My Purpose

The purpose of this blog is to discuss about people, mainly teenagers, are using social media for the wrong reason, and howit's a huge distraction for them to gain knowledge. Parents around the world, especially in American, need to get on their children or their future won’t be looking so bright for any age group.

Social Media Revolution

This video really has some eye popping facts about social media. By seeing this video, I've come to a conclusion that maybe ten to fifteen years from now everything will be done on the computer. If people would use social media in a good way instead of being egotistical and thinking of themselves; social media can really turn out to be a good thing. Otherwise, I feel like these social networks are going to make a separation from the strong and the weak. Which will you choose?

What Is Social Media Really Doing to Society?

 

In the video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ij6YUpozGQ they talk about how people say the internet is being used for recieving new ideas but people are not really paying attention to those new ideas theyre focusing more on broadcasting themselves. Also in the video they state that social media exposes your personal life. I agree, people are paying more attention to themselves as in trying to be the next famous or most popular person on the web. Instead of finding out whats going on around the world and using their knowledge to solve problems they're more focused on whats going on in other people's lives.

Is Google Really a Good Resource?

I chose this video because the actors in the video tend to say that they recieved the answer to the questions, that was asked in the video, from google. I think google is a great search engine to find out an answer to a question, but for my experience, when I look on google to find an answer to a question, I get something out of it by answering the question right, but long-term I dont learn anything.

The Good Side of Social Media

On http://mmbaker2.blogspot.com/ Madison Baker's "We're All GoingViral" post is about how social media and the advanced technology is great for the world because everyone in the world can share their ideas and recieve information faster than the superhero flash. She also gave an example of someone who got famous for just posting a video, which was the "Gangnam style" video. I agree with this post, but it depends on who you are because I feel like more people use the internet just to socialize and not try to learn anything new. I also agree that more and more people are getting famous by just posting videos on the web, for example, Justin Bieber. Moral of the story is everyone use the web properly maybe it would be something to look forward too. To me social media will always be a distraction.

Games v. Reading

Johnson, S. (2005). Games. In S. Cohen, 50 Essays (pp. 196-202). Boston: Emily Berleth.

In the essay “Games,” Steven Johnson explains how video games should not be criticized of being useless and making people more violent. Johnson goes on, and says that would if video games came before textbooks? We probably find every reason why video games are better than reading, and how reading isn’t good for you. He also explains that video games actually can give you knowledge and how it may in the near future give textbooks a run for its money. Toward the end of the essay he explains reading is still the top priority for people to gain knowledge and people should become avid readers because it can help you with your future goals. I think games make people violent because just in my household; I can see what it is doing to my family. For example, my older brother loves shooting games and his love for the game made him join the military, where you can be violent.  For me, I love playing basketball video games, when I have time I tried to go play basketball to  try out the tricks I saw from the video game.

Television: The Plug-In Drug

Winn, M. (2002). Television: The Plug-In Drug. In S. Cohen, 50 Essays (pp. 438-447). Boston: Emily Berleth.

My blog is about how teenagers are distracted by social networks, and isn't helping them for the future. Before there were computers or lab tops, there was television. In the essay “Television: The Plug- in Drug,’’ Mary Winn explains that television separated the traditional bonding that families use to have before television came along. Winn states before there was television families would go out more, play games with each other, and have dinner at the table. Winn explains that the effect that television has done is separating the families by barely going out anymore as a family; children after growing up move far away from their parents because the relationship isn’t that strong, and not as much socializing because everyone’s eyes are glue to the screen. This essay relates to social networks because instead of solving the problem of having family values or the importance of family; we just made our relationships even more at a far distant because social networks, in my eyes, make you pay more attention to the computer than your family.

Is Social Media v. Real Communication

Tardanico, S. (2012, April 30). Is Social Media Sabotaging Real Communication? Retrieved from Forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/sites/susantardanico/2012/04/30/is-social-media-sabotaging-real-communication/

 

In the essay, “Is Social Media Sabotaging Real Communication?” Susan Tardanico explains that face to face socializing has a distinct difference from texting or socializing on the computer. Her purpose of this essay was to explain that socializing in front of people is an important skill to have. If you were trying to figure out, if you have a good relationship with your boss wouldn’t you want the conversation to be in person, and ask him how he feels about you. On the computer he can be dishonest, and in person you can tell sometimes if someone is lying to you. Tardanico states that people can act anyway behind a social network or a text message. “As human beings, our only real method of connection is through authentic communication. Studies show that only 7% of communication is based on the written or verbal word. A whooping 93% is based on nonverbal body language. Indeed, it’s only when we can hear tone of voice or look into someone’s eyes that we’re able to know when “I’m fine” doesn’t mean they’re fine at all or when “I’m in” doesn’t mean they’re brought in at all.” Tardanico states here that people may be connected to the internet, but they are really disconnecting they’re self from the world because face to face is the real communication.

The Facebook Effect

Dell, J. O. (2011, April 27). For Students, What Is the "Facebook Effect" on Grades? Retrieved from Mashable: http://mashable.com/2011/04/27/facebook-effect-students/

The essay is about the overall impact social networking is doing for college students. Jolie O' Dell pointed out that social networks impact for college students makes them work less, their grades suffer more compare to their peers, who don't use social networks, and they are more likely to be depressed or lonely. "Students who use Facebook and hit the books simultaneously found their multitasking led to 20% lower grades than those of their more focused peers. Facebooked-using students also made less money during school from part-time work, putting in around five hours per week as opposed to 16 hours per week for a typical unplugged counterpart.” This is useful because I feel like it’s true social networks can be distracting, especially while you’re trying to do your homework. You don’t do your best work by multi-tasking. For example, driving while texting, and we all know the outcome of that.

The Art of Peer Pressure by Texting

Melnick, M. (2010, November 09). 'Hyper-texters' are More Likely to try Drugs have Sex. Retrieved from time.com: http://healthland.time.com/2010/11/09/study-hyper-texters-are-more-likely-to-try-drugs-have-sex/

Hyper-texting is sending an excessive amount of text messages a day. In the article "'Hyper-texting’ Teens More Likely to have had Sex, Tried Drugs,” Meredith Mel nick states teens that send out more than 120 text messages a day are more likely to be susceptible  to have had sex or used illegal drugs or drank alcohol than their peers who text less. Melnick adds that the “Hyper-texters” are also more likely to get into fights, and misuse drugs and alcohol. Melnick explains that researchers say it has to do with peer pressure and lack of parental discipline. “In the survey of 4,200 Cleveland-are high school students, 20% were designated as hyper-texters; about 11% were considered hyper-networkers, who reported spending three or more hours per day on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.  About 4% of students both hyper-texted and hyper-networked.” This information unfolds that almost half of the students that go to school there are addicts of social media. This article definitely has some truths about its claim because before I had a phone; I didn’t feel the pressure at all to do drugs and alcohol, but as soon as I did get a phone I did feel pressured by my peers.

How Big of a Distraction can Social Media Be for Kids?

Conley, D. (2011, March 19). time.com. Retrieved from Times Magazine: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2048363,00.html

In the article, "Wired for Distraction: Kids and Social Media," Dalton Conley talks about how parents shouldn't be generally focused on cyberbullying, sexual predators, and inappropriate material. Conley states that they should think about what social media is doing for their brains. The purpose of this article is to prove that being expose to social media at a young age isn't good. "A Kaiser Foundation report released last year found that an average, children ages 8 to 18 spend 7 hours 38 mins, a day using entertainment media. and if you count each content stream separately -- a lot of kids, for example, text while watching television -- they are logging almost 11 hours of media usage a day." If a kid sleeps at least 7 to 8 hours a day, that means, if this fact is actually true, they spend more than half of their being exposed to social media, and they aren't trying to gain knowlegde. This article is useful because all this new technology that we are getting isn't good for the young. We have to remember this is the up and coming generation and these facts seems as if they aren't learnig anything.

Social Media Has Benefits and Risks

Paddock, C. (2011, March 28). Social Media Has Benefits And Risks For Kids. Retrieved from Medical News Today: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/220410.php

In the article, “Social Media Has Benefits and Risks,” Catherine Paddock explains that when it comes to social media and kids, it equals benefits and risks while surfing the internet. Paddock says that kids benefit from the social media sites, by developing communication and technical skills. The dangers Paddock states is kids are being cyberbullied and it can cause depression. What paddock points out in this essay is that parents need to start talking to their kids about social media sites. For example, what is appropriate and use social media in a healthy way. Paddock also states that kids usage of social media are growing exponentially. “A Commons Sense Media Poll in 2009 found that more than half of American teenagers log onto their favorite social media site at least once a day, while 22% do so at least ten times a day.” I feel like Paddock is right about parents need to put some discipline on their child about the usage of social media, but what if they don’t know how to use computers? I know people that were born in the 60s or 70s that still up to this day haven’t touched a computer, due to they were never taught the basics about a computer.