Social Media vs Face-to-Face Interaction

Blog groupies - I know this is the 2nd time you've heard me rant about this.  Hang with me. :)

Technological advancements are constantly giving us new ways to "socialize." I remember in elementary school when I had to call my friends on a landline when I wanted to say, "What's up?"  Gee, have times changed!  Now, if I care to say hello to somebody, they’re simply a text away.  Don’t have their number?  No problem!  Facebook/Twitter apps make it possible to send a message straight to nearly any person’s iPhone.  For convenience’s sake, social media is a godsend.  I mean, does anyone really like to make phone calls?  One might even say that technology has allowed us to become more active in our social world, and in many ways it has.  Through Facebook alone, I’m able to keep up with the personal lives of over 500 people, many of whom I would never have the chance to interact with otherwise.  But it’s impossible not to wonder how much social media affects our ability and opportunity to socialize with others in person, face-to-face. 

The advancement of social media makes it incredible easy to avoid face-to-face contact, and it some ways, this is quite unfortunate.  Gone are the days when friends got together to tell stories or share pictures of vacations and events.  Conversations to get to know someone are a thing of the past--now it’s as simple as pursuing their “About Me” section on Facebook.  Showing a friend support or encouragement is no longer making a phone call, sending a card, or paying a visit; it’s a click of the “Like” button.  As Facebook and Twitter become omnipresent in society, more and more social “interactions” take place through a computer screen in solitude. 

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that social media affects our ability to interact with others (it very well could, but I think further time/research is needed to prove this hypothesis), but it definitely diminishes the amount of time we spend communicating with others face-to-face.  I think many people would agree that this is unfortunate, but the numerous benefits of social media make change unlikely.  I think it’s important, however, to make a conscious effort to meet people and converse in person, to call loved ones to hear their voices, and to get together with friends and acquaintances often.  If genuine interactions are prioritized, then (hopefully) we can reap social media’s merits with no serious consequences.