grantcopeland9

[grantcopeland9]

To conclude, it is clear social media has taken a huge hold on on our modern day society. With state of the art iPhones becoming a common thing to find in the hand of a child, it is no wonder the younger generation especially are finding it hard to go five minutes without refreshing their Twitter feed or Facebooking their friends. Whether this will get steadily worse is difficult to say, as it depends on what our generation decide to do when raising our children. By then I dread to think how far technology will have came; the idea alone is hard for me to fathom. We can only hope that this social networking craze will die down as time goes on, otherwise the traditional methods of hanging out with friends, meeting new ones, and a general social lifestyle will have been overthrown by a keypad. And, like the end of that chapter (which I hope doesn't become a reality), my one has ended here. Thanks for reading!

Sources

Animation - http://www.fimfiction.net/group/200615/antidepression-ponies/thread/60656/idk-ok

[grantcopeland9]

The modern armageddon???? I hope not.

Sources

Video -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q74hGmpeuuo

[grantcopeland9]

The Scale of Social Media

An astonishing 98% of 18-24 year olds already use social networks. Statistic Brain also tells us that 1.4 billion people use Facebook worldwide (research from the start of 2014). The fact that Facebook alone has such a tremendous usage shows that social networks have got their hold on the modern society too tightly to ever let us go, or for us to let go of them. 

The short film in the following post is a good way to draw my blog to a close. It captures the joke that social media turns us into zombies. There has been many times I have had a close call with a lamp-post or tree because I've been engrossed in my phone on Facebook, Twitter, etc. 

Sources

Statistics - http://www.statisticbrain.com/social-networking-statistics/

[grantcopeland9]

Online Personalities

As much as I have shown a rather negative opinion of social networking, they have helped a lot of people. For example, it gives you the opportunity to reinvent yourself and have a whole new image. Whilst I think this is not necessarily a good thing (as this won't make yourself happier about your real self) many see it as a kind of safe haven. It is clear, as many have said it themselves, that 'Twitter famous' people (users who have a large amount of followers because of their tweets, not because they are actually famous) do not actually have great social lives, as they spend a huge amount of time trying to please their followers. 

If this makes them enjoy their days more, then in all means go ahead. However, I think there is a huge danger of these users losing themselves in the comfort of their house. 

I'll admit, I feel pretty good when I hit 11 likes on an Instagram post. But it would be very unhealthy for a person to get obsessed with his/her online status. Those who are making full use of social networks have to be careful they don't miss out on real life socialisation.

[grantcopeland9]

Social networking has definitely taken away the meaning of certain words. Hahaha.

Sources 

Graphic - http://theantisocialmedia.com/tag/facebook-2/

[grantcopeland9]

The last post showing a Billy Corgan quote on social media is an interesting one. Social networks were originally intended to increase socialising amongst it's users, hence the name. However, like Corgan, many think it has almost acted as a barrier at times when it comes to communicating with others. 

Whilst Facebook and Twitter, etc, give us the opportunity to meet new people, it doesn't necessarily mean you will follow through on the initial meet. It not only kickstarts friendships, relationships, and socialising, yet can stunt it also. 

I am not ashamed to admit the first time I spoke to my girlfriend was over Snapchat, and I am grateful I had that platform to break the ice. However, I am bad for checking my phone more than often, and have been told off by her many times when I have rudely sat on Twitter and such like. I have improved and use these networks less, however not every person has a positive influence to stay off of these networks. Unfortunately.

[grantcopeland9]

It's important for people to talk and get beyond the wall of Facebook and social media.

(Corgan & Solis, 2011).

References

Corgan, B., & Solis, B. (2011) The End of Business As Usual. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons [Accessed on 29 April 2014).

[grantcopeland9]

This small comic featuring the minions from the movie Despicable Me shows how everyone in this generation is expected to be on every social media platform known to man. However, it suggests that the less in touch we are with our social networks, the more social we will actually be (the irony is too much), and I totally agree with the little yellow guy. Maybe if we spent less time perfecting our Facebook status' and Instagram pictures, more real-life connections could be made. 

Sources

Graphic - http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/my-personal-view-of-the-anti-social-media/

[grantcopeland9]

Can you blame us?

Us (being the social media generation), it is hardly our fault that we expect the latest gadgets and technology/ The video below is amusing, however a five year old boy is desperate for state of the art technology. This isn't his fault, nor his parents. I know if I was a parent in this generation I would definitely have bought my kids the best things I could. As much as there is pressure on the younger generation to have the best things, the pressure on the parents and other relatives to provide them is much greater.

This desire to have something to 'connect' with friends and others is slightly ironic in a way, considering we use them to arrange gatherings, parties, etc, but when we are actually in the social situation many sit on their phones rather than converse. The picture below will give you a good idea.

I admit I am just as bad as the next person for overusing their social networks. Just a couple of days ago me and a few friends were watching the football and one of their dads asked us why we weren't watching the football, but sitting on our phones texting, tweeting, facebooking, snapchatting, the list goes on. None of us could give a proper, reasonable answer. Perhaps people shouldn't even have to ask the question, however nowadays and for the future I feel this will still be a frequent query by parents and such like

Sources

Graphic - http://mashable.com/2013/06/23/antisocial-networking/

[grantcopeland9]

Hilarious/worrying video; young girl gets an iPhone, and her FIVE year old brother cries because he doesn't get one too. This just concerns me more than anything that a boy that young is so distraught over not having one of the best mobile phones of our time, especially when he has no use for it. I mean, who would you even text at that age? I didn't get a phone until i was like ten years old and even then that was an awful phone with basic functions. However, anyone older than me reading this will probably see me as I see this young boy, as even I admit ten is still young for a mobile phone. Whoops. 

Sources

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX-YTaXnDSE

[grantcopeland9]

The craze of the 'selfie' has taken the world by storm, so much that it has actually been added to the dictionary.

'A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.' (Oxford Dictionaries, 2014).

Just like one of my earlier posts said, this action of a selfie being carried out in public is often embarrassing to watch (many of my friends love to even take videos of themselves doing, well, not really much to the music.

Just to further the craze a new song has even been released by The Chainsmokers called #SELFIE...(Follow the link at the top of this post)

Sources

Video - http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/selfieHE H

[grantcopeland9]

This short movie shows a period of time in Lucas George's (a Facebook addict's) life. It proves how some people let social networking and online sites get in the way of actually experiencing real life scenarios and being too engrossed in how many likes they will get for a photo to have a proper serious conversation. I think it's a very effective film, as it definitely is relatable (especially to my age group) plus giving it an actual story line makes for good watching.

Sources

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0H6AzEMHSc

[grantcopeland9]

How digital media has impacted socialising.

A decade ago, groups of friends young and old would gather and have a good time together, nothing but the people there and the conversation. 

2014 sees countless people in public sitting playing on a mobile phone, listening to music, watching videos, tweeting. When in a club I’m very likely to see a large number of people taking ‘Snapchats’ of the dancefloor rather than actually joining in. 

We have become so used to the luxury of having everything at our fingertips, whether at home or on the go, we have totally forgotten what a novelty all this information and entertainment actually is! 

Snapchatting in public has actually become a social faux-pas, with memes being created detailing just how silly some can look (one featured below.)

Throughout this blog I will be exploring the new found anti-socialism that digital media has brought with it. Digital media is (supposedly) one of the best things a person can own; but speaking from experience I know for a fact I had better conversations before I had an iPhone and such like.

Sources

Graphic - https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=snapchatting+in+public&es_sm=91&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ZxtiU_T3CImN7Qat9YGIAw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1434&bih=656#facrc=_&imgrc=ZVAZuolne4iPBM%253A%3BQHwe9imLx86xzM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Flittlefun.org%252Fuploads%252F51effdb1c856111b8500002e_736.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Flittlefun.org%252Fposts%252FSnapchatting_in_public%3B431%3B613