Digital Culture (COM231-71)

Blog 2 Social media has mixed effects on society. On the one hand, social media connects us in new and exciting ways. Maintaining friendships and relationships from thousands of miles away has never been easier. Another unique benefit social media has given us is the ability to find work or continue our education. Despite the wonderful benefits we reap from social media, there is a downside. On the other hand, social media overuse, especially in adolescents, is linked to increased rates of anxiety and depression. Comparison and self-doubt are fed to us through our screens, and it can be detrimental to our mental health and well-being if we don’t use social media appropriately. Social media’s most poignant benefit is the connections we are able to maintain through social media. Russell Heimlich, a former researcher for the Pew Research Center, explains that roughly two-thirds of social media users are using social media to stay in touch with friends and family. I know that the older I...

 The internet, and its ongoing evolution, has profoundly changed our culture. Some of these shifts in culture have had positive impacts on society, while some of these changes have affected us negatively. There are three things about how the internet has changed our culture that really stand out to me. First, we are a more connected society. Long gone are the days of snail mail and pay phone calls. Now, we are able to use the internet to connect with almost anybody in the world in a matter of seconds. This ability to connect via the internet (e-mail, social media, etc) has allowed for a new era of advanced communication, no longer limited by distance. For me, the internet is especially important while my husband is deployed, because we are still able to communicate despite thousands of miles of distance between us. Emma Patterson from datingnews.com explains that, according to a recent survey, 65% of singles are open to long-distance relationships. With the connection we are able t...