argumentative

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English Composition I

Argumentative Essay

20 November 2017

Facebook’s Role in Loneliness

Social media has become ubiquitous in recent times due to advancements in technology

whereby several devices, particularly internet-enabled smartphones, facilitate the interactivity of

people through social networking platforms. Addictiveness to social media has resulted in many

people, particularly the youth, spending a lot of time browsing and surfing on social websites

such as Facebook and Twitter (Cacioppo and Cacioppo 60). For this reason, social media has

various impacts on the lifestyle, character, and behavior of these individuals. In this regard,

social media, especially Facebook, promotes loneliness because it poses distractions from real

life occurrences, provides an illusion of companionship and social connection, and negatively

affects self-image, although the opposition believes it creates strong connections between

interacting parties.

Facebook encourages the aspect of loneliness among its users in a number of ways. For

instance, it poses distractions from real life happenings. According to Guedes et al., it is obvious

that many youths tend to check their Facebook accounts regularly, despite any commitments at

hand (45). This implies that social networking has changed the youngsters’ ability to focus on the

real world into embracing the virtual world. Moreover, shortcomings in social settings often

drive these individuals to seek solace in online websites such as Facebook (46). Instead of

handling feelings due to social misunderstandings, many people often embrace their smartphones

or personal computers to distract themselves. This behavior, therefore, promotes loneliness as it

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strains immediate and real-time relationships between individuals. In sum, users are visiting the

website to fill many types of voids that should be satisfied by physical human interaction.

Additionally, social networking provides an illusion of companionship and social

connection between people from different regions of the world. In this case, Facebook brings

substitutes to actual family and friends from the virtual world. In as much as it enables people to

connect with close family members and acquaintances, many young individuals nurture

emotional relationships with distant people, in particular virtual strangers, without much

attention to their close relatives and friends (Ryan et al. 144). As a result, the illusionary

relationships take center stage of these individuals’ lives. Consequently, detaching from

connections between immediate companions to virtual ones culminates in isolation and thus

loneliness as well as provides opportunities for malicious predators.

Moreover, Facebook affects people’s self-image negatively in a number of ways.

Considering that several Facebook users post idealized videos and photos on the website in a bid

to display their work and social lifestyles, the implication is that they compete with celebrities

and other figures in the virtual, social world (Ryan et al. 147). As a result, other Facebook users

tend to have the notion that their counterparts lead fabulous, successful, and exciting lives.

Therefore, they may develop feelings of inadequacy, thereby feeling isolated and lonely.

However, Walter Smith, senior analyzer at RH Housier, explains that social networking

sites “increase social contact among older adults” (qtd. in Ryan et al.). An increase in social

activity would seemingly yield a fulfilled social component. Surprisingly enough, those who

have reported feeling lonely are under the age of 35 (Guedes et al. 15). This is quite ironical as

they are the most prolific networkers of social media. One would expect the much older

generation to make such complaints. Identically, about 48% of the same age group confide in

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only one person (19). Hence, this shows that despite the fact that online social networks have

increased, offline communication has been compromised in the process to some extent and no

matter the age group.

The use of technology has resulted in many impacts on the social lives of people around

the world. In particular, it has promoted loneliness among the individuals who actively

participate in social networking through social media as discussed. Facebook, for instance, poses

distractions from real life happenings. It also provides an illusion of social companionship and

social connection as well as negatively affecting the self-image.

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Works Cited

Cacioppo, John T., & Stephanie Cacioppo. “Social Relationships and Health: The Toxic Effects

of Perceived Social Isolation.” Social and personality psychology compass 8.2 (2014):

58–72. PMC. Web. 29 Nov. 2017.

Guedes, Eduardo et al. “Internet Addiction and Excessive Social Networks Use: What about

Facebook?” Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health : CP & EMH 12

(2016): 43–48. PMC. Web. 29 Nov. 2017.

Ryan, Tracii et al. “The Uses and Abuses of Facebook: A Review of Facebook

Addiction.” Journal of Behavioral Addictions 3.3 (2014): 133–148. PMC. Web. 29 Nov.

2017.