The Role Social Media Plays in Your Relationships
Your relationships are most certainly very important to you. Taking care of them, nurturing them and ensuring that they continue to have significance and meaning in your life are important things you strive towards. No one likes to be alone and no one likes to be lonely. And to facilitate this social media has made its entry.
But nothing is good or bad or black and white. There are always two sides to the coin and yes while on the one hand social media has had its benefits, it also has its cons so to say.
Knowing about both sides of the story usually helps make an informed decision about what you want. And in this case it could help you decide how much you want social media to be a part of your life.
#1 The world has shrunk and is now a click away.
One thing that resonates more often than not is the fact that social media has brought us close to those who had drifted away. Suddenly you find yourself connected to long lost friends, in touch with childhood memories long forgotten and connected to people you thoughts you would never think of or see. Now they are just a click away and it does not take much to know what is going on with them.
#2 I know most of what’s happening in the world (mine and others’)
Believe it or not but the reality is an information boom. From not knowing much of what may be happening not just in the lives of the people you know, now you are also aware of those whose lives you are not a part of. Lots of information reaches you and it goes from the personal to the non-personal, the relevant to the irrelevant, impinging upon a lot in your daily life.
#3 The disappearing distances do wonders for my relationship
The chance for connectedness that social media provides has allowed many the space to nurture their relationships. The long distances amount to nil as you get entry into the lives of loved ones allowing for greater points of contact and involvement.
#4 So much attention and appreciation comes my way
Everything that you share gets liked or shared, creating a bubble of positivity and feel good. All the attention and appreciation that comes your way makes you feel on top of the world and makes you day, week and year.
#5 There is a comparison which does happen in my mind
Whatever may be said and done, the fact is that as you see what others are doing in their lives, with the people in their lives and in their work, there can be a comparative element which does creep into your thoughts. The comparison can happen at multiple levels for all sorts of variables and this can be quite a dampener on your moods and sometimes even affect your interpersonal relationships if your expectations and needs change.
#6 A lot of my time gets occupied leaving little for things in the real world
For many a large preoccupation can exist with the virtual world of social media. This can significantly impact the relationships in and relatedness with the real world. It takes away significant time from that which can be spent with those around you. And often you may realize that a lot of time has passed in going through social media with not much to show for in real life, leaving tasks unfinished and conversations unsaid.
#7 More joy than my real world. This is my alternate reality.
It can be surprising but for many the joy of being on these alternate social media platforms takes away from the way they feel about their lives. The engagement with these platforms can reach such extensive levels that what happens in daily life becomes rather mundane and boring taking away from the real relationships that exist in life.
#8 Truth may not be surround me though
Social media and what is listed on it by its users does not always bear the stamp of truth. The information on it can be disillusioning and distressing and often may also create a feeling of not having enough or that which exists out there. This can be disruptive to relationships in the real world as it can create false levels of expectations from those around us.
