Social Media vs. Reality

Social media has become pervasive in our society, and it has connected us in many ways. People are able to stay in contact more easily with each other now than they were before the advent of social media. However, does this connectedness really make us more connected? In many cases it appears that social media has almost detached us from one another. For example, how many times have you gone out to eat with a friend, family member, etc. and felt an awkward pause because the other individual has stopped the conversation to play with their phone? Have you ever been in a group of people who all seem to be too preoccupied with updating their facebook, twitter, or instagram to pay attention to the company at hand? Have you, yourself, ever been the guilty party in one of these instances?

Social media is a great tool for connecting with others, communicating, collaborating, etc. However, when it begins to envelope one's whole life then it becomes a problem. We should all make an effort to pay more attention to the world around us, rather than the world displayed on the screen in front of us. While social media is an excellent resource for connecting with others, we should all take a moment to put things in perspective every once in a while. The real connections we have with others are not those signified by a friend request on facebook or a follower on twitter. The real connections we have with others is right in front of us. These connections are the relationships we treasure with our family and friends, and we should not lose sight of them because of some notification that pops up on our phones.