Can you imagine going at least one day in your life without a mobile phone,
computer, or social media? If yes, then not all is lost, and if not, this may be something
to reflect on. The trouble is not that social networks have completely swallowed up our
lives. No one is going to dispute the fact that social networking has radically changed
the way we live and captured a huge part of our everyday time.
The problem lies more in our attitude towards digital gadgets and social
networks and what impact they have on us. Do we know how to remain ourselves, be
free, and use social networking in a useful way for self-development? Let’s look into
what social networks are, and what negative and positive influences they have on all of
us.
Social networking is deeply rooted in our lives; its impact is obvious. These are
all possible channels of remote communication we use every day. For some of us
social media has become a wonderful solution for running a business and working
online, managing finances, and making a social image. For others, unfortunately,
social networks have led to a sort of Internet addiction, which may cause serious
psychiatric disorders. Social networking, like a coin, has two sides: positive and
negative.
The benefits of social media are enormous:
1. We have nice possibilities of finding and exchanging all kinds of information,
downloading photos, music, and video.
2. Social networking provides great opportunities for entrepreneurs and their
customers, which is a very convenient, efficient, and cost-effective way to run online
businesses. A great number of jobs have been created due to online social media, and
these jobs are not so vulnerable to world changes (like the COVID-19 pandemic
today) than other industries.
3. Social networks have greatly influenced education giving us many
possibilities for both learning, and developing various ways of teaching. By having
access to the Internet resources, people are becoming more captivated by the process
of learning, which stimulates their imagination and helps them to gain new knowledge.
4. Social media has altered the way we interact with our family, friends and
other people making all of us keep in touch wherever we may be. Distance is no longer
an obstacle for people who have social media. Online communication is limited, but it
is better than having no connection at all, as it helps to maintain relationships and our
everyday interactions.
