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Collin College ENGL 1302 Social Media Dysfunction Term Paper
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- ENGL 1302
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- Collin College
Collin College ENGL 1302 Social Media Dysfunction Term Paper
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ENGL 1302Social Media Dysfunction
In this day and age that we live, we have become accustomed to having a connection to
family, friends, and our everyday world through the realm of social media and the internet. With
the adaption of new technology to propel use, social media is quickly becoming the easiest and
preferred method of communication. Some argue that social media outlets such as Facebook and
Twitter do the opposite that they promote themselves to be and only serve to alienate humanity
further. Peggy Orenstein, a writer for the New York Times argues that the “risk of the
performance culture, of the packaged-self, is that it erodes the very relationships it purports to
create, and alienates us from our own humanity.” There are extreme cases, where it would be
more appropriate to speak rather than send a text or an instant message to someone who might be
just across the room. However, for most of us it is a means for us to stay connected to family and
friends who we may not otherwise have the opportunity to communicate with. Orenstein’s
critique on the “packaged-self” and social media in particular, appears to have validity by the
way that evolution has embraced technology and reduced interpersonal communication.
In July 2010, Orenstein wrote an article for the New York Times titled “I Tweet,
Therefore I Am” which gives us a glimpse into the psychology of our need for social media
outlets such as Twitter, and how the self is not as genuine due to feeling pressure to make a
performance rather than true expression. Sherry Turkle, a professor at M.I.T., says in the article
by Orenstein that “because you’re also creating something for others’ consumption, you find
yourself imagining and playing to your audience more and more. So those moments in which
you’re supposed to be showing your true self become a performance. Your psychology becomes
a performance.” (Turkle) In other words, we tend to look for media that we think others will like,
, more than we like it ourselves in hopes that it will gain a positive response from friends. It means
that instead of expressing who we really are, we are only promoting ourselves through the
boundaries of the social media platform. However, Orenstein also recognizes the value of social
media outlets by describing her own conflicts between herself and her online persona. She says
“The fun of Twitter and, I suspect, its draw for millions of people, is its infinite potential for
connection, as well as its opportunity for self-expression” (Orenstein). The author goes on to say
that when we are able to post our every thought and feeling, we sacrifice the opportunity for
reflection and self-discovery.
There was a study done which showed the impacts of new technologies and media usage
within domestic environments, and tracked their usage and activities with sixteen households.
They were given new devices to use, and the participants gave permission to have their activities
monitored. The study titled “Impacts of New Technologies on Media Usage and Social Behavior
in Domestic Environments”, gives a very detailed scientific report on how hierarchy becomes a
factor in families when new technology is introduced, and shows how much influence
technology has over interpersonal relations, or the lack thereof. Benedikt Ley says, “our results
also underline the more critical aspect already mentioned by Turkle, to the extent that her
observations about the effects of social media can be seen even in the living room. Domestic life,
in other words, does not seem to be entirely exempt from the phenomenon of being ‘alone
together’” (827). Meaning that socially, family life can sometimes be very silent due to all
members being online in some form or fashion. The consequences of this are that family
members usually do not spend much time communicating with each other, and in turn results in
the breakdown of the connection or bonds that most family members might maintain. The results
of the experiment actually reinforce the use of technology in the home by stating “The
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