The Benefits of Social Media

There are a lot of controversial opinions on whether social media is for the better or worse. As it grows bigger and bigger each passing day, more things happen to sway people’s attitudes towards it. I think that social media is more beneficial than it is bad. It obviously has its upsides and downsides, but that applies to everything in life. Through social media people can connect to each other, meet new people, and make friends across the world. It consists of different platforms where everyone is allowed to express themselves and their creativity in different ways. It is often given a bad reputation, and I mean, social media is not always a positive place. It definitely has it’s bad parts, but I also think that people tend to overlook the extensive amount of good that comes with it.

Social media is an amazing and easy way to connect people. People all over the world can bond over their shared interests, and many people have made lifelong friends through social media. And yes, this does come with it’s drawbacks. People can lie about who they are, and it can be extremely dangerous. But once again, everything in life runs the risk of danger, not just social media. And social media is a great way to connect people who don’t have anyone around them in real life. I know of people who have found their best friends and soulmates over social media, without having met them at all in real life beforehand. Another argument against it is that meeting people and making connections over social media takes the genuity and humanity out of relationships, but I don’t think that’s true. I think social media adds more genuity to relationships because it’s such an easy way to connect people with similar interests. So people who might be alone in real life, or who have a rough life can use social media to bond with each other. No matter where in the world they are, or what they are going through, they can still escape to each other using social media.

Another way social media is good is because it keeps people connected. You hear a lot that people will fall out of touch with their classmates and friends from highschool after graduating. But social media can help that. Friends losing touch with one another, or family who live apart can still keep up with each other’s life and stay connected through social media. And no, social media may not keep the people from highschool as your best friends, or your distant family as close as those you live with, but you always have the option to be. If you want, you can reach out and stay connected and close to those people. And if not, you don’t have to. No matter what, social media is a good way to keep people connected.

Social media is also an excellent way for people to express themselves. There are so many different social media platforms where people can express their creativity in different ways. You have platforms like Instagram, where people can express themselves through photos, or showcase their art. And apps like Youtube, where there is a plethora of different people expressing themselves through videos. People have even made careers out of their self expression over social media. And no, not all the content over social media is positive, but it’s easy to overlook that due to all the content that is. Especially to those who have a hard time expressing themselves in real life, or can’t, social media allows different platforms for people to express themselves and their creativity.

So yes, social media may have its drawbacks. It’s not always a positive place, or has the best content, and it may even be dangerous at times. But that comes with everything in life. Social media has so many more positive factors that we shouldn’t overlook. It can connect people with similar interests across the world. You can be best friends with people you may not even think about knowing in real life, and it can keep people connected. Best of all, social media is a place to express yourself. And by expressing yourself, you can connect with similar people. Social media is a place full of creativity, all expressed in different ways. That’s why I believe that social media is more beneficial than it is bad.

“Instagram – 8” by BrentOzar is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0