The good and the bad of social media

The Internet and social networks have changed the way we relate to each other both positively and negatively. One of the most important and basic human needs to have well-being is to be able to have contact with another person, relate to others and thus feel that we belong to a group.

What we have to be very clear about is that the way we communicate has changed significantly. We could say that the two most outstanding characteristics in current social interaction are immediacy and accessibility. Due to the Internet and instant messaging applications we have gained a very valuable element for our day to day, time. Thanks to the Internet, communication has become easy, simple and direct.

Then we will see the main positive and negative points generated by social networks in how we relate to others:

• Related article: "The Psychology Behind Social Media: The Unwritten Code of Behavior"

Advantages and disadvantages of social networks

The arrival of the Internet in our lives has meant a brutal change in many daily facets. In how we buy, when studying, in our free time, in how we inform ourselves, but also in the way we interact with others.

Although even today the relationships between people are still more valued in their face-to-face aspect, online relationships are affecting the links we establish with other people Let's see the good and the bad that this type of relationship offers.

On the positive

These are the main advantages of social networks.

1. Establish new relationships

It is frequent that the embarrassment and shyness, the lack of time, or it may even be that the laziness that gives the initial effort involved in starting a new social relationship, are some of the reasons that can lead us to track and find other like-minded people through social networks. You can get to get a great connection with another person, and the usual thing will be this virtual relationship becomes a face-to-face relationship, go from 2.0 to 1.0.

• You may be interested: "Long distance relationships: 10 problems that are hard to bear"

2. Keep in touch with existing relationships

Nowadays thanks to social networks we can keep up to date with what friends, family and acquaintances do. It is a simple and very easy way to know about others and to share our moments with others through social networks.

3. Rediscover friendships

Through the search engines provided by social networks we can regain some old friendships that one day could be lost on the road of life.

We would be in a position to say then that today the tools that the Internet offers us (social networks, email, chats and all applications) have managed to promote and consolidate the interrelationships of the people:

• Those that already existed.
• The ones that have just started.
• The future ones.

On the negative

Among the disadvantages of social networks we find the following.

1. It can isolate us

The paradox is that social networks allow us to communicate at any time of the day with anyone, although it is at a great distance from us, but on the other hand they can also isolate us from the person we have at side. It brings you closer to the one who is far away, and it takes you away from the one who is near.

For this reason, we do not recommend using social networks in situations in which we should be interacting with the people next to us.

2. They cheat us

We have to take into account that you can find profiles of false and / or lying people.

3. Facilitates the cowardice of bad people

From time to time you may find that there are anonymous profiles where bad people hide to insult, criticize, belittle and humiliate. These toxic people express and spread their envies and frustrations. They don't empathize, ignoring the damage they can do. It is true that social networks can facilitate this type of behavior since they feel protected, something that they would not do face to face.

4. Facilitates unhealthy self-esteem

As we well know in psychology on the subject of self-esteem, the most vulnerable are adolescents, social networks can encourage the misconception that based on the number of followers and "likes" I must feel more or less valued.

5. Impulsiveness

They promote having too much impulsiveness and therefore little patience in the face of uncertainty.

6. Lack of prudence

You can get to say more easily what you would not do in person. What's more, there is the downside of the lack of nuances of non-verbal language.

7. They are addictive

Due to their attractiveness and speed, they can lead to addiction.

8. They facilitate bullying and harassment

Toxic, aggressive, envious people, ultimately bad people thanks to anonymity can harass and hurt more easily.

Conclution

As we have seen throughout this article, not everything is bad. The positive part of the new technologies would be how they can help us solve problems and find people, for example.

I therefore recommend that you do not avoid social networks, because you could stop benefiting from the feedback and support that is received when sharing publications online. On the other hand, remember, if you are a father or mother, that according to the American Psychological Association, when parents are behave as if they fear the internet and social media, they can convey to children the message that the world is a place that they must fear.