is a good alter for not being able to talk to someone, it shouldn’t be used for when we’re trying to actually express our true selves. We should consider taking the time to step back and be in the conscious world of where we live. Who wouldn’t want to take a fresh breath of air to see someone they love or care for? We can only do so if we decide to step away from any and all devices that are blocking us from doing so.