I personally have been affected by the cultural phenomenon that is "social media"; many of my friends and peers began joining websites like "Facebook" and "Twitter" at an early age. Quickly I learned that these sites are open grounds for uncensored and unlimited communication. People that I befriended on these sites could post anything from pictures, photos, and invitations to different links and pages. I eventually learned that websites like "Facebook" were subtle ways of "managing" friendships, and breeding grounds for narcissistic profile posts seeking attention.
The reason I believe I say social media is "The Great Divider" is because of how the technological advancements differ so greatly from people in my generation, compared to those in the past. People who are considered elderly don't typically use or necessarily understand the basic social norms of these websites. Kids who are younger than me (I'm a sophomore; so people who are freshmen in college or below) have been around this technology for nearly there entire life. Younger generations have been born into a society overwhelmed with so many new inventions like brand new IPHONE's and MAC's.
I mentioned earlier how many people have different opinions of how social media affects the culture around us. Statements like "it ruins face to face communication" have become arguments as to why people shouldn't be using these websites. People on the other end of the spectrum could argue "it creates promotional opportunities for businesses" and "helps maintain friendships with people overseas" provide their arguments as to why social media is helpful to our way of life. No matter which side of the technological wave people decide to support; social media has made a name for itself as the biggest communities in all of entertainment.
Users of these sites normally have easy access to their personal profiles via laptop or cellphone. Nowadays it seems like everybody has a cellphone. I personally didn't have a phone until I was 17 years old heading off to UNL, starting my freshman year here at college. Beforehand I couldn't access websites like "Facebook" and "Twitter" without a computer; since getting a cellphone I now understand how everything appears so instant online. Since enrolling in college I've constantly been asked to join different Facebook groups and follow different campus activities online. These social media sites are great for interacting on a much grander scale, but I find my personal communication with close friends to be consumed by this entity online.
Whether people enjoy the instant gratification of receiving a like, retweet, share, etc online. People can't deny the fact that social media has become practically a necessity for people who want to be considered hip and up to date with different trends and social norms. Social media divides the American public on so many levels, and the applicability of these sites can be beneficial to the users or quite negative. The online community is a different world with many dangers and opportunities; however a person may feel about this expanding movement, they can't deny one thing. Social media will be around for quite awhile.
Below are a few links containing information on the "Pros" and "Cons" of using these websites.
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