Social Media: Is Social Media A Waste Of Time?

If someone was to think about how they used to spend their time before social media was invented, they might find it hard to remember. What this could show is that it has become a normal part of their life.

And as it is so easy to use social media, it can be easy to see why this might be the case. If they want to access it, they could sit down and use a computer, or they could simply use some kind of device.
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Anywhere

As a result of this, one can use it no matter where they are, and it could be said that this is one of the reasons why they will use it as often as they do. If this wasn’t an option, there is the chance that it would cause them to have a difference experience.

Instead, it could be something that one uses from time to time as opposed to something they use all the time. It is then going to be important, but it might not have the same effect on their life.

A Closer Look

If one was to think about why it is important, they may say that it’s because it allows them to stay connected. Thus, through using it on a regular basis, it gives them to chance to stay up to date with what is taking place.

There will be how this allows them to stay in contact with their ‘friends’, and how it allows them to hear about what is taking place in the world. Social media can then be seen as something they need to use, and not something they want to use.

Disconnected

Based on this, they could come to the conclusion that they have been cut-off if they are unable to use it. Along with what would take place in their mind, there is also likely to be what would occur in their body.

One could end up experiencing fear and anxiety, and this could cause them to be overwhelmed. Therefore, even though they are still part of life, it could seem as though they have been left out in the cold, so to speak.

Survival

It might then be accurate to say that one is emotionally dependent on social media, and in order for them to feel at peace, they will need to use it on a consistent basis. Another way of looking at it would be to say that it allows them to regulate how they feel.

So in the same way that a Childs anxiety is kept at bay through the presence of their mother, the presence of social media can allow an adult to keep their anxiety at bay. In this sense, social media can also be seen as a mental and emotional regulator.

Life Enhancing

But with that aside, it could be said that social media can have a positive effect on one’s life, and that it all depends on how they use it. For example, if one has ‘friends’ that live in another country, it will be a lot easier for them to stay in touch.

Yet even when it relates to their ‘friends’ who live in the same country, it can still be easier for them to stay up to date with them. They can see what they have been doing in their life, and they can comment on the kinds of things that they share, for instance.

News

If one wants to find out about what has been taking place in the world, they will also be able to fulfil this need. This can take place through looking over what is ‘trending’, or they could see what is taking place in their News Feed.

What they need is then in one place, and there can be no reason for them to go anywhere else. One can also stay up to date with that their favourite celebrities have been doing with their life.

Entertainment

It could be more important for them to be informed about what is happening in the world of entertainment than the world itself. Even so, this need will be taken care of, and they won’t need to go without.

There is then so much to gain through using social media and so much to lose through not using it. And as it has such a positive effect on their life, there will be no reason for them to change their behaviour.

Another Outlook

However, while social media can have a positive effect on one’s life, it can also cause them to waste time. For example, although one can be informed about what their real friends are doing, they can also be inform about what their so called friends are doing.

When it relates to the former, it could be said that it will be time well spent, but when it relates to the latter, it could be said that they will be wasting their time. Ultimately, these will be people that have no real relevance to their life.

Informed

And while one can believe that they are being informed about the world through using social media, this is not going to be the complete truth. This comes down to the fact that social media is often no different to the mainstream media in as much as they define what events will be exposed and what events will be overlooked.

Due to this, one can end up being conditioned to see life in a certain way, and this will stop them form being able to come to their own conclusions about what is taking place. The alternative might be for one to do their own research, and they won’t need social media in order to do this.

Time

It could be said that one’s time is one of the most important things they have, and this is because they can’t get it back. When one uses social media, it can be so easy for them to get caught up in what is taking place, and before they know it, they could have spent a number of hours online.

The time that one could save through putting social media to one side could be used to enhance their life. This could be used to create more fulfilling relationships, to learn a new hobby, or to build-up their own business, for instance.