Josh Terry

02/23/15

Argument

How Is Social Media Affecting Your Social Skills?

Technology... is a queer thing. It brings you

great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back
with the other- Carrie Snow. We live in an ever growing
world of technology. Its practically impossible for any of
us to imagine living without electricity or even just the
internet. Many may be unwilling to accept the ever
growing flow of new devices, software, and
technological advances, but theres no denying that its
an unstoppable freight train that shows no signs of
slowing down. My research is based on a current
technological trend that, in the last decade or so, took off and firmly planted itself into practically every
country on earth: social media. Websites like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Tumbler, etc. have millions of
users that access their custom profiles several times on a weekly basis. What Im going to focus on in
particular with social media, is its effect on social skills and face to face communication. Going back to the
quote by Carrie Snow, social media has its good and its bad when it comes to social skills. On one hand,
social medias critics say that it is deteriorating face to face communication and connection with those
around us, due to the lack of nonverbal cues given in person, while also effecting writing and
comprehension skills thanks to quick terms such as LOL and LMAO. Supporters of social media on the
other hand however, argue that social media helps us connect with others and introduces us to social
interaction in a non-threatening way, therefore strengthing new or existing social skills. Doing research on
both sides, Ive seen that each makes some very valid points.
The issue with non-verbal communication
Think of yourself for a minute in a bit of dilemma: You can go to a party, with many people you
have never met, or you can stay home and check Facebook for pictures and updates of the party,

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02/23/15

Argument

ultimately saving yourself from a potentially awkward situation. Some see no harm in the latter, while
others believe that this idea of avoiding social interaction in favor of digital interaction can be a dangerous
game. Jeff Dunn from Edudemic.com listed some positive and negative effects relating to social media.
Speaking of the latter, he had this to say: Because of the lack of body signals and other nonverbal cues,
like tone and inflection, social networking sites are not an adequate replacement for face-to-face
communication. Those who spend a great deal of time on social networking are less able to effectively
communicate in person(3).Touching on this subject also, Susan Tardanico from Forbes magazine, gives
a troubling story about a mother and daughter and the way social media caused a gap in communication
regarding the daughters mental state. On a crisp Friday afternoon last October, Sharon Seline
exchanged text messages with her daughter who was in college. They chatted back and forth, mom
asking how things were going and daughter answering with positive statements followed by emoticons
showing smiles, b-i-g smiles and hearts. Happiness. Later that night, her daughter attempted suicide. In
the days that followed, it came to light that shed been holed up in her dorm room, crying and showing
signs of depression a completely different reality from the one that she conveyed in
texts, Facebook posts and tweets. Susan goes on to say how 7% of communication is based on verbal
and written word, while the other 93% is based on non-verbal communication, that cannot be conveyed
through a computer screen (4). In this way critics paint a picture of the dangers of social media in plain
light, that it simply cannot convey the full body of communication.
Social Medias Effect on Writing and Comprehension
Another way in which social media is seen as a danger to social skills and communication is in
the written word. Terms like BRB (be right back) and LOL (laugh out loud) are common place these days
and can cause difficulty when attempting to be professional and articulate while writing. I recall and
English professor who I had a few semesters back who told a story of receiving a final research paper
that was littered with terms such as LOL. My professor said that although the paper itself was good, these
shorthand terms take away from the professional and well written feel that a document of that sort should
have. She said it just goes to show that even a college paper is not exempt from texting lingo. Not only
that, but within the social media world, grammatical errors are often overlooked simply because it saves

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02/23/15

Argument

time. Amy Summers from adweek.com hits on this point in her article about social media. Speaking of the
trend of grammatical errors and shortened terms she says: Spelling and grammar should not be
forgotten or taken for granted. Your skills in these fields just may be the difference between you and
another candidate when applying for a job. Its great that teenagers have made their own language and
style of communicating, but this isnt going to help us against standard communication. While Amys
focus is mainly on teenagers, its safe to say that this style of communication has moved beyond those in
high school and has an effect even on adults (2).
Social Media Connects Us While Strengthening Social Skills
While there are many who are in opposition to social media and their negative effects, there are
also quite a few supporters who praise social media and the revolution its created. Those who are in
favor are always quick to point out that social media keeps friends, family, and people in general
connected. There is no denying the connection that social media brings between human beings, it allows
people to build or continue relationships even when they live far apart. In an interview that he did with
Marketingprofs.com, Dave Carroll, who found viral popularity thanks to a YouTube video (watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo), speaks about the connection he found in social
media. He says It's not what social media does, but what it allows humans to do, that really matters.
Also in his interview, Dave focuses on the concept that our relationships are already there; social media is
simply a way to build and strengthen connections (1). Social media helps build social skills, since
connection with other human beings is required to succeed in face to face contact. Those who support
social media see it as a way to strengthen, or in some cases begin, social interaction. In an article from
the New York Times, Perri Klass M.D says Our children are using social media to accomplish the eternal
goals of adolescent development which include socializing with peers, investigating the world, trying on
identities and establishing independence(5). In this sense, social media is being used to introduce
adolescents into social situations in a non-threatening way. Everyones been in a face to face situation
thats turned awkward really fast because face to face communication can sometimes be threatening,
especially for those who arent used to social interaction. Supporters of social media often say that social
media as a whole is an efficient way to ease yourself into social activity, wither youre young or old.

Josh Terry

02/23/15

Argument

What Kind of Impact Will Social Media Make on You?

In my own personal experience with social media, Ive first hand experienced the good and the
bad. I use social media almost every day, and so do those that Im around on a daily basis. While some
around me seem to have little issues because of social media, I also have many friends who have trouble
communicating in a face to face interaction mainly due to Facebook or Online gaming addiction. I believe
that social media is the wave of the future as they call it. It shouldnt be ignored and it should be
encouraged, but it also shouldnt be overused. Social media like any real drug can and will become an
addiction, and when that happens, it deteriorates our social skills and makes it difficult for others to
communicate with us. In my own personal opinion, I believe social media can cause more harm than
good, but like discussed before, it can also be a valuable source of connection to the world around us.
Everything in moderation as they say, and social media is not different, use it wisely and it can be a
valuable source of human connection and interaction.

Sources

1. Grant, Matthew. Social Media Doesn't Connect Us; It Deepens Existing

Connections. Marketing Profs. 5 Oct 2012. Web. 23 Feb 2014.
2. Summers, Amy. A Teen Speaks: Is Social Media Damaging Our Social Skills?. Ad Week. 22
Feb 2011. Web. 11 Feb 2014
3. Dunn, Jeff. The 10 Best and Worst Ways Social Media Impacts Education. Edudemic. 11
July 2011. Web. 11 Feb 2014
4. Tardanico, Susan. Is Social Media Sabotaging Real Communication?. Forbes. 30 Apr 2012.
Web. 11 Feb 2014
5. Klass, Perri. Seeing Social Media More as Portal Than as Pitfall. New York Times. 9 Jan
2012. Web. 23 Feb 2014

Josh Terry

02/23/15

Argument