Social media in today’s world
I wish to comment on your columnist Mark Anthony Falzon’s interesting piece, ‘No laptops please, we’re students’ (May 13).
I am sure Prof. Falzon, as head of the University’s Department of Sociology, is very knowledgeable about the development of society’s means of socialisation. So I ask him: can it be that today’s society’s addiction with social media is simply a new way of socialising? I believe this addiction to social media reflects society’s need to connect with people from all over the world.
But did society’s addiction with wanting to connect with the rest of the world result in the development of smartphones, laptops, tablets, and so on? Or was it the other way round?
As social beings, we are curious to know what the rest of the world is doing. What better than social media to achieve this?
It is no longer simply an issue of being able to know, but of wanting to know.
Nobody wants to feel cut off from the rest of the world. One can see this from the numerous comments, recommendations and shares on websites.
Many follow local and international news online, and even receive daily headlines via e-mail.
These are all means by which citizens feel more cosmopolitan, and not limited by the borders oftheir country.
Another important point is the modern world’s emphasis on time. Taking your time is no longer accepted in society.
Moreover, with the emphasis on freedom of speech, everyone’s opinion has become fundamental on the internet today.
This explains why people areconstantly giving their opinions on any subject, even one theyknow hardly anything about.
Which is the better option? A primitive society in which socialisation is based on face-to-face interaction? Or the modern world in which the idea of face-to-face discussion is becoming a thing of the past and all discussion takes place on the internet?
At the end of the day, the best option is always to find a balance, but it is never easy to find this between real social life and virtual social life.
Moreover, who is to blame for all this? Are we a product of capitalism, being forced into consuming what modern technology has to offer?
Or are we simply consuming these items for society’s well-being? And if we do not manage to find this balance, where will all this lead us one day? These are all questions which are very difficult to answer.
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J. Fiorentino
May 27th 2012, 14:03
By the same argument lecturers are free to ignore their students during lecturers while they keep checking their iPods or laptops to interact with their contacts on line. They have a socail virtual life as well and it does not matter if their addiction prevents them from covering the planned lecturing material. Yes, at the end of the day, one should really find a balance. And finding a balance, by definition, excludes addiction.
Charlene Valentina Giordimaina
May 27th 2012, 23:15
J. Fiorentino,
nowhere did I say that it is legitimate for a person to be sort of, cut-off, from the rest of the world simply because facebook and other social media may have a number of advantages. I was simply trying to understand what led to this addiction of some people nowadays into of these websites.
Personally, I feel that it is very offensive to be in a meeting or a discussion and a person goes on his facebook and just spends his time browsing through the wall. It is like you are in a formal discussion and you just pick up your phone, phone a friend, and start chatting about your future plans. It is very disrespectful.
Lucienne Dimech
May 27th 2012, 10:47
Ms Charlene I may be much older then you. I make use of various electronic equipment for many thi gs in my life. I cannot I imagine life without an iPad a smartphone a computer Internet banking online shopping and the rest,.where I do not agree is that having time for oneself is no lo ger an option. The day is still 24 hours long and we choose what to do I our time some choose to turn on an electronic device others still resort to old fashioned means of entertainment like listening to some music not on utube or through an iPod have a relaxing bath inspite of the utility rates go for a walk without answering to emails that bleep at every step. Addiction is never good but we are the ones who have to remain in command of our lives at the end of the day. Gadgets are our servants never our masters
Charlene Valentina Giordimaina
May 27th 2012, 23:24
Lucienne,
thank-you for going through my letter.
Personally I agree with you. In fact, that is why I said that:
"At the end of the day, the best option is always to find a balance, but it is never easy to find this between real social life and virtual social life."
You seem to use your electronic equipment for business reasons only. However, youngsters are today living in a world where having "some time for myself" also implies spending a couple of hours on facebook, browsing the wall, playing a game, chatting with friends (virtually of course, which is very limited in comparison to meeting a person in real life and speaking to him face to face). I'm speaking in a very generic sense. So, that option of enjoying the outside world is becoming quite scarce - not because we "choose" that option, but because it is a natural outcome of this over-modernized world in which we are living.
Please choose the reason of your report below: