I have given numerous reasons to quit Facebook in the previous two articles, but what if I say that I realised that I missed out on quite a bunch of things by not being on it!
Everybody is aware of the basic and most obvious advantage of social media-Connectivity. No matter if you are searching for a former college roommate, your first grade teacher, batch-mates or an international friend, there is no easier or faster way to make a connection than social media. But quitting it would mean breaking the connection.
In the hectic schedule of everyday lives it gets difficult to stay in touch. It is easier to chat over Facebook, or open a video chat through Google+, rather than having to plan and travel to specific locations, at specific times when everyone can meet. So when I quit, most of my acquaintances and friends found it easier to let it be than going through the trouble of finding time to meet me; hence I became socially inactive.
I was unaware of the events happening around me because the updates got posted online. Even in LPU, I missed out the details of many events, contests and other news because I was inactive on the platform being used to endorse them. Last week when I logged back in I realised that my whole class was friends on Facebook and that I had missed many plans and hangouts.
So to sum it up, there are pros and cons to everything in life, even online. The way technology is growing, it is obvious that more and more people are going to grasp its benefits. It has brought a lot of advantages for society. But overdependence on anything is fatal. It is all about optimum usage and getting things done positively, using the power of social media.
It is in the hands of the user to use social media advantageously. But willingly or unwillingly it can still have negative impact. I stated the disadvantages first, because the advantages are numerous and everything is understood to have a positive effect unless it is used negatively.
So next time you use Facebook or Twitter or Instagram or any other social media platform, remember to use it wisely. Don’t boast of your life, neither compare it to others’. Share your pleasures and discoveries, be witty; there will be delight.
Here’s to less media and a more thoughtful way of being social.
