Touchstone 4_ Revisions

docx

School

Southern New Hampshire University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

123-Q5859

Subject

English

Date

Jan 9, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by DeaconPower11778

1 Jorgo Qendro Sophia Learning English Composition II December 27th, 2023 Social Media: Good or Bad? The rise of social media in society has undeniably transformed our day to day lives. The influence of social media has created a number of issues, such as the exacerbation of mental health, the spread of misinformation, and the erosion of genuine personal connections. The cultivation of unrealistic societal standards has led to a rapid decline in mental health amongst social media users. Social media has made people feel less connected by giving the illusion of success or failure relative to what someone else is doing, often comparing yourself to an influencer or others which leads to self doubt and mental health issues due to comparison of lives inevitably. The erosion of authenticity has increased with the rise of social media. The relentless pursuit of validation through likes and comments and interactions has given power to a society where our self-worth is measured digitally, through the click of a button. Authenticity is the cornerstone of a genuine human connection. It has been sacrificed for digital approval from strangers online we do not even know. Is our self-worth dictated by the number of likes and digital approvals we receive? Social media has seen a rise in cyberbullying. As stated by the (Jed Foundation, 2023), cyberbullying and eating disorders, as well as body dysmorphia, have increased due to social media. Cyberbullying continues to be an issue, especially on platforms that enable easier harassment towards others. The lack of accountability along with anonymity makes it less

2 challenging for individuals to get caught. People using fake usernames and aliases and spreading hate should be punished by law. Individuals who harbor mental health issues through social media may experience depression, anxiety, low self-esteem or thoughts of suicide or commiting harm to others. The anonymity provided by social media platforms often leads to an increase in cyberbullying and online harassment. A report by the Pew Research Center (2017) found that 41% of Americans have personally experienced online harassment, and 66% have witnessed it happening to others. Promoting a safer environment through social media would curb the long term effects on someone’s psychological well being. Self isolation has drastically increased with the increased usage of social media. As much social connectivity we receive from social media, the downside is the silent epidemic of loneliness. As we delve further into endless scrolling, we may find some comfort in digital conversation, yet the feeling of genuine human connection fades away. Social media isolates individuals partaking in it, leaving them yearn for genuine and authentic relationships. The likes and interactions may increase, but the continued feeling of disconnection persists. Are we sacrificing the genuine value and richness of face-to-face interactions for the illusion of digital relationships? One of the major effects of social media usage is addiction. Social media platforms have the goal of constant engagement for their users, often resulting in an unhealthy amount of time scrolling, interacting with messages and notifications. This leads to a harmful balance between reality and social media consumption. Overexposure and overconsumption of social media can lead to far less productivity, less physical movement, which all lead to health deterioration, whether mental or physical. (Efectio, 2022), as well as 9St. Cloud Technical & Community College, 2020), both discuss the effects of social media on productivity in the workplace, and for

3 students in school. St. Cloud stated” A research scientist from USC commented that using these social media apps is like drugging ourselves; we get carried away by the dopamine high, and it becomes hypnotic. When it becomes severe enough, this social media addiction can cause depression and anxiety.” Efectio states”When new messages appear continuously on the phone at work, there is a desire to look immediately, or thoughts are distracted by the new message. Shifting attention requires effort from the brain, so to maintain a clear focus on thoughts, it is necessary to reduce distractions such as communication and social networks.” This furthers the concern of mental health deterioration. Although there are those who claim that social networking can create a sense of companionship and help, the negatives outweigh the positives. One must observe and acknowledge how detrimental it might be for mental health and strive to reduce these impacts. Other individuals may argue that online platforms create unity among their users; regardless, nothing compares to genuine face-to-face interaction since using screens has certain limitations. Furthermore, manipulated or filtered posts or pages displayed on various social media sites provide an illusion of connectedness between people which often leads to unrealistic expectations about real relationships in our actual environment. The impact that influencers have on their followers is underrespresented. Numerous studies, including research published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology (2019), indicate a significant rise in mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and loneliness among individuals who heavily use social media. Constant exposure to carefully curated, idealized representations of others' lives can contribute to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Influencers and famous people have a major impact on their audiences. The image they portray as information they put out into social media often gets received as fact by their

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

4 audiences, leading to a rise of misinformation being spread. Instagram is a massive culprit of unrealistic expectations. The American Journal of Epidemiology (2019) published a study indicating that the use of social media is associated with feelings of social isolation, especially among young adults. Influencers who use filters to enhance their looks, or claiming their looks are “natural” when they have undergone extensive cosmetic or plastic surgery to acquire their looks, leads to self-doubt in the individuals who follow them or look up to them. This creates anxiety, angst, and body dysmorphia. All of these factors lead up to one of the major mental health issues, depression. The positives of social media are the networking and opportunities it creates, the easy interactions with friends and family, and creating a space for self-expression. But do the positives outweigh the negatives? With the rise of technology, there are many different points of access to reach out to people that exclude social media. As far as networking and job opportunities, that is why there are job searching apps such as Indeed and ZipRecruiter, and for networking apps like LinkedIn that exist.(Dalomba, 2022). Now you can argue that these apps can be considered social media, but I disagree as these apps are strictly for job searching and networking opportunities to interact with others to find job opportunities. As far as interactions with friends and family, that is why cell phones EXIST. Once you have a family or friend’s phone number, you can message or call them at any time, as direct interaction creates more of a social interaction than your friends or family posting vacation pictures on Instagram for everyone to indulge. Beyond that, the immeasurable safety concerns that social media creates has been understated. Posting locations on Snapchat or Instagram of where you are eating or an event you attend leads to safety concerns for yourself, as someone who may have ill-will towards you or

5 may be wary of your financial status may use whatever information they acquire to issue harm onto you. The overindulgence in social media and networking could result in sleep deprivation, as people spend an excessive amount of time scrolling and browsing as well as watching videos through apps such as TikTok. This habit may lead to a decline in sleep, which in essence, affects every other part of your livelihood as sleep gives you the energy to have productive days. A lack of sleep may result in a decline in production, physical and mental health, and mood swings due to fatigue. For maintaining good mental health it is important to prioritize having a sound sleep schedule. Sleep disturbances are among the most prominent correlates of mood episodes and inadequate recovery, yet sleep has been minimally studied in ways that integrate mechanistic understanding and treatment.(Harvey, 2008). There has not been any identifiable research studies done to concur my statement, but a trial run for anyone would show it to be true. Doing an experiment yourself, mass consuming social media and reducing your sleep schedule would show the decline in productivity as a result. In the realm of information, social media presents a double-edged sword. Research by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that false information is 70% more likely to be retweeted than true information. The ease with which misinformation can go viral has serious consequences for public discourse and decision-making. The rapid dissemination of information is concerning, but the unchecked proliferation of misinformation furthers those concerns. The very platforms that promise to connect us also serve as breeding grounds for the viral spread of falsehoods. Are we, as a society, willing to jeopardize the sanctity of truth for the convenience of instant information?

6 It is also worth noting that various social media platforms give the impression and foster the growth of unattainable beauty standards. Outlets like Instagram have skewed the depiction of beauty and the standards men and women alike should set for themselves. Heavily retouched pictures, almost presenting themselves in a model like form, tend to lead to people creating comparisons between themselves and the influencer. This leads to self-doubt and a feeling of diminished self-worth as they feel imperfect in comparison. Furthermore, the unhealthy ideals being expressed in society has created an image standard. This is impactful on impressionable teenagers and young adults, who generally focus on their looks more than anyone else. The harmful behavior this leads to furthers my narrative of social media being more of a negative than a positive. Diving into this discussion further, it has become apparent that the dark sides to social media creates a multitude of harm to mental well-being, as well as personal security. Issues such as harassment online, comparing ourselves unfavorably with others, proliferation of opinions or false information via posts or comments, often seen on Twitter (X). Research published from Iowa State University (2023) found that limiting social media use to 30 minutes per day resulted in significant reductions in depression and loneliness. The fear-of-missing-out phenomenon, also known as FOMO, contributes further to the issues of social media. (Bregman, 2023). Lackluster sleep quality, leads to disruption in circadian rhythms due to screen exposure past a normal consumption, which in turn creates fatigue followed by withdrawal symptoms when unplugged too long. These all add up cumulatively into negative outcomes for one’s mental well being. Precautions against these issues need to be implemented to reduce the negative interactions and mindset that social media builds. Lawmakers need to institute measures in place and work with social media platforms in order to ensure a more positive and secure digital experience.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

7 To summarize, mental health can be reduced from social media usage and must be acknowledged and addressed. The best way to do that is setting limits as far as social media consumption, or for more extensive help, going to therapy or asking for help. Having addiction can already be damaging to one’s mental health as the need for social media becomes a necessity. Adding cyberbullying and being harassed online by other users can only progress the mental anguish further. At the end of the day, there are points to be made on both sides. There is a positive to almost any negative on any given topic. As a researcher you have to be able to interpret and understand if the positives outweigh the negatives. The 10 negatives of social media include: Cyberbullying, spread of misinformation, addiction, the decline in face-to-face communication, self-esteem issues, social isolation, polarization and echo chambers, cyberstalking and harassment, decrease in privacy, and lastly comparison and envy. (Roy, 2023). The siren song of social media beckons us all, dragging us into a fictional world where authenticity is sacrificed, loneliness hidden, and truth distorted. As we navigate through this digital landscape, let us be vigilant protectors of our humanity, questioning the true cost of our virtual actions. It is time to rise above the addiction of endless scrolling, to reclaim our authenticity, and to rekindle the genuine connections that make us inherently human. In conclusion, it is apparent that social media has posed more negatives in society than positives. While many may argue that social media is necessary, I believe otherwise. As far as communication, we have cell phones for a reason to be able to call and text people. For job opportunities, before social media, people used to call employers and ask if they were hiring or had any opportunities available. Indeed may be considered a social media platform, but I do not believe so as it is strictly between employer and employee. No active conversations occur

8 outside of reaching out for job opportunities, so it would be very difficult to attain an addiction through a job searching app.The long term effects of social media on mental health and physical well being is more negative than positive. References 1. Walther, M. R., & Dalomba, F. (2022, March 1). Pros and cons of Social Media . Lifespan. https://www.lifespan.org/lifespan-living/social-media-good-bad-and- ugly 2. Company, E. (2022, June 27). The impact of social media on productivity: Efectio . Efectio " Company Culture Management. https://efectio.com/en/the- impact-of-social-media-on-productivity/ 3. Walsh, D. (2022, September 14). Study: Social media use linked to decline in mental health . MIT Sloan. https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/study- social-media-use-linked-to-decline-mental-health 4. Bregman, M. (2023, December 4). Social Media and Fomo . Social Media Victims Law Center. https://socialmediavictims.org/mental-health/fomo/ 5. Foundation, J. (2023, April 28). Understanding social media use and balance: Jed . The Jed Foundation. https://jedfoundation.org/resource/understanding-social- media-use-and-balance/ 6. Harvey, A. G. (2008, June 2). Sleep and circadian rhythms in bipolar disorder: seeking synchrony, harmony, and regulation . PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18519522/

9 7. Roy, S. (2023, April 27). 10 Negative Effects Of Social Media On Society . https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-negative-effects-social-media-society-soniya- roy 8. (2023, June 14). Cutting back on social media reduces anxiety, depression, loneliness. https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2023/06/14/limiting-social-media 9. (n.d.). https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/185/3/203/2915143 10. (n.d.). The Spread of True and False Information Online. https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/the-spread-of-false-and-true-info-online/ frequently-asked-questions/ 11. (n.d.). https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/abn 12. Duggan, M. (2017, July 11). Online Harassment 2017. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2017/07/11/online-harassment-2017/ Reflection Questions 1. How much time did you spend revising your draft? What revision strategies did you use, and which worked best for you? I spent about 2 hours revising my draft, carefully adding more context and depth to my paper. I used proofreading, editing, and highlighting sentence structures that do not get the point across effectively. Proofreading my paper to make sure sentence structure and formatting were efficient in achieving my point was the best strategy.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

10 2. List three concrete revisions that you made and explain how you made them. What problem did you fix with each of these revisions? Issues may be unity, cohesion, rhetorical appeals, or any other areas on which you received constructive feedback. In my draft, I did not use any rhetorical appeals. I revised and used ethos, logos, and pathos to further add concrete depth and details to my paper. I revised sources, and added further sources to add credibility to my claims in select paragraphs. I attached these sources to the sections I deemed correlated, The revisions I made ultimately resulted in a more clear and organized paper from my perspective. 3. What did you learn about your writing process or yourself as a writer? How has your understanding of the research process changed as a result of taking this course? As I currently attend SNHU, a lot of my coursework is writing papers and citing sources and doing so through researching. Writing more complex papers where you have to choose your own topic, rather than having a template to work from has made me use critical thinking skills, which in turn has made me a better writer and equipped me with the necessary skills to write successful papers in future classes through my school. Once I get in the flow of what I am writing, everything becomes clear and easy to articulate.

Touchstone 4_ Revisions

Related Documents