Social media is a large part of our world today. As popular as it may be, there are several drawbacks.
A lot of social network sites are overrated. While I am on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, I do not use them on a regular basis. I just never got too involved with updating the world on when I sneeze or go to workout or where I am at every moment of the day.
I want privacy in my life. While I am a very social person and love engaging in conversation, I need time away from the world. I need to be signed off and indulge in a good book or workout without everyone else knowing. It is not healthy to be consumed or obsessed with these networks.
I do enjoy the ability to follow and catch up with my friends and possibly network for a job, but after graduation and when my job hunt is over, I am vowing to sign off from Facebook without hesitation.
This year I attended the Michigan Press Association Conference and was on a discussion panel about the use of social media within the newspaper world. I informed the whole room that while The Torch utilizes these tools because we can reach our audience best that way, I personally am not on board using these networks.
What happened to the old times when in order to see my friends I had to call them on the land line that had a cord and schedule a time to see them? Now I can be impersonal with a text or chat online.
Some people may disagree with me about what social networking can do, but I won’t miss it. It causes more of a headache than a benefit.
I am ready to be done with these social networks. I want to have better connections with people rather than by a photo on their timeline. I cannot have a real conversation via chat or text. I need face-to-face interaction, and I am not talking about Face Time or Skype unless distance is an issue.
It is a social norm to have a social media account, but I just don’t want to be a part of that world. I think it is harmful to our communication skills.
Goodbye, social networking, and hello to my old, quiet lifestyle with no tweets or friend requests.
Not to be mean or anything, but I’m willing to bet you will have a hard time following through with this. I too miss the old times of more intimate interpersonal interaction, but if it weren’t for facebook I wouldn’t even know if some of my old high school friends were still alive.