Blog prompt #2

Facebook: Friend or Foe?

            Love it or hate it, you’re probably hooked on Facebook, especially if you’re under the age of 30.  Since its launch about 10 years ago, Facebook has become an essential communication tool for most people.  Many of the sites features, like games, instant messaging, photo sharing among other things are very popular amongst its users.  It already has more than a billion people using the site, and about half of them use it every day.  But is it really good for the individual or society as a whole?  Let’s find out through looking at two arguments in favor of Facebook and two that are against it.

            For young people, especially those in their teens, Facebook can promote narcissistic behavior.  According to Larry D. Rosen, Ph.D., psychology professor at California State University, in an article for the Huffington Post, Facebook gives a narcissist the attention s/he seeks and safety in the sense that s/he cannot be physically attacked in person. (Turgeon)

            Another study conducted by the University of Michigan found that the more often that some people used Facebook, the worse they felt about themselves.  The researchers found that those people used the site most when they felt lonely, even though they may not have been alone at the time.  According to the study’s authors, “We text-messaged people five times per day for two-weeks to examine how Facebook use influences the two components of subjective well-being: how people feel moment-to-moment and how satisfied they are with their lives.  Our results indicate that Facebook use predicts negative shifts on both of these variables over time”  (Kross, Verduyn, and et al ).

            In addition to the disadvantages of using Facebook, there are also a couple of obvious advantages to the site as well.  In the Huffington Post article previously mentioned, Rosen stated that social media sites like Facebook are what he considers “training wheels for life.”  (Turgeon) He then went on to explain how social media sites help teens who are usually shy in person by making them feel more comfortable since it takes away the pressure of conversing with someone face to face. (Turgeon)

            A second advantage is the opportunity to engage with interesting people around the globe who you wouldn’t have a chance to meet in real life.  Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said that “if people share more, the world will become more open and connected. And a world that’s more open and connected is a better world” (Kukatani).  As people stay connected with each other on Facebook, Zuckerberg believes that this would lead to a much more trusting world because, despite the differences in culture, people are very much the same.

            Looking at the disadvantages and advantages of Facebook, I believe that the positive aspects of this social media site outweigh the negatives.  Although some people use Facebook to get attention or because they think they’ll feel better but really don’t, most people find that Facebook benefits them by helping them feel more comfortable with the people around them and also enable them to be connected with different people throughout the world.  So, love it or hate it; Facebook is most likely going to affect you in some way, shape or form.

Works Cited

1)                  Turgeon, Jordan. "How Facebook And Social Media Affect The Minds Of Generation Next." AOL Healthy Living. Huffington Post, 09 Augus 2011. Web. 25 Feb 2014. 

2)                  Kukatani, Michiko. "Company on the Verge of a Social Breakthrough." New York Times online. 07 Jun 2010: n. page. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/books/08book.html?_r=1&>.)

3)                  Kross, Ethan, Philippe Verduyn, et al. "Facebook Use Predicts Declines in Subjective Well-Being in Young Adults." PLoS One. 14 Aug 2013: n. page. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0069841>.